COMLEX-USA Examinations

All College of Osteopathic Medicine students must pass COMLEX-USA Level 1, and COMLEXUSA Level 2 Cognitive Evaluation (CE) of the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) from the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) in order to be eligible to graduate.

All students are required to take these COMLEX-USA examinations during specific timeframes listed in the table below. Students are responsible for all costs associated with taking all levels of the COMLEX-USA exams, including but not limited to exam fees, travel costs and multiple attempts at each exam if needed. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Assessment may grant students exemptions to complying with these time-frame requirements in extraordinary circumstances, to be determined exclusively at the discretion of the Associate Dean. All examinations must be taken at a NBOME-approved testing center.

 

Earliest Eligibility

Exam Deadline

Repeated Attempts

COMLEX-USA LEVEL 1

Following successful completion of OMS- II year curriculum (typically taken May to July)

Prior to start of clerkships in OMS-III year (July)

Within 8 weeks of score release

COMLEX-USA LEVEL 2 CE

April to July of OMS- III year, following successful completion of all required clerkships and COMATs

Within 60 days of completing OMS-III year clerkships (and prior to September 30 of OMS-IV year)

Within 8 weeks of score release

Registration and scheduling a date to take a COMLEX examination is located on the National Board of Osteopathic Medicine Examiners (NBOME) website.

Eligibility

COMLEX-USA Level 1

A student is eligible to take the COMLEX-USA Level 1 if they have: 

  • Passed all OMS-I and OMS-II year courses and completed all required academic elements. 
  • Under certain circumstances, such as in cases of overall poor academic performance, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Assessment may recommend or require a student to delay taking the COMLEX-USA until the student is adequately prepared to take the exam.
  • Received certification for the exam from the CHSU Registrar's Office. 
COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE

A student is eligible to take the COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE if they have: 

  • Successfully completed all OMS-III year curricular and clerkship requirements including the required Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) elements. The requirements for each course are listed in the course syllabus and may include but are not limited to completion of all patient logs, cases, quizzes, and passage of all post-rotation NBOME COMAT examinations, including the OPP NBOME COMAT examination.
  • Students are given a 24-hour excused absence from clerkships to take COMLEX-USA Level 2CE if a request is submitted to the Clinical Education Department at least ten (10) business days in advance of the examination.
COMLEX-USA Level 3

Following graduation, the CHSU Registrar’s Office approves each graduate to take COMLEX- USA Level 3 through the NBOME website. Generally, graduates take this examination at the completion of the first year of post-graduate training; however, requirements for taking this examination vary from state to state. Graduates should contact the osteopathic medical licensing board in the state where they will have post-graduate training for further information. In most cases a residency program director must also attest to the candidate’s eligibility for this exam.