National Board of Medical Examiners Launches Tool to Help Faculty Better Assess Students

The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) launched a new tool – NBME U – that helps health professions educators create reliable, high-quality assessments that evaluate student knowledge, skills and competencies.

NBME says one of the most pressing challenges facing health professions educators is how to effectively assess their students, but assessing a student’s knowledge and skills can be difficult, especially in a healthcare environment that is constantly evolving to include diverse competencies.

“Most educators have extensive clinical experience, but lack formal training on the basic theory and practice of assessments,” according to Dr. Peter Katsufrakis, MD, MBA, President, NBME. “With NBME U, faculty will have the tools they need to measure the performance and readiness of their students, who will be on the front lines of patient care. NBME U offers a flexible learning environment so educators can work at their own pace and focus on the topics that are most relevant to their professional development.”

NBME U includes 28 lessons focused on test design, scoring and assessment. Each lesson can be completed anytime, anywhere, in 15-20 minutes. Educators will have continued access to the lessons so they can go back and review them at any time.

NBME U lessons were developed by experts in the assessment and medical education fields. The lessons will be updated to reflect new evidence and insights from the industry. Each successfully completed course earns 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 CME CreditsTM for physicians, or a certificate of participation for other health care professionals.

NBME believes a focus on helping faculty improve student assessments will result in a more highly trained workforce. “Preparing medical professionals for the field starts by focusing on the individuals educating our students,” said Dr. Katsufrakis. “This is NBME’s first step toward creating a roadmap for student-based assessments.”

For more information on NBME U, visit www.nbmeuonline.com. To enroll in NBME U lessons, visit www.my.nbme.org.