Phone: 215.590.9259
customtest@nbme.org
The NBME has enhanced its systems to support flexible, efficient construction, administration, scoring, and score reporting of low-volume customized examinations.
The NBME has assembled a pool of items that covers the topics commonly taught and tested in basic science coursework. Items in this pool were classified according to item classification systems designed to enable construction of examinations for courses offered in discipline-based, organ-system, and problem-based curricular approaches.
Through the secure NBME Medical School Portal, medical school faculty members can assemble a customized exam, review a computer-generated draft exam, and finalize the items and score reporting categories for the customized examination. Customized examinations are web-based. Score reports and detailed item-by-item summaries of group performance on each exam are provided on the portal.
In the academic year 2007-2008, the NBME has restricted use of the program to 40 institutions on a first-come, first-served basis. The program will be expanded to accommodate up to 60 schools for academic year 2008-2009. Further expansion will be need-based. The NBME will continue to offer paper and pencil discipline-based basic science, clinical science and comprehensive examinations.
Creating and Administering a Customized Web-Based Examination :
Download the PDF 
Annual subscriptions to Customized Assessment Services are now available. They can be requested by the NBME Executive Chief Proctor (ECP) via e-mail to customtest@nbme.org. The subscription starts on the first day of the month estimated for the start of test construction activities and ends 12 months later. The annual subscription fee must be received by the NBME prior to the start of any test construction activities. Click here for fee information.
The NBME now provides total test percent correct scores immediately after each customized exam testing session. Enhancements to the NBME web-based proctoring system allow the Chief Proctor to review the list of examinees after closing the test session and exclude invalid records from scoring. The interface also provides the total test percent correct scores for each examinee in a specific testing session and the capability to print or download the scores.
The official score report, which includes both scaled and percent correct scores for the full examinee group, will continue to be posted to the NBME Medical School Portal within two weeks of the close of the test administration.