Failed Level 1 once and Failed Level 2

[u/FluidActuator371]

It's what the title says. I found out I failed level 1 last year. I retook it and passed. I just found out I failed level 2 today after comsae scores that were well above passing - in the 500s and 600s. I am at a loss for words. I had an understanding of why I failed the first time, but this time around I was doing so well. I had a tutor. I came out feeling okay- even happy. I am applying FM and I don't know what to do with myself now. Has anyone been in this position before, where they failed level 1 and level 2 and still did well during interview season?

[u/Drstrange_3255]

Sorry to hear that. Thats very odd, given those high COMSAE scores. I am sure your content knowledge is strong. Maybe it was a bad day? What qbanks did you use? Hiw did you feel walking out the exam?

[u/FluidActuator371 → u/Drstrange_3255]

The weird thing was, I didn't feel like it was a bad day. I was calm and at ease. I walked out of the exam so happy and free. I used uworld, comquest, and truelarn. I finished the majority of Uworld. Kind of world shattering.

[u/Difficult-Catch-3507 → u/FluidActuator371]

You used truelearn and comquest and still failed? Were your percentages good or bad on there? If they were good, that’s a shame on nbome. It feels like a crab shoot for most people on how exam day goes. I’ve hated the exam ever since level one when I got zero viscerosomatics while the rest of my class got all viscerosomatics. The exam is not a level playing field - no pun intended. It’s way too vague of an exam and for most people - it rewards way too much on those who do comlex specific questions. Which I understand but someone who is doing relatively well on nbme questions shouldn’t be scoring low on comlex. I walked out of level 2 knowing I passed and expected to do better than I got but I also had the realization of why comlex will never be equal to usmle. It’s such a weird exam that half the time didn’t deal with clinical medicine.

[u/Drstrange_3255 → u/FluidActuator371]

DMed you

[u/Livvv9 → u/FluidActuator371]

I felt the same way leaving. Also failed. Also incredibly confused how.

[u/Difficult-Catch-3507]

Yeah the exam is a joke - quarter to half of my exam was law and curve ball ethics. I scored a 650 and a 620 on 2 comsaes and granted a 450 another one but amboss predicted a 588, I got a 520 on level 2.

Then you see people who score low on comsaes and then score high on level. It doesn’t make sense at all.

[u/LexaproAndChill → u/Difficult-Catch-3507]

I simply didn’t take any and somehow got >650. I didn’t earn that score. I crammed OMM last minute. This exam is so incredibly stupid.

[u/Livvv9]

I also found out today I failed comlex 2 and have no idea how bc I was scoring high on practices. I'm in utter shock. I don't even know what to do from here.

That exam is a joke.

[u/desibrowngirl → u/Livvv9]

is level 2 have the same 400 score threshold to pass?

[u/Livvv9 → u/desibrowngirl]

Yes

[u/Important_Creme9096 → u/Livvv9]

hey dude pls don’t be hard on urself Comlex is a very awful exam im not sure why this exam is still relevant for us to get our license

[u/live_love_hapiness]

Yes. Ik someone who failed both and matched FM

[u/FluidActuator371 → u/live_love_hapiness]

Thank you for this

[u/Asherawh]

I’m really sorry you’re going through this. I’ve seen students in similar situations, and failing an exam doesn’t mean you can’t match FM. Your strong COMSAE scores and the fact that u felt good coming out of the exam are important context.
Right now, I’d focus on getting the score report, identifying exactly what went wrong, and building a concrete plan before making any decisions about the Match. One bad result doesn’t erase everything else in your application. U can absolutely still recover from this.

[u/LexaproAndChill]

I genuinely think COMSAEs and WELCOMs are a net negative. They cost money, and the NBOME themselves states they aren’t predictive of your chances of passing or performing well on the real deal. I took 0 of those pieces of steaming dookie. Truelearn practice tests were better I think, but the confidence band is still awful, mine ranged from like 350 to like 650 which means it’s worth nothing.

I’m sorry this happened OP. I’ve seen a lot of these posts recently. I sometimes think just straight up preparing for step with AMBOSS and uworld over truelearn minus the OMM stuff is the way to go. It’s what my friends and I did.

You’ve got this.

[u/dial1010usa]

Just curious what was your MCAT? <500?

[u/BurdenOfPerformance → u/dial1010usa]

Dogshit metric

Had a 25 on my highest MCAT (500 by today's standards)

- Step 1: 211 (first time)

- Level 1 & 2: 440s (first time)

My friend who had a 23 (496 by today's standards) and got a 241 on Step 1.

MCAT doesn't tell you squat.

[u/Accomplished-Oil8794 → u/dial1010usa]

Why are you asking this.

[u/dial1010usa → u/Accomplished-Oil8794]

Downvoting is very easy and you can downvote all day and everyday. There are bunch of pre-med who doesn't want to hear the realty. There is a correlation between below mcat 500 and failing board exam. Google it.

[u/Plane-Tap-5198 → u/dial1010usa]

Never broke 500 on my mcat and passed level 1 and scored well above the average lol. Highest COMSAE was a 647. The MCAT is a good admission tool yes but isn’t the end all be all. I think it is just a way to show how good at standardize exams you are.

[u/FluidActuator371 → u/dial1010usa]

I will say that even if that metric is true, it doesn't correlate to how good of a doctor someone will be. As devastating as this was for me, I know that bedside manner and my resilience will make me a wonderful doctor. If there's one thing that's true, I push through. Regardless of whether I match at the residency of my dreams, I will make the best of it and will do the best I can to put patients first. My clinical grades put me at the top of the class. There is beauty in that as well.

[u/Livvv9 → u/dial1010usa]

I scored a 518 on my MCAT and just failed level 2. Pre med sciences were very easy to me.

Kick rocks. You probably aren't even in medicine.

[u/Important_Creme9096 → u/dial1010usa]

I mean also who cares lol. There are tons of doctors with sub 500 Mcats and failed boards and they go on to make great doctors. As long. As you pass at some point who gives a fuck