The NBME provides testing, educational, consultative, and research services to a number of medical specialty boards, societies, and health sciences organizations. Services include development, administration, and analysis of more than 30 examinations for certification, recertification, in-training, self-assessment, or evaluation of special competence. These examinations are administered to more than 50,000 examinees annually. Inquiries regarding NBME client services may be sent to the NBME at healthprofessions@nbme.org.
The NBME offers a wide variety of testing, educational, consulting, and research services.
This enables the client to have optimal flexibility in selecting only those services needed — while assuring that appropriate expertise is available for the development of a high quality testing program or special project.
The NBME is large enough to provide the expertise and resources desired — on the schedule promised. But, the NBME is also small enough to give each client personalized attention, and a program of services customized to a client's particular requirements.
Following consultation with the client, the NBME prepares an agreement and a plan which describe in detail the services the NBME will provide, as well as the associated time frames and deadlines.
Presented to the client for review and discussion to be certain there is an accurate mutual understanding of the client's needs and the services to be provided, this contract serves as the basis for:
It can also be used by individuals within the client organization to make periodic reports to their own board of directors or trustees.
Based upon the services and timeline delineated in the agreement, a complete estimate can be made of the cost of services to be provided. For most programs with well-defined specifications, the NBME offers a guaranteed price and a payment schedule determined by mutual agreement.
The guaranteed price allows clients to accurately forecast expenditures, and the payment schedule can be arranged to accommodate the client's cash flow requirements.
To assure the availability of appropriate scientific and technical expertise, an NBME project team is assigned to each client program. The size and composition of the team are determined by the client's particular requirements.
The role of the project team is to consult with the client in determining which services are desired and to prepare the agreement for review by the client. After the client has signed the contract, the project team is responsible for assuring that all activities are implemented in an accurate and timely fashion.
Assessment officers at the NBME serve as the client's primary contact. Assessment officers are responsible for assuring that the activities and timelines set forth in the contract are met.
In addition, the assessment officer:
We believe that our single greatest resource is our staff of creative, committed, and experienced testing professionals.
If unforeseen issues or needs arise in meeting a client's requirements, additional NBME staff members are available to provide the breadth and depth of expertise necessary to meet specialized or unanticipated needs.
Many clients are understandably concerned with protecting the security of their test materials and preventing unauthorized reproduction or dissemination. The US Copyright Law allows secure examination material to be protected by copyright without the necessity of placing the material in the public domain.
At the client's request, we will arrange to have the client's copyright of the test materials registered with the Copyright Office, thus protecting the client's rights.