OSR - AAMC Resolution on Clinical Skills Exam

The following is posted on behalf of AAMC President Jordan Cohen in regards to the resolution adopted by the AAMC Executive Council mid-June asking that the NBME work with the Federation of State Medical Boards "to assure an external source of funding to fund all steps of the USMLE licensure process for medical students." The resolution also asks that the NBME "defer the implementation of the new Clinical Assessment portion of the USMLE exam until an external funding mechanism is identified."

This action was taken by the Executive Council at the request of the Council of Deans Administrative Board. The reasons for the action are set out in the five whereas clauses that precede the resolved clause. They focus on the costs of the licensure process to medical students and suggest that these costs might be spread over a larger base of already licensed physicians.

This resolution was adopted following a visit to the COD Administrative Board by NBME president, Don Melnick, and senior vice president, Peter Scoles, although neither was a party to the deliberations leading up to the vote on this matter.

Jordan J. Cohen, M.D.
President, AAMC

AAMC Executive Council Resolution on the Proposed Clinical Skills Assessment Examination
Adopted June 20, 2002

WHEREAS, The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) will soon require all students to take a clinical skills assessment examination at a cost of $950-1000 dollars plus travel costs, and WHEREAS, Medical student debt is at an all time high with the average debt for graduating medical students approaching $100,000, and WHEREAS, There is increasing concern that the increase in student debt has a negative impact on recruiting individuals to medical school, and WHEREAS, Most students will have to borrow the funds for this examination which will substantially increase the true cost of the examination when interest costs are calculated, and WHEREAS, Revenue from state license fees for physicians (including relicensure) could spread the costs of the USMLE qualification process across a very large base, at a small incremental cost to physicians already employed and licensed,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, The AAMC urges the NBME to work with the Federation of State Medical Boards to assure an external source of funding to fund all steps of the USMLE licensure process for medical students.

FURTHER, The AAMC urges the NBME to defer the implementation of the new Clinical Assessment portion of the USMLE exam until an external funding mechanism is identified.

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