Contract Awarded to Meazure Learning

The NBPME recently awarded a multi-year contract for test development and administration to Meazure Learning. The decision follows a months-long process of inviting proposals from test vendors, evaluating three competing proposals and interviewing the prospective contractors. Meazure will be responsible for administering the Part III test in May 2024 and all subsequent exams, after a year of preparation and transition.

 

Dr. Roland Ramdass, board president, said the entire board has met with the key staff from Meazure and all are impressed with their professionalism and commitment to providing quality examinations in a manner that emphasizes excellent service to every candidate. He thanked the Examinations Committee and the entire board for their efforts and careful deliberation, noting that the three proposals were all impressive.

 

“We are thrilled to have been chosen by The National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (NBPME) to develop and administer the prestigious APMLE series,” said Tim McClinton, Meazure Learning CEO. “We look forward to providing an exceptional user experience to the NBPME and its stakeholders while maintaining the highest levels of quality and security through our market leading assessment development and exam delivery services.”

 

Clinical Skills Patient Encounter (CSPE) Task Force

NBPME has formed a Task Force comprised of a wide range of interested parties to consider how best to resume testing of the competencies of:

Physician-patient communication and interpersonal skills

Data-gathering and history-taking

Documentation of the patient encounter

Clinical problem-solving and decision-making.

These were all determined to be essential skills in the interest of public health and safety. The option of establishing testing in the schools is under consideration and discussions have begun with the AACPM. The task force chair, Dr. Vivian Rodes, said she is interested in having the group begin work on the many details that need to be resolved to continue progress on this very important initiative.

 

Testing Myths and Misconceptions

Three prevalent misunderstandings are causing unnecessary concern for candidates. They are addressed below.

The questions I saw did not match the published test plan.

Every test a candidate sees has exactly the correct proportion of items that the specifications describe. However, there are additional questions that are not counted in scoring that also appear. These may be new items that are being field tested to determine whether they perform properly before they are used as scorable items in a subsequent test. Items that do not work as hoped will be pulled for review and revision, or will be archived and not used further. Those field test items can affect a candidate’s perception about the subjects tested. The scored questions are always in compliance with the test plan.

I can get to my Prometric account just by using Google.

Many students are encountering delays in processing and other problems because they “Google” my APMLE account or something similar. This shortcut does not work! By not accessing your existing CMS account under the correct URL, you will not be able to schedule an APMLE exam, or access the score report. Use only the following:

URL: www.prometric.com/NBPME   Phone : 1-877-302-8952

 If I can’t remember my account details, I can just start a new profile.

Candidates who create a second or third profile only cause problems for themselves and it may delay processing and reporting scores. Candidates with multiple CMS profiles will cause a delay in receiving score reports and application processing with the residency match program.

Below is the link for The Use of Patient Simulations to Teach and Assess Clinical Competencies in Colleges of Podiatric Medicine: A Survey of US Podiatric Medical Schools in: Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association Volume 112 Issue 2 (2022).

https://japmaonline.org/view/journals/apms/112/2/20-077.xml

THE FUTURE OF CSPE

March 2021

The NBPME has unanimously voted that the CSPE represents a unique, valid, reliable examination that tests skills not being tested in the Parts I, II, and III written examinations.  The decision was also made to start an investigation into alternatives to the suspended version of the clinical skills patient encounter examination. It was acknowledged that the first version of CSPE examination was unpopular among the student population mainly because of the expense to candidates.

During the development, pilot process and then with the actual administration of the first version of the examination, the board became convinced of the appropriateness of testing these unique skills that are crucial to safe, effective, independent practice. That perspective is also shared by other licensing boards, including NBME and NBOME. To date, no groups have abandoned this examination. Boards have either continued to test or said they are suspending the current version of their examinations while pursuing alternate designs.

The CSPE examination is currently suspended. Investigation and evaluation of alternatives has only begun. Although it may be possible, it is unlikely that a new design would be developed, piloted and ready for administration for the Class of 2022.

NBPME is committed to the clinical skills program, and to providing routine updates to the stakeholders of our profession, including the AACPM, APMA, APMSA, CPME and FPMB, as we work alongside NBOME to further our mission and to create an examination that is valid, reliable and cost-effective.

 

NBPME CANCELS PART II CSPE FOR THE CLASS OF 2021

At a meeting Tuesday, February 9, 2021, the board decided that the many complications created by the global pandemic have made it impossible to continue the Clinical Skills Patient Encounter examination currently underway.

All candidates who have tested or scheduled will be reimbursed for the test fee and appropriate travel expenses. All affected students will be contacted after details have been completed.

Dr. Alyssa Stephenson, board president, stated that the NBPME intends to work with stakeholders including state licensing boards to determine the best path forward to continue to meet the goal of protecting the public health by examining all skills that are essential for safe independent practice.