The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that serves the medical education community through various assessment and evaluation services. It plays a critical role in medical education and licensing by providing standardized exams to medical students and professionals.

Functions and Services of NBME:

1. United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE): The NBME collaborates with the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) to administer the USMLE. This three-step examination assesses medical students’ and graduates’ knowledge and skills, determining their readiness to practice medicine in the U.S.
2. Subject Examinations: The NBME develops subject-specific examinations, often used in medical schools to assess students’ knowledge in individual disciplines, such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, and more.
3. Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA): As part of the USMLE Step 2, the NBME conducts the Clinical Skills Assessment, evaluating medical students’ clinical skills and communication abilities through standardized patient encounters.
4. Customized Assessment Services: The NBME offers customized assessment solutions for medical schools, residency programs, and other organizations seeking to evaluate learners’ performance and progress.
5. Self-Assessment Services: The NBME provides self-assessment exams that allow medical students and professionals to gauge their knowledge and preparedness for standardized exams like the USMLE.
6. Research and Evaluation: The NBME conducts research and evaluations to continuously improve its assessment methods, ensuring the validity, reliability, and fairness of its examinations.
7. International Collaborations: The NBME collaborates with international medical organizations and regulatory bodies to adapt its assessment services for use in other countries.

Importance of NBME:

The NBME’s standardized exams, such as the USMLE, play a crucial role in medical education and licensure. These exams help ensure that medical students and professionals meet the required standards of knowledge and competence, promoting patient safety and quality healthcare. The NBME’s commitment to evidence-based assessment methods contributes to the ongoing improvement of medical education and training.

Medical schools, residency programs, and licensing bodies rely on NBME’s assessments to make informed decisions about the qualifications and readiness of medical professionals. The organization’s long-standing reputation for reliability and excellence has made it an essential institution in the medical community.

Conversion factor

Multiply your score out of 200 with the following conversion factors. For example, if you took block 19 and scored 160/200, multiply 160 with 1.31 = 209.

This is not the most accurate method, but very close to the real.