Whew! It’s over. 2 days of sitting for more than 8 hours each day doing written exams! I heard a lot of people complaining about how difficult it was (and it was), but I never once got frazzled or frustrated. I just stayed calm, kept moving ahead, and, when it was over, I told myself, “It’s done. Now all I can do is wait and see.” We find out the results the beginning of August. Assuming we pass, we keep right on with our rotations. If not, we have to take a mandatory month of vacation and study for the September exam. The good think about those taking it from now on is that it will be a one-day computerized exam.
My back (and butt) are really tired 
, and tomorrow we get in the car for a 5 hour trip to DC for the conference. But, knowing where I’m going will make it all worthwhile! See ya’ there!
Linda!!!
That is so HUGE!!!
Congrats!!
I bet you are so relieved that it is over with… I’ll be happy to take that one day computerized test here in 2 years…man!
Now go relax for a little while… you deserve it.
Congrats, Linda. I’m sure that is a huge weight off your shoulders. Enjoy the conference!
Hey Linda,
Ir’s over and it’s a wrap so now you can unwind in DC.
Natalie 
Linda,
Congrats on getting it done 
Now you can relax for a few weeks!! Enjoy
Tara
Woohoo! Linda, I know you kicked butt! It was great to see you again.
Strong work! Congrats on getting through that beast. I’m sure you kicked its little test butt!
Take care,
Jeff
Hi Linda! It was a pleasure meeting you last weekend at the OPM conference and again congrats on completing COMLEX 1 and moving on to year 3. I have noticed that some DO students sit for both COMLEX and USMLE. Are you planning to do that as well? If so, what are the benefits in doing so? Thanks!
Monica
No, I won’t be sitting for the USMLE. Since my interest is in primary care, there is really no need to. There are plenty of residencies that are open for either COMLEX takers or USMLE takers. Remember Dr. Randy Hunt, one of the speakers Friday. He is affiliated with the University of Oklahoma Family Medicine Residency Program, and they accept either exam. . . . as long as you pass it! That’s the way it is with most primary care residencies, and those include internal medicine, emergency medicine, ob/gyn, family medicine, pediatrics, etc.
For the most part, those who take both COMLEX and USMLE are interested in the more competitive (and mostly allopathic) residencies in fields such as dermatology, radiology, surgery, etc. I have no doubt that I could do okay on USMLE, but why bother spending another $400 or so for an exam that isn’t necessary. Right now I’ll just sit here, start my rotations, and hope that when my score comes in August, it will say I passed!
Hi Linda! Thanks for the feedback about the board exams. Good luck with the rotations and your scores!! 
Okay, guys. This is the post I have absolutely dreaded the thought of making. 
We got our board scores back yesterday, and guess what. . . . I failed. Only by a few points, but that is really a moot point. The fact is I failed. I will have to resit for the exam in October and go through it all over again.
What happened? 
I don’t know. I went into the exam feeling I had prepared as fully as I could. I had done well on the USMLE, Kaplan, and NBOME practice exams. I even managed to maintain a sense of calm throughout the two day test period.
So, what went wrong? That’s what I will be trying to figure out over this weekend. Next week I will be meeting with the Director of the WVSOM Office of the National Boards, along with the school psychologist, to try and determine what went wrong and what I can do differently for the October test. For now, it’s on with my rotations, try to find some extra time to review for the exam, and keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Even though I am terribly disappointed and angry 
with myself, this is just a bump in the road. Many, many people fail boards on the first try and have to do them over. So, even though I am battling the tears today, that will be a short term reaction. It won’t deter me from going on and becoming a fine physician.
I’ll keep you all posted.
Hang tough. The second time will be the charm!
I will be pulling for you!
Linda,
I’m so surprised and sorry! I know you were well prepared and were doing well on practice exams, so maybe this was just a strange anomaly that happens to everyone. Only it happened for you on a very bad day.
I know you’ll bounce back and come back strong–you’re my bouncing back role model, you know.
Linda, just wanted to add my sympathies. I know this is not at all the news you wanted to hear. But I have every confidence that you will kick serious butt the second time round. Try not to beat yourself up over this (I know, easier said than done). Do something good for yourself this weekend and know that you WILL pass next time. And know that you’ve got a bunch of OPMs (or OPNs in my case) in your corner cheering you on!
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It won’t deter me from going on and becoming a fine physician.
You remember that, Linda, because that is the god’s honest truth.
I took the COMLEX back in June as well. And my lord what an absolute rollercoster of a test.
Get back on the horse - OPM’s know that step pretty well. I know you’ll kill it on the next round!
- Tae
Thanks to everyone for the words of support and encouragement. I only wish I had the faith in myself right now that you all seem to have. I’m sure I’ll get past it, but this weekend is kind of ‘killing’ me, I think. I get angry, I cry, I think I’ll never pass it next time . . . and then I get a call or an email from a friend or I read all your messages and I know I’ll be okay. After all, I’m one of the eldest OPMs and it wasn’t easy getting this far. I’m not going to give up on myself now. Again, thanks to all.
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Thanks to everyone for the words of support and encouragement. I only wish I had the faith in myself right now that you all seem to have. I’m sure I’ll get past it, but this weekend is kind of ‘killing’ me, I think. I get angry, I cry, I think I’ll never pass it next time . . . and then I get a call or an email from a friend or I read all your messages and I know I’ll be okay. After all, I’m one of the eldest OPMs and it wasn’t easy getting this far. I’m not going to give up on myself now. Again, thanks to all.
Hey Linda,
You know that you always find the greatest rewards when you have overcome the most adversity. This is just one more experience that will make you a stronger and better physician.
Keep plugging away at your clinical stuff. Your patients need you and you are going to be there for them. Medicine is one of the greatest ways to get your focus off your disappointments and back to helping someone deal with a life-changing event.
Ten years from now, you will hardly remember these last few days and your patients will not care. You keep pushing ahead and getting your job done as I know that you will. I suspect that your future residency director won’t care about your having to re-take COMLEX I anyway. He is just waiting for you to graduate and get down there.
Hang in there and keep positive. It is all experience and drawing wisdom from this experience is a great teacher. When you are marching across that stage (my invitation better be in the mail) picking up your diploma, this isn’t going to matter.
Natalie
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Thanks to everyone for the words of support and encouragement. I only wish I had the faith in myself right now that you all seem to have. I’m sure I’ll get past it, but this weekend is kind of ‘killing’ me, I think. I get angry, I cry, I think I’ll never pass it next time . . . and then I get a call or an email from a friend or I read all your messages and I know I’ll be okay. After all, I’m one of the eldest OPMs and it wasn’t easy getting this far. I’m not going to give up on myself now. Again, thanks to all.
Ah, Linda, of course it feels godawful and I can certainly sense the many negative emotions you’re experiencing. No, of course you won’t give up. But to feel like crying and hiding your head under the covers is pretty natural under the circumstances. Give yourself a few days to go ahead and wallow in that disappointment, then as Tae said, get back on the horse as you know you will. Your determination shines through and I know you will do well. And if you feel lonely as you make this extra push, know that we’ve all got your back.
Mary
(you know what it says in my sig!)
Linda,
I’m sorry to hear how you fared on the COMLEX but it sounds like, despite your down feelings right now, you are on the right track to acing it in October. I can’t add any more words of wisdom than those that are there, but mine and Mo’s thought are with you. (He said hi)
Kathy
. . . . and the next time I post anything about this exam, it will be after I complete it in October and get my passing score in December. That’s all there is to it. 
I’m back up on the horse and starting to review the areas where I feel the weakest and I will continue to do so until October. I am also reviewing, once again, bugs and drugs, although I feel pretty confident in that arena.
Best of all, my self-pity party is over. I know, thanks to the support of good friends here at OPM, and a few close friends of many years (as well as Anna Hunt, Dr. Randy Hunt’s wife), that failing the COMLEX 1 is not the end of the world. It simply means I had a bad test day and I plan on the next one being better.
In the meantime, like I said earlier, I plan on meeting with the school psychologist about the test stress, and I plan on seeing the ophthalmalogist this week to check my eyes. Hopefully they won’t hurt so bad when I take the test in October!
For now, thanks again to all of you. You don’t have any idea how much your words of support and encouragement have meant to me.
And now, fellow OPMers, it’s back to the books!!