Frequently Asked Questions

The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) is an independent, nongovernmental, nonprofit organization. Since our founding in 1934, we have been recognized for excellence in the national and international arenas of osteopathic physician testing and evaluation. We produce a number of osteopathically distinct assessments and partner with other organizations on their assessment programs. Learn more.

The NBOME was established in 1934 by several noted osteopathic physicians who recognized the critical need for a profession to self-regulate, to assure practice rights for DOs based on osteopathic competencies, and to assure patient trust in this growing distinct profession within health care in the United States.

As a result, they founded the National Board of Examiners for Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (NBEOPS) to create a national competency examination with high standards that was acceptable to all jurisdictions and that assessed competencies and content important to and accepted by the osteopathic medical profession. Learn more.

The COMLEX-USA licensing examination series is designed to assess the competencies required for the practice of osteopathic medicine. It reflects how DOs approach a patient, and the foundational abilities needed to provide osteopathic medical care, which remain distinctive for DOs.

COMLEX-USA is the only licensing examination that is aligned with the practice of osteopathic medicine, and it is gaining recognition across the globe. It is the only licensing examination accepted in all 50 states and other US licensing jurisdictions for osteopathic physicians. Learn more.

Through the COMLEX-USA and COMVEX assessments, the NBOME supports the vital work of state medical and osteopathic licensing boards. These assessments provide valid, reliable, and fair evaluations of competencies important for the practice of osteopathic medicine. The NBOME provides these important tools to boards in all 50 states—and many international jurisdictions—when they consider candidates for licensure. Learn more.

The NBOME obtains a student list from each school or college of osteopathic medicine (COM) at the start of every academic year. After validation, this list is used to automatically generate an email to each candidate that provides account access information. If you do not receive this email in August or September, check with your COM to confirm that your information has been submitted to the NBOME.

View a video walkthrough here.

After you log in to your NBOME account and select the “Exams” tile, select “Purchase Exams,” and you’ll find a list of NBOME assessments available for you to purchase. Options may include COMLEX-USA (if you are eligible), COMSAE, WelCOM, and COMAT-SE.

Simply click the “Add to Cart” icon to add an examination to your shopping cart and complete your purchase.

After you have purchased the examination, navigate to “My Exams” to schedule your examination. To schedule a COMLEX-USA examination, click the “Schedule” link on the Pearson VUE site. Once complete, the examination date, time, and location will appear under “My Exams.” If you need to reschedule your examination appointment, visit “My Exams” and click the “Reschedule or Cancel” link to complete the action on the Pearson VUE site.

If you forget your password, click on the “Forgot Your Username or Password” link at the bottom of the NBOME Portal login screen. This will allow you to recover your username or reset your password.

See “Scoring, Reporting, and Transcripts.”

Complete the Name Change Request Form on the NBOME website and email to NBOME Client Services with scanned copies of two forms of supporting documentation, one from Group A and one from Group B. Group A supporting documentation is either an updated driver’s license or passport; Group B includes a marriage license, divorce decree, or another legal name change document. When you send us your name change, let us know if you are currently registered for an examination so we can update your registration with your new name.

Please email NBOME Client Services or call 866-479-6828 to create an account. You will need to provide the name of the COM you attended, the year of graduation, your date of birth, and any names you may have used previously.

Yes. Your personal data is treated by the NBOME as confidential. Your information will not be disclosed to any individual or entity without written, signed consent by you or by an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

You can update your mailing address, email address, and phone numbers in your NBOME account on Portal under the “Student Information” section on the “My Account” tab.

If you transferred COMs, you must contact the dean’s office at your old and new schools and request that they forward your transfer information to NBOME Client Services.

For candidates using a Mac, the NBOME recommends using Safari. For those using a PC, the NBOME recommends using Google Chrome. The system may not run properly when using other browsers. At this time, the NBOME does not recommend accessing the online system from a mobile device because of compatibility issues.

The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA) is a three-level, national standardized licensure examination designed for licensure for the practice of osteopathic medicine. The COMLEX-USA Examination Series is designed to assess osteopathic medical knowledge, knowledge fluency, clinical skills, and other competencies essential for practice as an osteopathic generalist physician.

It is also a graduation requirement for attaining a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States, and for entry into and promotion within graduate medical education (residency) training programs. The series includes three computer-based examinations:

• COMLEX-USA Level 1
• COMLEX-USA Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation (CE)
• COMLEX-USA Level 3

The COMLEX-USA Master Blueprint details the COMLEX-USA design and content coverage.

The COMLEX-USA Level 1, Level 2-CE, and Level 3 examinations are computerized non-adaptive tests. The questions selected for each examination are predetermined. The number of questions and the time limit for the examinations are also predetermined and, under normal administration conditions, are the same regardless of when and where the examinations are administered. Learn more.

The COMLEX-USA Master Blueprint provides additional information.

COMLEX-USA Level 1, Level 2-CE

The fee for COMLEX-USA Level 1 is $730. Effective 5/7/2024 – 4/5/2025.

The fee for COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE is $730. Effective 6/4/2024 – 4/22/2025.

ADDITIONAL FEES

COMLEX-USA Level 3

The fee for COMLEX-USA Level 3 is $910. Effective 1/17/2024 – 12/21/2024.

ADDITIONAL FEES

Examinations cannot be rescheduled less than 24 hours before the scheduled date. Please note that rescheduling and cancellation fees are assessed per exam day. Cancellations must be made online through the candidate’s NBOME account.

No. If laboratory values are reported in a test question, then the normal reference ranges are also given either in a table (when there are three or more values) or in parentheses (for one or two values). For example:

Laboratory studies reveal a hemoglobin level of 10.4 g/dL (reference range: 13.5-17.5 g/dL) and a mean corpuscular volume of 102.0 mcm3 (reference range: 79.0-93.3 mcm3).

Or

The NBOME develops and administers the COMLEX-USA examination series, but COMs may provide remediation services based on their curricula. If you have failed a COMLEX-USA examination, your COM can help with the remediation process.

Pearson VUE will generate a confirmation number once your testing appointment is confirmed. The number will appear on the confirmation page and will also be emailed to you. Within 24 hours, this number will appear as your “Appointment ID” next to your scheduled examination in your NBOME account under the “My Account” tab in Portal.

Yes. Candidates taking COMLEX-USA examinations are limited to a total of four (4) attempts for each examination. Review the COMLEX-USA Bulletin of Information for details.

In order to avoid misinterpretation, keep in mind that performance profiles:

• Should not be used to interpret areas of importance or emphasis within any examination
• Are not additive for projecting the total score or pass/fail status
• May be based on a relatively small number of test questions, meaning the reliability of be lower than the reliability for the total score based on the entire test

The NBOME applies criterion-referenced methods to determine a pass/fail standard. As a result, the percentage of candidates who pass or fail an examination is not predetermined. The minimum pass/fail standard is reviewed periodically and may be adjusted following the review. Notice of such review and any adjustments will be posted on the NBOME website.

This decision was made after several years of analysis and after considering input from across the education, training, and licensure continuum. A determination was made that this change would be in the best interest of wellness across the continuum and in support of the NBOME’s mission of protecting the public through assessment.

The comprehensive analysis included research, surveys of individuals, and solicitation of stakeholder position statements, including those from organizations representing the medical licensure community, undergraduate and graduate medical education, accreditation authorities, and students and residents. Learn more.

A Formative Performance Profile accompanies the Level 1 score report and is provided to the osteopathic medical student and their dean. Its purpose is for continuous professional development and to foster a growth mindset. It is not intended to be shared with others.

The Formative Performance Profile contains information about relative strengths and weaknesses as related to the COMLEX-USA Master Blueprint. To that end, the Formative Performance Profile is neither intended nor designed for any screening purposes. Learn more.

Your residency program director must attest that you are in good academic and professional standing and are approved to take the Level 3 examination. The NBOME recommends taking Level 3 after a minimum of six months in residency.

The CDM examination style was created by the Medical Council of Canada in 1992 and is now used in many countries around the world. The NBOME CDM cases test a candidate’s ability to make proper patient care decisions, similarly to what an osteopathic physician would do while in practice. These cases do not just test facts; they evaluate a candidate’s use of knowledge to make decisions during patient care. This is a key focus of the COMLEX-USA Level 3 examination.

The NBOME’s CDM cases focus on important decisions and challenges in patient care that osteopathic generalist physicians often face. A typical CDM case includes a clinical scenario followed by two to four questions. There are two types of questions: constructed response (short answer) and extended multiple-choice (which may have more than one correct answer). The questions cover topics like gathering information (such as patient history, physical examination results, and diagnostic testing), understanding that information (making a diagnosis), and treatment (such as prescribing medication, giving advice, or planning follow-up care). A CDM tutorial is available.

The content of CDM cases follows the same content as laid out in the COMLEX-USA Master Blueprint.

Short-answer text boxes only allow for 100 characters each. To that end, your responses should be brief and focused on specific diagnoses, examination steps, diagnostic studies, or treatments. Full sentences are not required, and no reasoning or justification for answers is needed.

The NBOME strongly recommends spelling out names and terms whenever possible rather than using abbreviations, as abbreviations could be misinterpreted during the scoring process.

There is no penalty for a misspelling as long as the meaning of the content is clear. The examination does not have a spell-check feature so candidates should be as careful as possible with their spelling.

Use of protocols in answers will NOT be accepted as correct because they are not universal. The necessary steps or components of protocols must be listed individually in separate boxes. For example, the answer “ACLS protocol” would not be accepted as correct when “synchronized cardioversion” is the next step.

Write the order just as you would on a hospital or urgent care order record, in specific terms that a technician, nurse, or other health care professional could understand and carry out. However, medication dosages are not required in answers.

Yes, you can answer with any specific test. However, if you would like to order a panel you must choose from the provided Approved Laboratory Test Panels list. If the panel you have in mind is not included on this list, the specific test(s) for that panel must be listed individually in separate text boxes.

Each question will be scored separately. Your previous answers will not be considered in the scoring of each individual question. If you feel that the same option is the appropriate answer to another question, select it again.

For each case, assume that all necessary resources are available to you as a generalist physician in the setting described, and answer accordingly.

If the correct plan of action requires a specialty referral and/or consultation, you must specify the appropriate procedure or management steps in addition to the type of specialist to whom you would refer the patient.

COMLEX-USA Level 3 changed to a two-day format in 2018 as part of an overall enhancement of the COMLEX-USA examination series. This was in response to substantive changes in the evolution of osteopathic medical practice and to ensure that COMLEX-USA series remains current in meeting the needs of state licensing boards. Learn more.

Scores for COMLEX-USA Level 1 and Level 2-CE are released approximately four to six weeks after the examination administration date. (Note: the first score release of each test cycle may be subject to brief delays.) Score reports for COMLEX-USA Level 3 are released approximately eight to ten weeks after the completion of the examination (after the initial score release). Score release dates are available here.

Scores are typically released before 5 pm CT on the score release date. You will be notified by email and on social media when scores are available. Scores can be accessed via the NBOME Portal. If a delay is anticipated in releasing scores, you will be notified via email, the NBOME website, and social media.

Once available, score reports are also shared with your school or college of osteopathic medicine (COM) or residency program. Authorized officials can access up-to-date information on students’ and residents’ testing activities at any time.

This time is required to provide important quality checks to ensure accurate, reliable, and valid scoring and reporting. Scores are analyzed and checked for accuracy before their release. In certain cases, additional time may be required to verify the results.

No. You must submit a request through ERAS to send your scores.

To schedule another attempt at an examination, log in to your account on the NBOME Portal and navigate to the “Purchase Exams” section. If you have specific questions, contact NBOME Client Services for assistance with scheduling.

Be sure to allow adequate time based on your school or residency program requirements. Keep in mind the time required for remediation and score report release.

No. Every scorable test question contributes equally to a candidate’s score.

COMPETENCY DOMAINS are related sets of foundational abilities representing the required elements and outcomes that define knowledge, skills, experience, attitudes, values, behaviors, and established professional standards. They constitute a general descriptive framework for the practice of osteopathic medicine. 

CLINICAL PRESENTATIONS represent the manner in which a particular patient, group of patients, or community presents to osteopathic physicians.

The COMLEX-USA Master Blueprint  provides additional information.

COMLEX-USA is designed around competency domains and clinical presentations, not disciplines. The discipline performance profiles are provided at the request of COM deans, the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, and candidates to potentially assist with lifelong learning, remediation, and program evaluation. However, discipline performance does not factor into scoring results.

Performance profiles should not be used to interpret areas of importance or emphasis for any examination. Performance profiles:

• Are not additive for projecting the total score or pass/fail status
• Do not contain metrics technically designed for sub-score reporting
• Are sometimes based on a relatively small number of items as compared to the total test; therefore, the reliability of subscores is lower than the reliability for the total test.

To avoid misinterpretation, apply caution in using performance profiles.

The minimum passing three-digit standard score is 400 for Level 2-CE and 350 for Level 3, regardless of when the examination is taken. COMLEX-USA three-digit scores are NOT raw scores and they do NOT represent the number of items answered correctly. Similarly, they are NOT the percent of items answered correctly.

(Level 1 transitioned from numeric score reporting to “pass” or “fail” in 2022 and as a result there are no three-digit standard scores reported.)

For COMLEX-USA Level 1, the student score report provides a pass/fail designation instead of a three-digit standard score and a pass/fail designation. The NBOME also provides additional information in the Formative Performance Profile.

For Level 2-CE and Level 3, the student score report provides a three-digit standard score and a pass/fail designation. You will also be provided with a graphical Formative Performance Profile according to the COMLEX-USA Master Blueprint.

Following completion of the annual testing cycle, you can look up your percentile rank in relation to others in the same cohort using the COMLEX-USA Percentile Score Converter.

A percentile score refers to where your COMLEX-USA score falls in relation to your peers who have also taken the same COMLEX-USA Level during the same cycle. To ensure that a percentile score is accurate, scores of the entire cohort of test-takers for that cycle must be available.

The testing cycle-based three-digit scores and percentile conversions can be found using the COMLEX-USA Percentile Score Converter. (Interim percentile scores have been made available in September for COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE candidates to better align with the opening of ERAS.)

You may request a score confirmation within 120 days of taking an examination. Log in to your account on the NBOME Portal and select the “View Scores” tab. At the bottom of the page is the option to “Request Score Confirmation.” The processing fee is $75 and covers the cost to confirm all responses recorded during your computer-based testing.

You should receive your Level 1 and/or Level 2-CE score confirmation from the NBOME within 10 business days, or your Level 3 score confirmation within 15 business days.

Transcript requests will be processed in the order of the date received. The normal processing time is one to two business days from the date of receipt, and three to five shipping days should be allowed using standard USPS mail. Transcripts can be sent via FedEx’s overnight delivery service for an additional fee.

The NBOME can only accept and process a transcript request for examination scores that are available at the time the transcript is requested. If you request a transcript and a score is pending, it will not appear on your transcript. In order to process your request, you must have at least one COMLEX-USA examination for which a score is available.

Submit a Request for Test Accommodations form with supporting documentation to NBOME Test Accommodations well in advance of your preferred testing date.

Consult the COMLEX-USA Bulletin of Information for more details on eligibility.

Yes. However, if you are approved for testing accommodations and have not yet taken your examination, you must reschedule the test depending on the nature of the approved accommodation(s). If you take a standard examination while your request for accommodations is still pending, the NBOME will deem your request withdrawn. For any future COMLEX-USA examinations you must re-apply.

Consult the COMLEX-USA Bulletin of Information for more information.

Yes, sample questions are available on the NBOME website. These questions, along with resources such as WelCOM and COMSAE, will give you a sense of the style and content of COMLEX-USA questions prior to taking the actual examination.

COMSAE and WelCOM assessments are designed to gauge your readiness for COMLEX-USA by identifying areas in which you are strong and areas in which you may need additional study. These assessments are written by the same osteopathic professionals who write COMLEX-USA questions. WelCOM provides answers and rationales in real time, while COMSAE provides answer keys and a performance profile at the completion of the examination only for individual (student) forms. Learn more.

The NBOME does not endorse any alternative study examinations or materials.

If you did not pass a COMLEX-USA examination and intend to retake it, you should consult your COM or program for suggestions or study aids. The NBOME provides a score report and a graphical depiction of your performance to help identify areas on which you may wish to focus in preparing for the retake.

Yes. Please refer to the COMLEX-USA Bulletin of Information for examination format information, including breaks and their acceptable use during the testing day.

• Passport
• Driver’s license or state ID
• A military ID with signature*

*A military ID that does not have a signature must be accompanied by a second form of ID that bears your signature.

The name on your ID must match the name and signature on the registration form. If the name on your ID does not match the name on your registration, you will be considered a “No Show” and will be responsible for paying rescheduling fees.

Alert the test administrator or proctor immediately. If the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you must contact NBOME Client Services within 10 calendar days of the examination date and provide credible, verifiable written evidence of the adverse testing condition so that the NBOME can conduct a thorough investigation. We will acknowledge your email in a timely manner and contact you with a resolution.

For more information, please reference the COMLEX-USA Bulletin of Information.

Alert the test administrator or proctor immediately so they can reboot your computer. Because the computer system stores all your answers instantly, you will not lose any answers already entered, nor will you lose any examination time. After rebooting, the computer screen will return to exactly where you were working before the malfunction, both in terms of your responses and the time remaining in the examination.

If the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you must contact NBOME Client Services as described above.

Yes. If you arrive at the test center on the scheduled examination date within 30 minutes after the scheduled start time, you will be permitted to take the examination only if the test center is able to deliver the examination in its entirety. If you arrive at the test center more than 30 minutes past the scheduled start time, you will be designated as a “No Show.” Learn more.

Standard setting is a process commonly used by organizations involved with high stakes testing to establish a cut-off score that differentiates between performance levels on an assessment. The NBOME’s standard-setting process ensures that the standards of osteopathic medical licensure assessment reflect current medical education and medical practice. Learn more.

The NBOME follows industry-standard best practices in establishing its standard-setting schedule for review of pass/fail standards—typically every three to five years. Implementation dates for standards can be found here.

The NBOME applies criterion-referenced methods for establishing cut scores–the score at or above which a candidate is deemed to have passed. More information can be found here.

The NBOME’s mission is to protect the public by providing the means to assess competencies for osteopathic medicine and related health care professions. Consistent with our mission, the NBOME periodically reviews and resets pass/fail standards for COMLEX-USA examinations to ensure that the standards of our osteopathic medical licensure examinations reflect current medical education and medical practice.

The NBOME posts updates to its website and social media, sends emails to its stakeholders, and presents at numerous conferences and annual meetings for many of our partners and peer organizations. We work continuously to improve the effectiveness of our communications regarding standards and other areas that are important to stakeholders. You are welcome to contact us with your feedback.

The NBOME studies test data and their consequences rigorously in a process of continuous quality improvement, ever guided by our mission and mandate to “protect the public.”

No. COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE was postponed indefinitely in 2021 and formally discontinued in 2022. Clinical skills proficiency, which had previously been assessed by COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, must currently be verified by the dean of a candidate’s school or college of osteopathic medicine (COM). Research is underway to investigate a standardized osteopathic clinical skills assessment administered at the COMs. Learn more.

For classes up to and including the Class of 2027, deans must verify that each graduating student has demonstrated the osteopathic clinical skills necessary for graduation. Learn more.

The Core Competency Capstone for DOs (C3DO) is a nationwide pilot at COMs and led by the NBOME to assess osteopathic clinical skills, including history building and physical examination skills, interpersonal skills, patient-physician communication skills and performance of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in a multi-station OSCE model using standardized patients. Learn more.

One of the largest student concerns during the evaluation done by the Special Commission on Osteopathic Medical Licensure Assessment (Special Commission) was cost. Resources needed for such an assessment will include time, effort, and money. Some of these resources are already being invested at the COMs in capstone assessment of clinical skills that many schools already report using. How this assessment is and could be resourced is part of what is being studied. The NBOME has prioritized minimizing financial burden and other stresses to students, while at the same time contributing meaningfully to clinical skills competency assessment and osteopathic physician licensure. The NBOME will continue to seek input from stakeholders, including students and COMs, to help inform the outcome through the C3DO Advisory Panel.

Feedback from both COMs and osteopathic students during the first two phases of the project has been mainly positive, and very constructive. Learn more.

One of the greatest examples of the success of this project is the collaboration with all of the COMs involved to improve feasibility, validity and acceptance of this endeavor.

An aspect of the ongoing research is to determine whether C3DO may fit into the licensure process—i.e., whether it will become a part of the COMLEX-USA series. Other possibilities include a COMAT-type assessment, an earned badge to demonstrate successful completion of a national clinical skills evaluation, and others. More information regarding this is expected to be announced in July 2025.

The Special Commission conducted a survey of the profession which affirmed that certain competencies are essential to the practice of osteopathic medicine, and recommended the NBOME work to investigate a partnership with COMs to assess of these skills to a national standard. The NBOME Board of Directors agreed and provided funding for research in this area. Further engagement from across the profession and from patient safety/public advocates continues via the C3DO Advisory Panel and other initiatives.

The verification of osteopathic clinical skills by deans has provided a temporary solution to complete the blueprint requirements of COMLEX-USA, which include assessment of some competencies that cannot be measured through our other assessments. The NBOME creates assessments which provide information to regulatory authorities for licensure, and this attestation also highlights the importance of these competencies to our patients and other stakeholders. That said, many of those stakeholders have also indicated that a more ideal long-term solution is a national standardized assessment that includes validation of the competencies by external evaluators and features quality assurance, similar to what is being piloted in C3DO.

There is no limit. After purchasing a form, it will remain available for 90 days.

There are no plans to make COMSAE pass/fail. No changes will be made to the current COMSAE score reporting for all Phases of the examination. COMSAE will continue to report a three-digit numerical score and will provide a graphic representation of performance for the three content areas: Competency Domain, Clinical Presentation, and Discipline.

Yes; all COMSAE forms have a calculator function.

No. If laboratory values are reported in a test question, then the normal reference ranges are also given either in a table or in parentheses. Please see our COMSAE sample questions for examples.

The individual (student) forms for Phase 1 and Phase 2 include answer keys. The Phase 3 individual (student) forms will include answer keys beginning in November of 2024. All forms designated for COM purchase do not include answer keys.

The score results are provided to the purchaser and the test-taker. The NBOME does not share these reports with non-purchasers.

COMSAE is designed for the purpose of self-assessment and practice with demonstrating application of knowledge and related osteopathic competencies, including knowledge fluency and testing in a timed environment. Caution should be exercised in using COMSAE results in predicting specific results on subsequent COMLEX-USA examinations. COMSAE examinations taken under timed and proctored conditions can provide assistance in assessing readiness when put into the context of other markers of academic performance, including in the curricular program at a COM and COMAT examinations. However, caution is necessary in using COMSAE assessments for purposes of predicting future examination results.

If you need assistance with deleting a scheduled COMSAE, please reach out to Client Services.

Please contact Client Services if you would like to confirm how many COMSAEs you have purchased.

COMSAEs purchased in bulk by COMs are $55 per form. Individual COMSAEs are $60 per form.

COMSAE is designed for the purpose of self-assessment and practice with demonstrating application of knowledge and related osteopathic competencies, including knowledge fluency and testing in a timed environment. Caution should be exercised in using COMSAE results in predicting specific results on subsequent COMLEX-USA examinations. COMSAE examinations taken under timed and proctored conditions can provide assistance in assessing readiness when put into the context of other markers of academic performance, including in the curricular program at a COM and COMAT examinations. However, caution is necessary in using COMSAE assessments for purposes of predicting future examination results.

For COMAT Clinical Subject examinations taken Monday through Friday, results will be released to schools and colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) on Thursday of the following week. For COMAT FBS examinations taken Monday through Friday, results will be released to COMs on Wednesday of the following week.

Please note that each COM decides when and how to release scores to its students. If you do not see your score report in the NBOME Portal, please check with the COMAT administrator at your COM for more information.

There are no video or audio questions on COMAT examinations. When patient laboratory values are included, reference ranges are provided within the body of the question.

COMAT questions do not require the use of a calculator and no calculator is provided.

Please refer your COM’s test accommodation policy. The COM is responsible for review and approval of all test accommodations requests for the COMAT administrations as well as all additional costs required to provide the approved accommodation. The NBOME will make a good faith effort to provide such reasonable test accommodations as the COM determines are warranted for the students.

The COMAT secure browser is not compatible with any text-to-speech software, but COMs may choose to hire an outside source that allows for an individual to read the questions to the student. Kindly reach out to NBOME Client Services with any potential accommodation questions.

There is a way for the secure browser to be paused without losing time. This would have to be approved by the COM. The examination would still need to be completed within 5 hours or else it will automatically close. Kindly reach out to NBOME Client Services to inquire about the process for closing the browser without losing time.

The NBOME only invoices for examinations that have had their results released to the student. The COM will receive an invoice with the price that corresponds to the examination delivery type and fee structure according to the COMAT agreement on file with the NBOME.

Yes, while on the Dean’s page in the NBOME Portal, you can utilize the “Registration Summary feature” under “Maintain Exams” to download a report of the exams administered. When you look at the date, if you can see a “Results Received” result, that means that our system has captured completed examination results.

For clinical exams, proctor codes last for 2 hours and 20 minutes. For FBS-comprehensive exams, proctor codes last for 4 hours and 20 minutes. For FBS-targeted exams, proctor codes last for 2 hours and 20 minutes.

The examination expires 90 days after it is opened on the CATALYST platform.

Yes, after each answer, WelCOM provides information on whether the answer is right or wrong, and rationales as to why that answer is right or wrong. In addition, WelCOM provides supplemental information for additional study if needed.

This table illustrates key differences between WelCOM and COMSAE:

The NBOME provides the following two avenues for faculty to familiarize themselves with COMLEX-USA-style items and examinations. These tools are not scored, but a sample score report is provided with the COMSAE examinations. Both tools are available to faculty free of charge.

View items and experience the functionality of COMLEX-USA examinations as at a Pearson VUE testing center.

• COMLEX-USA Level 1 Sample Questions
• COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE Sample Questions

Web-based self-assessment examinations for COMLEX-USA that use content aligned with Level 1 and Level 2-CE.

• COMSAE Phase 1
• COMSAE Phase 2

Similar to existing COMSAE forms and administered in the same fashion, these can only be requested by a dean through their NBOME Portal page.