The following requirements are necessary to administer an NBME web-based examination. (Updated for 2024 IM-ITE)

If you have questions or concerns, please contact nbmewebtest@nbme.org.

The program director is responsible for the following:

• Ensuring compliance with the program schedule and for coordinating examination administration;
• Completing registration in the MyNBME Services Portal and submitting the Program Registration Confirmation and payment;
• Securing a computer lab/testing room for examination administration;
• Securing appropriate number of proctors and workstations for examinees;
• Assuring system requirements on each examinee workstation;
• Arranging for IT staff at test sites to assist with any hardware/software problems before and during test administration; and
• Maintaining examination security.

Prior to test day

• Secure computer lab/testing room for exam administration if you are administering at your institution
• Designate a Chief Proctor computer workstation in the computer lab or testing room
• Arrange for IT staff at the test site to assist with any hardware/software problems before and during test administration
• Assure System Requirements are met on each examinee workstation and on Chief Proctor workstation
• Assure appropriate number of Assistant Proctors and workstations for the number of examinees testing each day
• Select Assistant Proctors for the test session (one for every 20-25 examinees)
• Assure standard testing room arrangements as outlined in Chief Proctor’s Manual or in a manner that best accommodates your testing room
• Review Chief Proctor’s Manual and Instructions for Remote Administration provided by NBME
• Ensure the Workstation Certification utility is run on each fixed workstation and institutional laptop
• Forward a link to the examinee version of the Workstation Certification utility to any candidates who will be testing on their personal laptops
• Practice monitoring a sample exam on the Chief Proctor Resource site using the username and password provided by NBME

On Test Day

• Prepare examinee workstations – boot up each workstation in the testing room
• Log in to the Chief Proctor Resource site with username and password and enter test session information
• Admit examinees to the testing room; distribute Examinee Instruction Sheets, which includes examinee login information
• Provide examinees with Examinee Startup Code for launching the exam (this code is generated from the Chief Proctor’s workstation)
• Monitor the testing session on the Chief Proctor’s workstation and report any incidents on the Test Administration Report (contact NBME if support is needed)
• Ensure examinees return to the correct workstation after each break
• End the exam session and complete the Test Administration Report

Examination Feedback and Appropriate Use

Examination results are made available to program directors only via the MyNBME Services Portal for distribution to examinees approximately 5 weeks after the examination is administered; each examinee should receive from their program director a print-out of an individual performance report that contains a percent correct score for the total test and for each content area, a percentile rank for the total test and for each content area, and educational objectives for questions answered incorrectly. Additionally, each examinee should receive from their program director the full listing of educational objectives and a Performance Interpretation Guidelines document describing the individual performance report.  

In the MyNBME Service Portal, each program director will have access to a graph showing the distribution of average examinees’ scores for training programs (based on PGY 2 examinees); additional graphs showing the distribution of examinees’ scores at each PGY level (PGY 1, 2, 3, and 4); a program performance report listing average percent correct scores and percentile ranks for all programs and for the program director’s program for the total test and for each content area at each PGY level; for every item, the percentage of examinees who answered correctly in all programs and in the program director’s program at each PGY level; the full listing of educational objectives; an electronic downloadable scores roster of the program director’s examinees; and a Performance Interpretation Guidelines document that includes norm data at each PGY level by program type.

In addition to the scores and data provided to programs as described above, preliminary percent correct total test scores (i.e., percentage of correctly answered questions for the entire examination, but not for the content area subscores) for every examinee within the program will be provided to the program director 5 business days from the last day of the examination administration window. Please note that preliminary percent correct total test scores are subject to change upon provision of official score reports due to quality control analysis.

Program directors are urged to develop a broad-based evaluation process both for the examinees and the program. Examination scores can be a useful element in this evaluation as a measure of cognitive knowledge. Other important factors that should be evaluated include attitudes, relationships with patients, problem-solving skills in a clinical setting, technical skills, teaching skills, and the ability to interact effectively with other members of the health care team.

Individual examinee results may be helpful in identifying areas of deficiency and for planning improvements. In addition, the program director might find it helpful to review results to identify potential areas of program weakness and strength.

ACP or NBME will not provide individual score reports directly to examinees.

The examination is neither a qualifying nor a certifying instrument. It should not be used for determining who should be promoted, who should be eligible to take the American Board of Internal Medicine certifying examination, or who may be qualified for post residency fellowship training. It is designed only as a self-assessment tool.

However, program directors are encouraged to include IM-ITE results in semiannual reviews of resident performance and reporting on attributes of the Medical Knowledge competency. As part of the Internal Medicine Milestone Project, this activity may contribute to a residency program’s participation in the Next Accreditation System (NAS) to determine the overall progress of residents. The release of any score, either at an individual or aggregate level, to any person or organization outside the residency program, is strictly prohibited.

Questions about Performance Feedback reports should be addressed to IM-ITE@acponline.org