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The NBOME works tirelessly to clarify information and educate on osteopathic distinctiveness and the COMLEX-USA credential.
Help Us Advocate for You
If you encounter any bias during residency interviews, on program websites, FREIDA, ERAS, or other instances, please fill out our contact form so that we can pursue the appropriate program, institution, and/or specialty leadership and that of the osteopathic profession.
Your name and email will only be used for communication between you and the NBOME. Unless you specify otherwise, our outreach will be kept confidential.
Reach out to us if you…
- Felt a program was excluding you due to your being identified as an osteopathic student
- Were requested to pay a significantly higher tuition or fee rate than MD students
- Had your COMLEX-USA scores rejected for application
- Been required to submit USMLE scores to apply for a residency program or rotation
Program Outreach
The NBOME has reached out to hundreds of graduate medical education programs across the US to reduce barriers and restrictions on DO students—including unfair fees or imbalanced requirements on their website or otherwise. We have compiled a list of those we’ve reached out to and the progression towards change.
What is Osteopathic Medicine?
Doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) are fully licensed physicians in the United States and other countries. Their patient care approach aligns with their distinctive training in comprehensive, evidence-based medical care, summarized as the interconnected ‘body, mind, and spirit’ approach to finding, restoring, and maintaining health.
Those who choose to practice osteopathic medicine do so with an immense sense of pride. Many strongly identify with the unique body-mind-spirit approach and perspective that osteopathic physicians and students bring to patient care with their inimitable training.
Since 1934, the NBOME has offered assessment tools to measure osteopathic medical competencies for licensure. These assessments align with the distinct and unique ways that osteopathic physicians are educated and trained.
Why Do We Advocate?
COMLEX-USA is accepted in all 50 states and in some international jurisdictions for licensure, such as Australia and New Zealand. It is the only examination series needed to gain licensure for the practice of osteopathic medicine. The NBOME advocates for a holistic review of applications for undergraduate and graduate medical education programs. Where licensing examinations may be a part of that process, COMLEX-USA scores should be the only ones considered for DO students.
Simply put: DO students should not be asked to take a licensure exam that is not designed for them to feel they are competitive with their MD counterparts during the residency application process.
We continue to address bias against DOs and their COMLEX-USA credential at every corner, especially when a residency program requires a DO applicant to take a licensure examination not aligned with the education and practice of osteopathic medicine.
Specialties
Our advocacy efforts have led to consensus statements from numerous specialties that support the equivalency of COMLEX-USA in the residency application process. We continue our outreach efforts to encourage more specialties to join the growing list.
Family Medicine
Oct 2022 – 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
DO applicants should not be required to undergo licensing examinations other than the COMLEX-USA and consider DO applicants within context of COMLEX-USA.
Psychiatry
May 2023 – The American Association of Directors of Psychiatry Residency Training (AADPRT)
Recommend that programs accept COMLEX-USA when considering DO applicants to their training programs
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
May 2023 – 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)
Clearly state policy regarding the acceptability of COMLEX-USA scores and recommend programs accept COMLEX-USA when considering DO applicants
Pediatrics
May 2023 – The Association of Pediatric Program Directors, Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics, Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs, FuturePedsRes, and NextGenPediatricians
Osteopathic applicants to residency programs should not be required – nor made to feel like they are required – to undergo licensing examinations other than the osteopathic (COMLEX-USA) licensure exam.
Anesthesiology
May 2023 – Association of Anesthesiology Core Program Directors (AACPD)
Residency programs should not require osteopathic trainees to undergo other licensing examinations in addition to COMLEX-USA.
Obstetrics / Gynecology
Sept 2023 – The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Residency programs should accept COMLEX-USA and not require or pressure applicants with DO degrees to take additional licensing exams
Emergency Medicine
Oct 2023 – The Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine
Encourage all programs to accept COMLEX-USA results as equivalent to ensure equitable consideration for osteopathic applicants
Internal Medicine
Mar 2024 – The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine
Encourage all programs and subspecialty fellowship programs, in their holistic review of applicants, to accept that the COMLEX-USA results are equivalent
How Do We Advocate & What Are We Advocating For?
The NBOME does many things to both educate and advocate for COMLEX-USA:
- Meetings with COM leadership across the country to ensure advisors are versed in COMLEX-USA and its scores
- Direct outreach to residency programs that indicate a requirement or preference for USMLE over COMLEX for DOs
- Engagement with residency program groups to declare support for DOs and the COMLEX credential
- Forms for DO students to alert the NBOME of any perceived biases in residency programs
We will continue our advocacy efforts to alleviate undue barriers DO applicants face and we encourage you to join us in these efforts.
News
Texas Medical Association Calls for Equivalent Recognition of COMLEX-USA and USMLE Exams in Residency Program Applications
News
Internal Medicine Leaders Join Growing Call for COMLEX-USA Equivalency in Residency Applications
News
Emergency Medicine Residency Leaders Call for COMLEX-USA Acceptance among Program Directors
News
Academic Leaders in Pediatrics Stand Up for Equity in Residency Applications, Recommend COMLEX-USA as Part of Holistic Application Review for DO Students
News
Anesthesiology Program Directors Join in Support of DO Residency Applicants, COMLEX-USA and Holistic Review
News