Other Unprofessional Conduct

The NBOME deems professionalism to be an important competency of an osteopathic physician, and a candidate must demonstrate professionalism at all times. Unprofessional conduct includes:

• The use of foul, lewd, improper, or culturally insensitive statements or behavior toward test center employees, other examinees, NBOME personnel, representatives or agents, including during telephone and in-person encounters regarding scheduling, scores, or score reporting before, during, or after any examination.
• Any conduct or behavior deemed by the NBOME to be inappropriate or unprofessional for an osteopathic physician.
• Violation by the candidate of any of the Terms and Conditions as set out in NBOME’s Bulletin of Information (BOI) that was in effect when the violation occurred.

When any unprofessional conduct comes to the attention of the NBOME, the NBOME at its sole discretion may take any action it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, any action for Irregular Conduct and/or any of the following:

• Record the name of the candidate, nature of the behavior or conduct, and the time and conditions under which the behavior or conduct occurred.
• Notate the candidate’s record to reflect the unprofessional conduct.
• Record and store conversations or other documentation that are considered to be unprofessional.
• Record the punitive action, if any, taken against a candidate, including, but not limited to, a period of suspension or permanent ineligibility to test.
• Void and/or not score any examination taken by the candidate, deem the candidate to have failed the examination, report “fail” as the result of the examination, and annotate the candidate’s examination record for the examination with an “I” as Irregular Conduct.
• For instances where the conduct is deemed less severe, the NBOME has the discretion to annotate the candidate’s examination record with “Other” to document this conduct.
• Notification to the office of the dean of the college of osteopathic medicine and/or the director for medical education of the graduate medical education program where the candidate is matriculated or enrolled.

As with other Irregular Conduct, information relating to a candidate’s unprofessional conduct may become part of the permanent record of the candidate maintained by the NBOME. The NBOME may in its sole discretion release any or all of the candidate’s information or action(s) taken by the NBOME relating to the candidate’s Irregular Conduct or unprofessional conduct to the candidate’s medical school, residency program director, any licensing board, authority, or other person(s) or entity or entities deemed appropriate by the NBOME or as required by law, without prior notice to or the consent of the candidate.