The following policy applies to all examinations, quizzes, and small group quizzes (TBL, PBL, pharmacology, etc.).
- All test materials are to be maintained as secure as possible. Any attempts by students to access the test outside of the scheduled examination period is considered cheating. This includes but is not limited to: unauthorized distributing or receiving of the test questions or passwords used to access the examination and/or examination review, use of break periods to engage in unauthorized behaviors, possession of a prohibited electronic device other than that being used to complete the examination, and participating in behaviors prior to, during, or after the exam period that subvert exam security and fairness for all students. Individual students who violate this policy will be handled in accordance with the UNMC policy for cheating and may be considered for termination.
- The following scoring guidelines will be used.
- All questions will be reviewed for psychometric quality before examination scores are returned to the students. Questions with low item statistics will be reviewed by the Block Director(s) to determine whether individual questions will be removed when scoring the test. Student scores are typically posted within four business days following the exam.
- No credit will be given for answers not properly submitted by a student in Examplify/ExamSoft. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their desired answers have been selected and properly submitted before the exam period ends.
- Student responsibility before an exam:
- Students must download and register Examplify to the device they will use for testing. This can be done by logging into the UNMC home page for ExamSoft.
- Each test will be made available for download prior to the scheduled examination period. Students must come to the exam having downloaded the test to their portable device. No extra time will be given to a student that fails to complete the download process prior to the examination period.
- If a student encounters difficulty with their device or the Examplify program, it is the student's responsibility to address that problem before coming to the exam by first contacting ExamSoft’s customer service department. If the problem cannot be resolved, the student may make use of another personal device or request the use of a loaned computer from the Office of Medical Education. The student is still responsible for downloading the exam to that computer prior to the scheduled exam period. If the student must use a replacement computer but has already downloaded the test to the broken computer, the student needs to notify the Office of Medical Education to request a second test download be placed on the replacement computer.
- Students needing accommodations should notify the OME at least 2 weeks in advance of exam day.
- Student responsibility on examination day:
- Students must report to the exam room at least 10 minutes before the scheduled exam period, put backpacks, phones, jackets, hats, etc. at the front of the room and be seated. Students needing accommodations must report to their assigned exam rooms 10 minutes before their exam.
- Students must bring their fully-charged device, charger, and writing utensil to each examination. Students must have Examplify running on their devices and be ready to input the password before the examination starts. They are not permitted to have anything open on their devices in the exam room except Examplify. Earplugs used to cancel room noise are acceptable; headphones, earbuds, or similar devices are prohibited. Headwear such as hats, visors, or hoodies are also prohibited.
- Keyboards and specialized cases/attachments for iPads and tablets are permitted for the sole purpose of placing the device in a position that is comfortable for the student. Students must ensure that their cases/attachments contain no notes or other materials, regardless of their content. Possession of these materials will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and handled in accordance with the UNMC policy for cheating.
- One colored, blank sheet of paper will be provided to each student with their seat assignment. Each student must put their name and exact seat location on the paper and turn it in at the conclusion of the exam. Failure to turn in the sheet will be considered in violation of the exam policy (Section 1).
- If a student is late, their exam will end at the original exam end time. No extra time will be given, and the exam must be uploaded before the upload deadline posted by the proctor.
- If a student's device is not working, they should contact the proctor to get it fixed or to borrow a device for the exam. Proctors will have a limited number of devices available in the exam room on exam day.
- Students must upload their exam file prior to leaving the examination room. Students must show the exam proctor the green checkmark signifying a successful exam upload and hand in the colored blank sheet of paper before exiting the room. Successful upload of the exam is the student’s responsibility. Should a student exit the examination room without showing the proctor that their exam file has been successfully uploaded, the student will be considered in violation of the exam policy (Section 1).
- Inquiries about examination questions (other than those related to typographical errors) will not be permitted. Concerns about poorly-worded or ill-constructed items should be raised during the exam using the proper mechanism in Examplify.
- Temporary absences of students from the examination will be closely monitored. Students should ensure that their exam is not visible to other students prior to leaving their seat by using the “Hide Exam” feature in Examplify. Students may not engage in conversation during the break period and are prohibited from accessing notes, textbooks, or other resources. Students who take breaks more frequently or for a longer duration than that of their peers will be noted and may be asked to provide explanation to the Office of Medical Education and/or the Office of Student Affairs.
Phase 2 Exceptions
- Laptops and chargers will be provided by the Office of Medical Education for clerkship NBME exams. Ethernet connections will be used during the exams.
- Students who experience significant interruptions to the NBME exam due to internet connectivity, automated updates, NMBE portal access or any other technological issue will be allowed to retake the NBME exam. A significant interruption to the NBME exam is determined on case-by-case basis by the Phase 2 director.
- Students who elect to retake the NBME exam must inform the clerkship director within 1 week of the original NBME test date to set up a retake. Any retake dates must be arranged with both the original clerkship and the current clerkship to minimize interruptions to clinical activities.
- If a student elects to retake the NBME exam, the first test score will be considered invalid. The retake test score will be used to determine the overall clerkship grade.
- Students needing accommodations should notify the clerkship director at least two weeks in advance of the exam day.
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: May 21, 1998
Revised by the Curriculum Committee: November 19, 1998
Revised by the First Year Core Directors: October 22, 1998
Revised by the Second Year Core Directors: December 11, 1998
Revised by the First and Second Year Core Directors: March 5, 2001
Revised by the First and Second Year Core Directors: August 2002
Revised by the First Year Core Directors: August 2010
Revised by the First and Second Year Core Directors: August 2011
Revised by the First and Second Year Core Directors: August 2015
Revised by the Office of Medical Education: January 2016
Revised by the Office of Medical Education: August 2016
Revised by the Office of Medical Education: July 2017
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: October 22, 2019
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: July 25, 2023
Approved by the Curriculum Committee: September 26, 2023