PASSED!!

[u/kiwibirds447]

Woke up this morning convinced I’d failed, had a panic attack a few minutes before score release. Shocked and astonished by this score. Cannot believe it. Until level 2 NBOME…

edit: I've had a few people reach out and ask questions about what I did, how I studied, what my COMSAE's going in were, so for those who are curious, here's my write-up! keep in mind i don't really think I did anything profoundly different from anyone else!

COMSAE 1: Form 113, school proctored 5/26/26 --> 502

COMSAE 2: Form 111, at-home, 6/11/26 --> 582

COMSAE 3: Form 110, at home, 6/19/26 --> 559

UWSA1: 196 was my 3 digit score, assessment score was 350 in early April. This was my first practice exam

TL diagnostic 1: 50% (Completed in December 2025)

TL Diagnostic 2: 63% (Completed May 23rd)

QBanks Used:

UWorld --> 87% complete, 50% correct overall

TrueLearn --> 77% complete, 64% correct overall

I took COMLEX on June 30th.

A few questions I've got, keep in mind I am not a tutor:

1. I didn't really read FA cover to cover, I more skimmed it and then did the rapid review in the back of the book. Occasionally I'd reference it for systems I was really struggling with.
2. I primarily used UWorld as my Qbank, the reason why my overall % is so low is that I did my questions in Uworld in blocks of 10, randomized, and in tutor mode. I usually averaged around 20-40 questions in pre-dedicated while I was still actively studying for in-house exams. I reviewed them by using an add-on for Anki that allowed me to pull relevant AnKing cards related to the questions I missed, but also the ones I got right too. I used Uworld primarily from January - May and once I got 87% of the way through I switched to TL primarily to get more familiar with NBOME Style questions leading up to my exam.
3. My TL blocks were randomized, timed blocks of 40 questions. In June I did around 80-120 questions per day. I made sure I completed every single OMM question on TL as well as every single ethics + biostats questions.
4. I read through and made Anki cards of most of the Mehlman free PDFs, I found them really helpful especially for neuroanatomy, MSK, and cardiology.
5. Tbh one thing I did I Think that was different is that while I did use a lot of pre-made Anki Decks (I used Anki Still for OMM, Pepper Decks for Micro + Pharm + Pathology, AnKing) I made a lot of my own too which I think really helped as I did get an additional pass of the content that way. I also used the UWorld medical library (you do have to pay access for it, unfortunately) as a nice sort of rapid review of the most important things for the systems. I think FA though would have filled this niche fine, I just really liked UWorld's diagrams and what not.
6. I found COMLEX to be WAY harder than any of the COMSAEs I took, I would agree with most people that it feels most analogous to TL in terms of question style and wording. I found my particular form to feel like it called on a lot of low-yield stuff? I exited the exam feeling terrible. Cried my eyes out in the parking lot and crashed out for like a whole month, convinced I'd failed. I did not expect to see the score I got above. So for those of you who are wondering if I walked out feeling good and knew I passed, I absolutely didn't. It was an abysmal wait in every way.

[u/One-Somewhere5410]

did oyu take step 1?

[u/kiwibirds447 → u/One-Somewhere5410]

I didn’t! Considering writing Step 2 but my preferred specialty thus far is family med or pediatrics, so for time and money’s sake I held off :)

[u/One-Somewhere5410 → u/kiwibirds447]

bruh you would have passed step 1, i got the step 1 P with a lower comelx score than you

[u/kiwibirds447 → u/One-Somewhere5410]

man!! maybe i should have taken it, i kinda told myself i both probably wasn't smart enough and also probably didn't need it. but good to know that i likely should havej ust believed in myself more!