The NBME Clinical Subject Examination is a required assessment of clinical knowledge in the core clerkships and the Family Medicine/General Practice (FM/GP) required rotation. Passing all 6 required NBME Clinical Subject Examinations is a graduation requirement. Students are expected to take the NBME Clinical Subject Examination within the final 2 weeks of the rotation for which it is required. The Clinical Examination Scheduling Office provides students with a permit window during which the exam must be taken.
In rare instances, unforeseen circumstances such as medical conditions may prevent a student from taking an examination as scheduled. If a student is unable to take an NBME Clinical Subject Examination and can re-schedule the exam with the testing center within the permit window, a Clinical/Medical excuse is not required. If rescheduling within the permit window is not possible, the student must submit a Clinical/Medical excuse using the SOM Clinical/Medical Excuse Form, and a Completion Exam will be granted.
Students are entitled to one self-reported Clinical/Medical Excuse for examinations per 12-month period during the MD program. Students who do not take an examination as scheduled after already using that excuse have failed to complete all required clerkship activities and receive a failing grade for the knowledge component of the clerkship/required rotation and for the overall rotation.
Students with extenuating circumstances for missing an additional examination must provide relevant documentation. Students in this situation should seek guidance from the Office of Student Affairs (studentaffairsclinical@sgu.edu), before missing the examination when possible. Otherwise, students must contact the Office of Student Affairs as soon as possible and provide documentation for incapacitation.
Note: Students may not request a Clinical/Medical Excuse after starting an exam. Once an exam has started, a score is submitted and contributes to the student’s grade, regardless of how much of the exam is completed. Students are therefore strongly discouraged from taking an exam if they are unwell.
Procedure for Submitting a Clinical/Medical Excuse
Students requesting a clinical/medical excuse must submit the SOM Clinical/Medical Excuse Form before the scheduled examination time. Students who attempt to submit a second Clinical/Medical Excuse request within a 12-month period receive written notification that they are ineligible and are informed of the consequences of missing the examination.
Resolution of Missed Examinations
Students with an approved Clinical/Medical excuse who miss an examination receive an ME for the exam score, an I for the Clinical Knowledge component, and an incomplete grade (I) for the clerkship or required FM/GP rotation. Students are then expected to take the Completion Exam.
Students take the Completion Exam at the end of Year 3 once all Year 3 rotations (including any Year 3 FM/GP required rotation) are completed, or by the end of Year 4 if the required FM/GP rotation was completed during Year 4*. Students should consider this Completion Exam period when scheduling elective rotations.
Students who miss an examination without an approved Clinical/Medical excuse have not completed course requirements and receive an NG for the NBME Clinical Subject Examination and a failing grade for the rotation. Students should refer to the Assessment and Grading section of this Manual for the consequences of failing to complete course requirements.
Students who receive a failing grade for the rotation for any reason are ineligible to take the Completion Exam. The APRC determines the consequences of all course failures and any required stipulations for students.
Completion Exams
As of January 2023
Year 3 Completion Exams (including the Year 3 FM/GP required rotation)
Students with an approved excused Clinical/Medical absence from an NBME Clinical Subjection Examination must follow the instructions provided in the confirmation of the Clinical/Medical excuse and emailed by clinadmin@sgu.edu and ClinicalExam@sgu.edu following approval of the excused absence. Once an excuse has been submitted and a Year 3 Completion Exam approved, a 3-week (21 days) Completion Exam Period is reserved in the schedule at the end of Year 3 for exam preparation, scheduling, and processing. This may require cancellation or postponement of electives scheduled prior to the date of the missed exam. Students should work closely with their clinical student administrator when scheduling subsequent electives.
An NBME Clinical Examination permit will be arranged by ClinicalExam@sgu.edu for the last 2 weeks of the Completion Exam Period during which students must schedule to take their Completion Exam. Students should schedule their examinations within 48 hours of receiving their permit, as testing dates book quickly. After this 2-week permit window ends, the School receives the examination score within 5-7 days and makes a determination regarding academic progress or required remediation.
Year 4 Completion Exams
Students with an excused absence from a NBME Clinical Subject Examination in Year 4 must follow the instructions provided by clinadmin@sgu.edu and ClinicalExam@sgu.edu after approval of the excused absence. Students should request permits from ClinicalExam@sgu.edu at least 4 weeks prior to the expected examination date. Permit windows are for a 2-week period. After the permit window ends, the School receives the examination score within 5-7 days and makes a determination regarding academic progress or required remediation.
Students are expected to schedule bridge weeks for Year 4 Completion Exam preparation. LOA time is used if no bridge time is available. This may require cancellation or postponement of electives scheduled prior to the date the missed exam. Students should work closely with the Clinical Examination Scheduling Team and their clinical student administrator when scheduling exam time and subsequent electives.
Students must pass all NBME Clinical Subject Examinations to meet graduation requirements. Therefore, students are expected to arrange for any Completion Exam for the NBME Clinical Subject Examination in their FM/GP required rotation as close as possible to the end of the rotation to allow sufficient time for any required remediation.
*Students intending to participate in the NRMP Match should pass any missed or failed NBME Clinical Subject Examination for the Year 4 FM/GP rotation by March 1 of the Match year to ensure all graduation requirements are successfully completed by June of that year. Students are strongly encouraged to take the Completion Exam as soon as possible to avoid pending graduation requirements at the end of the fourth year, which may prevent them from meeting residency match requirements.