Will USMLE and COMLEX Be Merged? A Skeptical Look at the Possibility

The debate surrounding the merger of USMLE and COMLEX has been ongoing for some time, with proponents arguing that a unified exam system would streamline the process for medical students. However, I strongly doubt that such a move will come to fruition anytime soon.

One reason for this skepticism is the fact that despite a significant number of unqualified physicians being licensed each year, there are no signs that USMLE and COMLEX will be merged. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the current system in ensuring that medical students possess the necessary skills to practice medicine competently.

Another point that undermines the argument for merging USMLE and COMLEX is the staggeringly high first-time pass rates for Step 2 CS, which suggest that there may not be a need for this exam at all. In fact, it can be argued that many med schools already conduct Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) as part of their curriculum, thereby ensuring that students are proficient in the basics of history taking and physical examination.

Furthermore, I believe that while OSCEs can be a useful exercise for medical students, there is no compelling reason why they need to be conducted on a national level at great expense. Many schools already conduct standardized patient exams as part of their curriculum, which achieve similar goals without the added cost and bureaucracy associated with a national exam.

In conclusion, while I acknowledge that OSCEs can have value for medical students, I do not believe that there is a strong case for merging USMLE and COMLEX. The current system has its flaws, but it is not clear to me that a unified exam system would necessarily address these issues in a meaningful way.

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