Resources for Residency Program Directors
The NBOME & GME
The NBOME is a rich resource for those in graduate medical education (GME) to better understand and interpret osteopathically distinctive assessments such as COMLEX-USA. NBOME assessments may be used to satisfy residency training (ACGME), specialty board, state licensing boards, and health care system requirements.
Understanding COMLEX-USA
Learn important information on the blueprint of COMLEX-USA, how it may be used as part of a holistic applicant review process, and how to interpret COMLEX-USA scores.
About COMLEX-USA Level 3
The NBOME recommends that osteopathic medical residents take COMLEX-USA Level 3 after their first six months in residency. Passing Level 3 indicates that the candidate has demonstrated competence in the foundational competencies required for generalist physicians to deliver safe and effective osteopathic medical care of patients as required for entry into the unsupervised practice of osteopathic medicine, and to continue lifelong learning and practice-based learning and improvement.
About COMSAE Phase 3
The COMSAE series is designed to gauge a candidate’s knowledge base in advance of taking COMLEX USA. The content of COMSAE Phase 3 is representative of the COMLEX-USA blueprint and is based on the same content outline, consisting of seven Dimension 1 – Competency Domain categories and ten Dimension 2 – Clinical Presentation categories.
A Conversation for Residency Program Directors
Kenneth B. Simons, MD, field secretary of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, discusses how residency program directors can utilize COMLEX-USA scores for DO applicants as part of a holistic admission review process.
Consensus Statements
Leadership organizations from numerous specialties have issued consensus statements that support equivalency of COMLEX-USA as part of a holistic residency application process.
Family Medicine
The Association of Departments of Family Medicine, Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, North American Primary Care Research Group, and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Psychiatry
The American Association of Directors of Psychiatry Residency Training (AADPRT)
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R), the Association of Academic Physiatrists, and the American Osteopathic College of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AOCPMR)
Pediatrics
The Association of Pediatric Program Directors, Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics, Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs, FuturePedsRes, and NextGenPediatricians
Research
COMLEX-USA
A Concordance Study of COMLEX-USA and USMLE Scores
Barnum S, Craig B, Wang X, Sandella JM, Tsai T-H, Boulet JR, Wang Y. Journal of Graduate Medical Education. doi:10.4300/JGME-D-21-00499.1
COMLEX-USA
Relationship Between COMLEX and USMLE Scores Among Osteopathic Medical Students who Take Both Examinations
Chick DA, Friedman HP, Young VB, Solomon DE. Teaching and Learning in Medicine. doi:10.1080/10401330903445422
COMLEX-USA
The use of COMLEX-USA and USMLE for residency applicant selection
Sandella JM, Gimpel JR, Smith LL, Boulet JR. Journal of Graduate Medical Education. doi:10.4300/JGME-D-15-00246.1
