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 2024 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.
2024 Exam Contributor Awardees
Martin Schmidt, PhD
COMLEX-USA Level 1 Item Writer of the Year
Schmidt is a professor of biochemistry & nutrition at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He joined the National Faculty in 2013 and was a 2019 NBOME Item Writer of the Year. His items were succinct yet detailed, and they incorporated laboratory studies purposefully.
Meghna M. Patel, DO, MPH
COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE Item Writer of the Year
Patel is an assistant professor at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She wrote solid, well-developed clinical scenarios that gracefully integrated assets and osteopathic principles and practice. She joined the National Faculty in 2022.
Jay Nguyen, DO
COMLEX-USA Level 3 Item Writer of the Year
Nguyen is a third-year resident (PGY-3) at the KCU-GME Consortium/ Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery (ADCS) Orlando program. He joined the National Faculty this year and has participated in a virtual New Writers Workshop and an on-site Item Writing Workshop.
Eileen M. Conaway, DO
Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) Case Writer of the Year
Conaway serves as an adjunct associate professor of osteopathic manipulative treatment at Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine and on the Board of Trustees for the South Carolina Osteopathic Medical Society. She has been a member of the National Faculty since 2013 and won the CDM Writer of the Year award in 2022. She approaches the unique challenges of CDM cases with ease, developing detailed and realistic scenarios that are rarely seen on testing material. She is talented in incorporating osteopathic principles and practice into her cases and has recently written interesting cases concerning OB/GYN and Pediatric topics.
Regina K. Fleming, DO
COMLEX-USA Osteopathic Principles & Practice (OPP) Item Writer of the Year
Fleming is the associate program director for the Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine Residency program at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto. She is also chair of the Educational Council on Osteopathic Principles (ECOP) of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. She joined the National Faculty in 2017.
Johan C. Bester, MD, PhD, MPhil
Preventive Medicine & Health Promotion Item Writer of the Year
Bester is the associate dean for pre-clerkship curriculum at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He wrote unique ethics questions, often accompanied by thorough clinical scenarios. His items required minimal editing, and reviewers commented that his items were high quality. He joined the National Faculty in 2022.
Natasha N. Bray, DO, MSEd
COMAT Clinical Item Writer of the Year
Bray is the dean of Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine-Cherokee Nation and joined the National Faculty in 2014. She was the National Faculty’s COMAT Examination Chair for Internal Medicine from 2017-2023 and was a strong contributor on the COMAT Advisory Committee. Her items have consistently been concise yet thorough, seamlessly integrating laboratory studies where needed.
Lisa M. Kronstad, PhD
COMAT Foundational Biomedical Sciences Item Writer of the Year
Kronstad is an assistant professor at the Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. She joined the National Faculty in 2020, and her items have consistently met specifications for content and references.