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Exam Contributors of the Year

The NBOME annually evaluates the efforts of the item writers and case authors who contributed to the exams. We honor an author from each exam series whose items or cases are exemplary. The Item Writers and Case Authors of the Year produce exam elements in the type and format needed to ensure a valid, high-quality examination that assesses competencies for osteopathic medicine.

Exam Contributors of the Year 2023

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COMLEX-USA Level 1 Item Writer of the Year

Sarah A. McCarthy, PhD

McCarthy is the assistant director of the Teaching and Leadership Academy at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA. She has been a member of the National Faculty since 2014 and has contributed her time and expertise to the COMLEX-USA Level 1 examination. In her item-writing, which focuses on anatomy, she has incorporated high-needs multimedia exhibits into realistic clinical scenarios throughout.

COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE Item Writer of the Year

Joel L. Dickerman, DO

Dickerman is the chief medical officer at St Mary-Corwin Hospital in Pueblo, Colo., and the regional director for clinical education at Rocky University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, Colo. He has been part of the National Faculty since 2015. His items are consistently high quality, and he is able to easily address both competency domain and clinical presentation needs for the exam. Dickerman is a member of the Clinical Decision-Making Subcommittee and was a participant in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Video Task Force this summer.

COMLEX-USA Level 3 Item Writer of the Year

John B. Bishara, DO

Bishara is the attending physician at the West Virginia University Physicians of Charleston in Charleston, W.Va. He has been part of the National Faculty since 2017, and he consistently writes detailed, well-developed clinical scenarios on high-need topics in pediatrics.

Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) Case Writer of the Year

Alesia J. Wagner, DO

Wagner is the associate dean of academic affairs at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Vallejo, Calif. She has been a member of the National Faculty since 2015 and is thorough and precise when crafting CDM material. She has proven to be a wonderful collaborator, helping colleagues become familiar with CDM through many meetings and workshops.

COMLEX-USA Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) Item Writer of the Year

Donald L. Allison, DO

Allison is the first-year course director for OPP and an associate professor at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia. He has been a member of the National Faculty team since 2014 and has contributed his time and expertise to the COMLEX-USA Level 1 and 2 examination. He has written numerous items, including many higher-order questions for Level 2-CE. Several of his questions were selected for pretesting in the upcoming Level 1 and Level 2-CE examination cycles.

Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Item Writer of the Year

Sandie U. Ha, PhD, MPH

Ha is an assistant professor of public health at the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Arts at University of California, Merced. She has written numerous items focused on preventive medicine and health promotion between COMLEX-USA Levels 1 and 3. She has been a member of our National Faculty since 2018.

COMAT Clinical Subjects Item Writer of the Year

Khavir A. Sharieff, DO, MBA

Sharieff is the assistant professor of surgery at Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. His items are consistently clear and well-written, and those submitted during the current item development cycle had a 100 percent acceptance rate. In addition to his item writing efforts, he has participated in several new item writing and review workshops for COMLEX-USA and COMAT exams.

Exam Contributors of the Year 2022

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COMLEX-USA Level 1 Item Writer of the Year

Patricia Sexton, DHEd

 
COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE Item Writer of the Year

Ronald Januchowski, DO

 
COMLEX-USA Level 3 Item Writer of the Year

Jessica Ziebarth, DO

 
Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) Case Writer of the Year

Eileen Conaway, DO

 
COMLEX-USA Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) Item Writer of the Year

Raymond Hruby, DO

 
Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Item Writer of the Year

William Elliott, MD, PhD

 
COMAT Clinical Subjects Item Writer of the Year

Joseph Lynn, DO

Exam Contributors of the Year 2021

Kristie Grove Bridges, PhD

COMLEX-USA Level 1 Item Writer of the Year: Kristie Grove Bridges, PhD

Dr. Bridges is a professor and chair of the biomedical sciences department at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. She has been a member of the National Faculty since 2014 and has contributed considerable time to the COMLEX-USA Level 1 examination.

Megan Thomas, DO

COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE Item Writer of the Year: Megan Thomas, DO

Dr. Thomas is an internist and pediatrician at the Community Health Center of the New River Valley, a FQHC in Christiansburg, Va. She also supervises residents in the Internal Medicine Continuity Clinic at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, Va. She has been a contributor across COMLEX-USA as well as the Point-of-Care Knowledge, Education, and Testing (POCKET) workgroup.

Helga V. Toriello, PhD

COMLEX-USA Level 3 Item Writer of the Year: Helga V. Toriello, PhD

Dr. Toriello is a professor at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine with a specialty in genetics. She has been a member of the National Faculty for eight years and has invested a considerable amount of time into the COMLEX-USA Level 3 examination.

Brett S. Stecker, DO

Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) Case Writer of the Year: Brett S. Stecker, DO

Dr. Stecker is a primary care physician with the Steward Medical Group in Raynham, Massachusetts. He has been involved with the COMLEX-USA Level 3 for six years, serving on the Clinical Decision Making Subcommittee as well as Vice Chair of the COMLEX-USA Level 3 Advisory Committee.

Catherine M. Fusco, DO

Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) Item Writer of the Year: Catherine M. Fusco, DO

Dr. Fusco is a board-certified family medicine and osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine physician at Suburban Community Hospital’s Medical Group in Norristown, Pa., and is a clinical faculty member in the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine department at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She previously assisted with osteopathic manipulative treatment standard setting for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE.

Jason T. Eberl, PhD

Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion (PHMP) Item Writer of the Year: Jason T. Eberl, PhD

Dr. Eberl is a professor of health care ethics and philosophy and the director of the Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethic at Saint Louis University. He has contributed to the NBOME since 2015, assisting with standard setting for the humanistic domain of the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE.

Rita Malhotra, DO

COMAT Clinical Item Writer of the Year: Rita Malhotra, DO

Dr. Malhotra is a physician actively practicing medicine and surgery, founder of the national telemedicine platform DrRitaM.com, and an instructor at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine-Old Westbury. She is a significant contributor to COMAT Clinical and is the first surgeon to receive this award.

Amber Eade, PhD

COMAT Foundational Biomedical Sciences Item Writer of the Year: Amber Eade, PhD

Dr. Eade is an assistant professor of biology at Slippery Rock University. She has been involved with the NBOME since 2013, serving as an examination contributor for COMLEX-USA Level 1 and 2-CE and COMAT FBS, participating in activities from item writing to item and blueprint review.

Exam Contributors of the Year 2020

2020 COMLEX-USA Level 1 Item Writer of the Year: Hannah Coulson, DO

Dr. Coulson is an assistant professor of pathology at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus. She has been a significant contributor to all levels of COMLEX-USA since she joined the National Faculty in 2017.

2020 COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE Item Writer of the Year: Robert Gioia, DO, DDS

Dr. Gioia is an attending physician of family medicine at Spectrum Health in Michigan and has been a member of our national faculty since 2018.

2020 COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE Case Author of the Year: Kym Carpentieri, DO

Dr. Carpentieri is an assistant professor of family medicine at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of New York Institute of Technology-Old Westbury. She has been a member of the Case Development Committee since 2013.

2020 COMLEX-USA Level 3 Item Writer of the Year: Suzanne Rogers, DO

Dr. Rogers is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. She has been a member of our National Faculty since 2018, and provided significant contributions to the COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE and Level 3 examinations as well as the COMAT Clinical Pediatrics examination.

2020 Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) Case Writer of the Year: Alesia Wagner, DO

Dr. Wagner is the Vice Chair for Primary Care and an Assistant Professor at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine - California, and has been a long-standing member of our National Faculty, as well as the CDM committee. She has provided significant contributions across all of the COMLEX-USA examinations.

2020 COMLEX-USA Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) Item Writer of the Year: Edward Shadiack, III, DO

Dr. Shadiack is a Clinical Fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He has been a member of our National Faculty since 2016, and has been heavily involved with all levels of the COMLEX-USA examinations and COMAT.

2020 COMLEX-USA Preventative Medicine/Health Promotion (PMHP) Item Writer of the Year: Theresa McCann, PhD, MPH, CHSE

Dr. McCann is a Professor and Discipline Chair for Epidemiology, Community & Public Health, and Preventive Medicine at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Campus. She is a new member to our National Faculty in 2020, and has been heavily involved in all levels of COMLEX-USA examinations.

2020 COMAT Clinical Item Writer of the Year: Bernadette Riley, DO

Dr. Riley is an associate professor of Family Medicine at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of New York Institute of Technology-Old Westbury and a long standing member of our National Faculty. She has been a significant contributor to both COMAT and COMLEX-USA examinations.

2020 COMAT Foundational Biomedical Sciences (FBS) Item Writer of the Year: Rebecca Pratt, PhD

Dr. Pratt is a professor of anatomy at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. She has been a member of our National Faculty since 2014, and contributes to both COMAT Foundational Biomedical Sciences and COMLEX-USA Level 1 examinations. Dr. Riley was also awarded Item Writer of the Year for COMAT Foundational Biomedical Sciences in 2018.

Exam Contibutors of the Year 2019

2019 COMLEX-USA Level 1 Item Writer of the Year: Martin Schmidt, PhD
Dr. Schmidt is a professor of biochemistry at DMU-COM in Des Moines, Iowa and a long-standing member of our National Faculty. His contributions have been to the COMLEX-USA Level 1 and COMAT Foundational Biomedical Examinations.

2019 COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE Item Writer of the Year: John Dougherty, DO
Dr. Dougherty is the Founding Dean and Chief Academic Officer at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (proposed) in Provo, Utah. He has been a member of the National Faculty since 2016.

2019 COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE Case Author of the Year: Robyn Dreibelbis, DO
Dr. Dreibelbis is vice-chair and assistant professor of Family Medicine at WesternU/COMP – Northwest in Lebanon, Oregon. Dr. Dreibelbis has been selected for this award as a member of the Case Development Committee.

2019 COMLEX-USA Level 3 Item Writer of the Year: Binh Phung, DO, MHA
Dr. Phung is a clinical assistant professor of Pediatrics at OSU-COM in Tulsa, Oklahoma and a pediatric hospitalist at the Children’s Hospital at St. Francis. Dr. Phung has focused his talents on the COMLEX-USA Level 3 examination in both multiple-choice questions and clinical decision-making content.

2019 Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) Case Writer of the Year: Brett Stecker, DO
Dr. Stecker is the assistant professor at Alpert Medical School at Brown University and physician advisor at Steward Medical Group at Morton Hospital in South Easton, Massachusetts. Dr. Stecker is experienced in working with the COMLEX-USA Levels 1, 2-CE and 3 examinations, and was previously awarded Item Writer of the Year for COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE in both 2016 and 2018.

2019 COMLEX-USA Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) Item Writer of the Year: Lauren Noto Bell, DO
Dr. Noto Bell is an associate professor at PCOM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a long-standing member of the National Faculty. She has been involved with all levels of the COMLEX-USA examinations and the COMAT clinical exam. She was awarded item writer of the year for OPP in 2017.

2019 COMLEX-USA Preventative Medicine/Health Promotion (PMHP) Item Writer of the Year: Todd Coffey, PhD
Dr. Coffey is chair and associate professor in the department of research and biostatistics at ICOM in Meridian, Idaho. He joined the National Faculty in 2018 and contributes to all levels of the COMLEX-USA level examinations.

2019 COMAT Clinical Item Writer of the Year: Jessica Rogers, DO
Dr. Rogers is an Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Coyle Institute Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery in Pensacola, Florida. She joined the National Faculty in 2014 and has been a significant contributor to both the COMLEX-USA and COMAT examinations.

2019 COMAT Foundational Biomedical Sciences (FBS) Item Writer of the Year: Lori Redmond, PhD
Dr. Redmond is a professor of Neuroscience at PCOM in Suwanee, Georgia and has been a member of our National Faculty since 2017. She was recruited for and has been a strong contributor to the COMAT Foundational Biomedical Sciences examinations.


Exam Contributors of the Year 2018

COMLEX-USA Program

Item Writer · Level 1

Jonathan Auten, DO

Item Writer Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation

Brett Stecker, DO

Case Author · Level 2-Performance Evaluation

Maurice Oelklaus, DO

Item Writer · Level 3

Megan Krease, DO, MS

Case Writer · Clinical Decision Making

Teresa Kilgore, DO

Item Writer · Health Promotion/Disease Prevention

Jason Eberl, PhD

COMAT Program

Item Writer · Clinical Disciplines

Katherine Mitzel, DO

Item Writer · Foundational Biomedical Sciences

Rebecca Pratt, PhD

Exam Contibutors of the Year 2017

Press Release

Item Writer · Level 1

Rani Bright, MBSS, HCLD

Item Writer · Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation

Shannon C. Scott, DO

Case Author · Level 2-Performance Evaluation

Kathryn Brandt, DO, MS, MEdL

Item Writer · Level 3

Jaime M. Rawson, DO

Case Writer · Clinical Decision Making

Peter F. Bidey, DO, MSEd

Case Writer · Clinical Decision Making

Matthew F. Geromi, DO

Item Writer · Health Promotion and Disease Prevention/Health Care Delivery

Deborah L. Blackwell, DO

Item Writer · Osteopathic Principles and Practice

Lauren Noto-Bell, DO

COMAT Program

Item Writer · Clinical Disciplines

Daniel L. Griffin, DO

Item Writer · Foundational Biomedical Sciences

Jandy B. Hanna, PhD
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