COMLEX Level 3 case studies
COMLEX Level 3 · Put your knowledge to work in context.
COMLEX-USA Level 3 is the third and final examination in the COMLEX-USA series, a national standardized licensure examination designed for licensure for the practice of osteopathic medicine. It is aimed at osteopathic residents who have completed at least six months of residency (PGY 1+), and passing it indicates competence in the foundational competencies required for generalist physicians to deliver safe and effective osteopathic medical care, for entry into unsupervised practice, and for continued lifelong learning and practice-based learning and improvement. The COMLEX Level 3 case studies are 5 cases and about 3,288 words.
1Lumbar Pain, Anticoagulation, and a Request for HVLA
D is a 62-year-old retired teacher with a 10-year history of mechanical low back pain. Three weeks ago he lifted landscaping stones and developed midline lumbar pain radiating to the left buttock, rated 6/10 with flexion and prolonged sitting.
662 words, about 3 min2Thoracentesis in a Patient on Dual Antiplatelet Therapy
L is a 68-year-old woman with a history of coronary artery disease and drug-eluting stent placement five months ago. She takes aspirin 81 mg daily and clopidogrel 75 mg daily.
639 words, about 3 min3Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Failure, CKD, and Falls
R is a 76-year-old retired postal worker with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (ejection fraction 32%), stage 3b chronic kidney disease (eGFR 34 mL/min/1.73 m²), type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. He presents with palpitations and fatigue.
676 words, about 3 min4Cancer Diagnosis, Limited English Proficiency, and a Family Request to Withhold
G is a 54-year-old Spanish-speaking woman who immigrated from Guatemala 20 years ago. She speaks limited English and usually relies on her 22-year-old daughter, Elena, for medical interpreting.
654 words, about 3 min5Reducing COPD Emergency Department Visits in a Small Clinic
You are the medical director of a three-physician primary care clinic serving 4,200 adults. Data from the local health information exchange show that 38 patients with COPD had 61 emergency department visits in the past 12 months; 19 visits were for COPD exacerbations, and 11 of those patients had no follow-up appointment within 14 days of discharge.
657 words, about 3 min