High-stakes exams serve as pivotal milestones on the path to becoming a physician, and medical school students and residents have a crucial voice in shaping the assessments that will define their careers.

Every year, NBME and the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE^®) program convene dedicated committees featuring student and resident leaders from across the medical education community. These collaborative forums enable robust bidirectional communication contributing to the development of current and future assessments while creating an open platform for meaningful partnership between medical student organizations and NBME staff.

Learn more about how medical students and residents actively participate in the committees below.

Advisory Committee for Medical School Programs

The Advisory Committee for Medical School Programs improves communications and enhances relationships between the medical education community and NBME. This group includes representatives from medical schools, academic and medical associations, student organizations, and residents who provide feedback and suggestions on how NBME can better meet the needs of both learners and educators.

Current members include:

Residents

• Lauren J. Miller, MD, MJ - University of Michigan
• Melissa Palma, MD, MPH - Cook County Health

Students

• Riya Shah - Wayne State University School of Medicine
• Megan Sharpe - Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
• Anishaa Sivakumar - Yale School of Medicine

Medical Student Leader Roundtable

The Medical Student Leader Roundtable includes representatives from various student organizations and associations. This group allows student and resident leaders to share their thoughts with NBME staff and bring forward questions and concerns from their peers.

Responses provided during the roundtable meetings can then be shared by leaders with members from their respective organizations, keeping a direct line of communication open between NBME and the students who take our exams.

This collaboration has also led to the development of new learning resources, including the Unlocking Assessment video series.  

Current members include:

Students

• Faiza Chowdhury – Howard University College of Medicine (AMA-MSS)
• Elissa Cleland – Eastern Virginia Medical School (AMSA)
• Jonathan Davenport – Medical University of the Americas (SNMA)
• Xianzhen (Jennifer) Deng - California Health Sciences University (APAMSA)
• Devina Espinoza – Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth (LMSA)
• Kana Halić Kordić - University of Zagreb School of Medicine (IFMSA)
• Kate Kouplen - University of New Mexico School of Medicine (ANAMS)
• Alex Krawec - David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (AAMC-OSR)
• Shivani Mehta - Washington University of Health and Science (Project IMG)
• Delia Sosa - University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (MSPA)
• Lu Wolff - Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (SOMA)

The USMLE Medical Student & Resident Advisory Panel (MSRAP)

The Medical Student & Resident Advisory Panel allows students and residents to communicate directly with the sponsors of the USMLE program (NBME and the Federation of State Medical Boards) on issues that impact their experience with the USMLE. Panel members can share their perspectives on current policies related to the USMLE and provide insight into how potential changes will affect examinees.  

Members of this panel are also instrumental in sharing important information and announcements about the USMLE and bringing feedback to the USMLE program from the medical education community. 

Current members include:

Residents

• Elizabeth Ghandakly, MD, JD - Cleveland Clinic
• Isa Mulingbayan Jacoba, MD - Boston University/Boston Medical Center
• Megan Maurina, MD - Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
• Bryanna Moppins, MD - Emory University School of Medicine
• Alison Ohringer, MD - University of California, San Francisco
• Jeffrey Rappaport, MD, PhD - Osler Medical Residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Oscar Eduardo Rios Herrera, MD - Wyckoff Heights Medical Center
• Gregory Robinson, MD - Crozer-Keystone Health System
• Margaret (Meg) Robinson, DO - University of Arizona College of Medicine Tucson
• Amelia Wong, DO - University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine

Students

• Areeba Abid - Emory University School of Medicine
• Michael Bamislle - Wright State University School of Medicine
• Yoav Kadan - University of Rochester School of Medicine
• Maleek Masood - University of Connecticut School of Medicine
• Zachary Neronha - Washington University School of Medicine
• Ikhianosen Ukhuedoba - Quinnipiac University - Frank H. Netter School of Medicine
• Omar Velazquez - University of California Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Public Members

• Tammy L. Huddle-Mcgee, MBA - Dunwoody College of Technology