Which Medical Licensing Exam Is Best For DOs?

Championing the dreams of embodying your name and identity in the field of healthcare professionals depends on your dedication, hard work and academic options. If you are a medical aspirant in the US, then you might have come across the two big exam names, COMLEX and USMLE. 

Designed to brush up on your clinical abilities and medical knowledge, both exams have different relevancy and coursework. In clear words, COMLEX is designed for the DOs and USMLE is suitable for MD students. 

In case, you are still confused, fret not, this article will give you a clear vision of which medical licensing exam is better for DOs till the end.

Understanding the COMLEX Concept

Administered by the NBOME (National Board of Osteopathic Medicine Examiners, COMLEX is a 4-level-based that is conducted to evaluate the clinical abilities, medical knowledge and patient assessment of the attempting medical aspirant. 

This exam is crucial to complete for medical students in order to gain the required licence to practice Osteopathic medicine in the US. 

There are a total of 3 levels, that combine for 4 exams, including a series of 2 exams in Level 2. 

COMLEX Examination Series Dissection 

As mentioned above, the format consists of 3 Levels and a total of 4 exams that require your dedicated hard work and an impeccable study routine to score it down on the first attempt.

To help you gather detailed information about what is coming your way, we have laid out the levels in a simplified manner ahead

COMLEX Level 1 

The first exam in the COMLEX series is Level 1. It is a one-day computer-based assessment that is taken after the successful completion of the first year in a recognized osteopathic medicine college. 

COMLEX Level 1 prep pertains to clinical competencies, foundational biomedical sciences, and other healthcare knowledge and related skills. The content line consists of the following underlined competencies. 

• Medical knowledge
• Clinical principles and practice 
• Patient care and assessment
• Professionalism and Ethics 
• Communication Skills
• System-based Practice in Osteopathic Medicine 

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COMLEX Level 2- CE 

COMLEX Level 2 CE, (CE stands for cognitive evaluation), is conducted when you get a successful completion certificate of your college 2 year. Competencies domains that are assessed consist of clinical discipline skills, foundation of osteopathic medicine, and more. 

Take a tour of the clinical skills and abilities settings for Level 2. 

• Emergency medicine 
• Family medicine 
• Internal medicine 
• Osteopathic principles and practice
• Obstetrics/Gynaecology 
• Paediatrics and Psychiatry
• Surgery 
• Patient Management

The exam consists of 352 multiple-choice questions and gives 2-hour timeframes to solve the paper.

COMLEX Level 2-PE 

COMLEX Level 2-PE (PE here, performance evaluation) is the 3rd exam in the series and is conducted along with its variant, CE. Conducted after the completion of your medical school for 2 years, the exam is more of a simulation and includes practical competencies to test.

The test competencies comprise the following humanistic skill evaluation: 

• Physician-patient communication 
• Interpersonal skills 
• Professionalism 
• Principles and Osteopathic manipulative treatment 
• Documentation and medical case-taking

NOTE: COMLEX Level 2 CE was an assessment administered by the NBOME earlier in the content line and exams sections. But, back in February 2021, it was completely suspended by the legal authorities for some reason. 

Earlier, the question paper consisted of 352 questions and was given 2 hours to complete it. 

COMLEX Level 3 

COMLEX Level 3 is the full and final exam of the assessment. It is a two-day-long exam that is conducted after the completion of your medical degree. This is the final check to evaluate unsupervised treatment conduction to ensure independent safe delivery of the osteopathic medical treatment and care. 

Check out the following disciplines that are tested amongst these: 

• Emergency Medicine 
• Family Medicine 
• Internal Medicine 
• Obstetrics/ Gynecology 
• Osteopathic principles and practice
• Paediatrics and Psychiatry
• Surgery 

The two-day-long exam is integrated with 420 multiple-choice questions and 25 clinical based that consist of MCQs and short answers, which should be completed in the designed timeframe.

Which Exam is Better: COMLEX or USMLE

Given that, both exams are designed to focus on the clinical fundamentals and to improve the medical competencies, both carry different natures and content lines to meet the specific demands of the medicos. COMLEX goes right for the DOs and allopathic students, whereas, USMLE is suitable for the MD appearing students. 

Overall, the query that has been justified in the article says COMLEX is considered the best medical licensing exam for DOs. Although there is no such instrument that can measure the nature of the exam or which one is harder. 

However, the review data says that COMLEX comes out to be harder than USMLE due to more exams (currently PE is suspended), levels and its unpredictable nature. 

Conclusion 

If you are someone who is dreaming of shaping your career in the medical field and becoming an outspoken champion for peace, care and healthy lives. COMLEX exam comes with daunting challenges and obstacles, but a dedicated mind and compassionate learner can cross those hurdles with flying colours. 

Put your step forward, invest all your dedication and will, and gain access to the medical licence you always affirmed!

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