FAIMER strives to support improvements in medical education that translate into sustained improvements in health outcomes. FAIMER concentrates its efforts in developing regions in South Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and focuses on three specific strategies: faculty development, targeted research that informs health workforce policy and practice, and development of data that advances educational quality improvement decisions. FAIMER participates in the global dialogue on improving international health professions education. We actively seek collaborations with a broad range of partners - local experts with whom we can share experiences and learn how to best respond to the needs of the communities. Through this collective exploration and problem-solving, we strive for tangible results from the activities that we believe will lead to healthier communities.
Subject Examination Services
This program currently provides discipline-based paper-and-pencil examinations to 126 US and 12 of the Canadian medical schools accredited by the LCME, 11 osteopathic medical schools and 21 schools or institutions outside the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The NBME will be transitioning its basic science paper-and-pencil examinations to a web-based format by the start of the 2010-2011 academic year. The Comprehensive Basic Science Examination is currently available as a web-based examination and there are two new web-based exams targeted for administration to students in ambulatory medicine clerkships and medicine sub-internships.
Customized Assessment Services
The NBME has developed a system to design customized examinations to better meet the needs for basic science assessment. A pool of approximately 8,000 items covering topics commonly taught in basic science coursework is available to design web-based exams for discipline-based, organ-system and problem-based curricular approaches. Annual subscriptions to the service are available with the flexibility to create and administer any number of examinations during a 12-month subscription period.
Self-Assessment Services
The NBME offers three web-based self-assessments to help students evaluate their readiness to take USMLE; Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment (CBSSA), Comprehensive Clinical Science Self-Assessment (CCSSA) and the Comprehensive Clinical Medicine Self-Assessment (CCMSA). CBSSA and CCSSA serve as useful tools for anyone preparing to take Step 1 or Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK). CCMSA is intended for those preparing for Step 3.
A performance profile and score interpretation guide is provided for all self-assessments. Enhanced feedback is available for select forms of CBSSA and CCSSA which provide information on the number of items answered incorrectly by content category, the average amount of time spent on each incorrect item, and the percentage of incorrect items marked during the assessment. The feedback also provides the capability to review the text of the incorrect items. Schools may purchase vouchers for their students for any self-assessment.
For more than fifty years, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) has been committed to promoting excellence in international medical education. Through its program of certification, ECFMG evaluates the qualifications of international medical graduates who seek entry into accredited residency or fellowship programs in the United States. ECFMG offers other programs that meet the needs of physicians, medical educators, licensing and credentialing agencies, and those involved in the evaluation of healthcare professionals, both in the United States and internationally. Through its Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER®), ECFMG supports the creation of educational opportunities, research, and data resources that inform health care policies and create sustained improvements in health outcomes.
The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) is a national non-profit organization representing the 70 medical boards of the United States and its territories. FSMB serves as the national voice for its member boards and is a recognized authority throughout the United States on issues related to medical licensure and discipline. FSMB activities and services include:
The Clinical Skills Evaluation Collaboration (CSEC), established in 2003, is a collaborative partnership between the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) and the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). The purpose of CSEC is to enable the achievement of our partners' missions to improve the quality and safety of health care delivered to patients throughout the world and to protect the public. CSEC is responsible for delivering the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills examination in five testing centers across the United States utilizing expertise in standardized operations for assessment of clinical skills.
The United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) is the single, three-step examination for medical licensure in the United States. In the U.S., the individual medical licensing authorities of the various jurisdictions grant a license to practice medicine. Each medical licensing authority sets its own rules and regulations and requires passing an examination that demonstrates qualification for licensure. Results of the USMLE are reported to these authorities for use in granting the initial license to practice medicine. The USMLE provides them with a common evaluation system for applicants for medical licensure.