Saturday, 2 February 2013

Personal Items & Test Accommodations



Examinees Who Require Personal Items in the Testing Room


As more fully explained under Testing: Personal Items, unauthorized possession of personal items while you are in the secure areas of the testing center is prohibited. However, in certain limited circumstances, exceptions to this policy may be made for medical reasons, provided that permission is granted in advance of test administration. If you believe that you have a medical condition that requires you to use medication, an external appliance, electronic device, or other items in the secure areas of the test center, please submit a written request via e-mail to NBME. You will need to explain the necessity of the exception and provide documentation from your medical professional substantiating your need to use the item(s) during test administration. Professional documentation must be typewritten on the professional’s letterhead, signed, and dated. Examples of appliances and devices to which this policy applies include insulin pumps, inhalers, medications, TENS units, breast pumps (for USMLE Step 2 CS), hearing aids, electronic or digitally amplified or otherwise enhanced nonstandard stethoscopes (for USMLE Step 2 CS), wheelchairs, canes, crutches, and casts. This list is not exhaustive; if you are unsure whether you should request an exception, please contact the Personal Item Exception Coordinator via e-mail.


You are not required to obtain advance permission to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses during testing, or to consume food or medication on authorized breaks. All personal items, including those permitted as an exception under this policy, are subject to inspection at the test center. If you bring an item, including an appliance or device, to your test administration without obtaining permission in advance, you may not be permitted to test, you may be required to relinquish the item, you may be investigated for irregular behavior, and/or your score may be held until you provide adequate documentation from your medical professional.