2008 Innovations in Medical Education (IME) Exhibits

Subject Examination Services
This program currently provides discipline-based paper-and-pencil examinations to all 126 US and 12 of the Canadian medical schools accredited by the LCME, 10 osteopathic medical schools and 20 schools or institutions outside the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The NBME is moving towards transitioning the current paper-and-pencil examinations to a web-based format and has developed 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. Using items from the existing basic science subject examination pool, faculty can login to a secure system to create exams for courses offered for a variety of curricular approaches. The examinations are then delivered by computer to students via web-based test administration software developed by the NBME to provide a secure testing environment and ease in monitoring examinees. Annual subscriptions to the service are now available.

Self-Assessment Services
The NBME offers web-based self-assessments to help students evaluate their readiness to take USMLE. Three are available: the Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment (CBSSA) and Comprehensive Clinical Science Self-Assessment (CCSSA) serve as useful tools for anyone preparing to take Step 1 or Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK). A Comprehensive Clinical Medicine Self-Assessment is intended for those preparing for Step 3. Schools may purchase vouchers for their students to take the CBSSA or CCSSA.

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.

The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) is a national non-profit organization that supports the state medical boards of the United States and its territories through a wide variety of services. This year two services are featured at the Federation booth: FSMB policy documents and the company’s credentials verification service.

FSMB Policy Documents
FSMB policy documents are intended to give guidance and encourage consistency among state medical boards in addressing trends in medical practice and regulation. Topics addressed in Federation policies include professional conduct and ethics, pain management, telemedicine, international medical education, etc. All of these documents and more are contained on a free CD available at the Federation’s booth.

The Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS)
The FCVS verifies medical education for over 20,000 physicians seeking licensure annually. Verifications from medical schools are done once and then kept permanently for physicians for the remainder of their careers in medicine. The verification form that FCVS sends to medical schools was jointly developed by the AAMC and the FSMB. The physician profile created by FCVS is accepted by 62 of the 69 medical licensing boards in the United States and its territories and is a requirement for licensure by 13 boards: Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine Medical, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Ohio, Utah-Medical, Utah-Osteopathic, Nevada-Osteopathic, New York and the Virgin Islands.

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.

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 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.