PHILADELPHIA, PA—The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME), an independent, nonprofit organization that provides competency assessments for osteopathic medical licensure and related health care professions, is pleased to recognize the 2022 Item Writer and Case Author of the Year award winners from its distinguished National Faculty. Throughout the year, this group of individuals graciously volunteered their time and expertise to contribute to the COMLEX-USA and COMAT examination programs.
Each year, the NBOME selects the best-in-class item writers and case authors from a large group of contributors whose work supports our mission to protect the public through osteopathic competency assessment. Congratulations to these esteemed awardees for their exemplary commitment to producing valid and high-quality exam content.
2022 Winners
Patricia Sexton, DHEd
COMLEX-USA Level 1 Item Writer of the Year
Sexton is the associate dean of medical education at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine at AT Still University. She joined the National Faculty in 2014 and has contributed her time and expertise to the COMLEX-USA Level 1 and Level 2-CE examinations. She wrote nearly 20 items this year, in such high-need areas as medical ethics and humanistic behavior.
Ronald Januchowski, DO
COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE Item Writer of the Year
Januchowski is the associate dean for curriculum, assessment and medical education, at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Carolinas Campus and has served the National Faculty since 2015. He submitted 20 items to the COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE examination that touched on a variety of important and difficult topics, and is also a member of the COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE advisory committee.
Jessica Ziebarth, DO
COMLEX-USA Level 3 Item Writer of the Year
Ziebarth is an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and chair of specialty medicine at Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine and has been a member of the NBOME National Faculty since 2019. Her clinical scenarios are challenging yet realistic, and will further bolster the COMLEX-USA Level 3 item pool.
Eileen Conaway, DO
Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) Case Writer of the Year
Conaway is a core faculty member at Tidelands Health MUSC Residency program in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and has been with the National Faculty since 2013. She develops detailed and realistic scenarios in which candidates must apply their real-world experience effectively and assure they are able to avoid measures that cause harm to patients.
Raymond Hruby, DO
COMLEX-USA Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) Item Writer of the Year
Hruby is a professor and past chair at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and has served the National Faculty since 2014. He has been a prolific item writer for the COMLEX-USA Level 3 examination, which reflected the NBOME’s OPP standards and a high level of detail.
William Elliott, MD, PhD
Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Item Writer of the Year
Elliott is chair of biomedical sciences and chief of pharmacology at the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, and joined the National Faculty in 2013. A productive item writer, he consistently writes items that test difficult concepts in high-need areas.
Joseph Lynn, DO
COMAT Clinical Subjects Item Writer of the Year
Lynn currently is a psychiatrist and founder of Long Island Mind, a psychiatry private practice in NY. Over the previous item development cycle, he wrote many high-quality items with a 94 percent acceptance rate. In addition to his item writing efforts, he participated in the 2022 COMAT Clinical Virtual New Item Review and is a COMAT Subcommittee member.