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The NBOME and Medical Licensure

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. We are proud to provide these important tools to boards in all 50 states—and many international jurisdictions—when they consider candidates for licensure.

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About COMLEX-USA

The COMLEX-USA examination series is designed to assess the osteopathic medical knowledge and clinical skills considered essential for osteopathic generalist physicians to practice osteopathic medicine.  COMLEX-USA is accepted for licensure in all 50 states and several US territories and international jurisdictions. 

Passing COMLEX-USA is an essential component to osteopathic physician licensure and demonstrates to state medical and osteopathic medical boards that a candidate has met a national standard of competencies required for the unsupervised practice of osteopathic medicine.

About COMVEX

The COMVEX examination provides state medical and osteopathic medical licensing boards with information on an individual’s knowledge of current osteopathic medical knowledge and practice under standardized conditions.  Passing COMVEX demonstrates to state medical and osteopathic medical boards that a candidate who currently holds or has held a valid license to practice osteopathic medicine in the US can currently demonstrate basic osteopathic medical competency and an understanding of osteopathic medical knowledge and practice under standardized conditions. COMVEX is administered only at the direction of the state medical and osteopathic medical boards.

State Medical, Osteopathic Medical Licensing Boards, & COMLEX-USA/COMVEX

The NBOME meets regularly with state medical and osteopathic medical licensing boards, as well as the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), to educate members on COMLEX-USA, COMVEX, and the osteopathic distinctiveness of these two exams that are closely aligned for licensure and/or re-licensure. 

The FSMB’s official policy is that the evidence for the validity of COMLEX-USA is exemplary. Every state licensure board accepts (and a number require) COMLEX-USA for medical licensure of DOs. In the FSMB Journal of Medical Regulation, the editor-in-chief noted that COMLEX-USA “provides a good example of how medical examiners can update their assessment systems to stay ahead of the curve of change [and] help medical regulators make sound, balanced decisions as they continue their work in protecting the public and ensuring quality in medical practice, keeping our patients safe.”

COMLEX-USA & Medical Licensure Requirements 

The NBOME recommends visiting the FSMB website for the most up-to-date information regarding individual state licensure requirements, including number of attempts and time limit for completing a licensure sequence, on a state-by-state basis.

Retaking an Exam

Candidates are only permitted to retake a COMLEX-USA examination if they failed a previous attempt. Retaking an examination to improve score is not permitted by the NBOME. More information can be found in the COMLEX-USA Bulletin of Information.

Related Research

Our research illustrates how COMLEX-USA scores can be used to predict performance in specialties such as family medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and more.

Predictive Validity of COMLEX-USA

Search “Predictive Validity” on our Research page to learn how COMLEX-USA scores can be used to predict performance in specialties such as family medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, pediatrics and more.

An Investigation of the Relationship Between COMLEX-USA Licensure Examination Performance and State Licensing Board Disciplinary Actions

Academic Medicine | June 2020

2019 United States Osteopathic Medical Regulatory Summit: Consensus, Recommendations, and Next Steps in Defining Osteopathic Distinctiveness

Journal of Osteopathic Medicine | January 2020

Licensure Questions

Please fill out the form below for questions regarding the NBOME’s work with state medical and osteopathic medical boards. 

For all other questions, visit the Contact Us section.