COMLEX-USA Level 3
Information for Residency Programs
COMLEX-USA Level 3 has transitioned to a two-day exam in September 2018 as part of the overall enhancement of the COMLEX-USA examination series, aligning with the new master blueprint.

Eligibility
There are new eligibility criteria for Level 3 examinations. As a residency program director, you will need to attest to the fact that your resident is in good academic and professional standing in an AOA- or ACGME-accredited program and the resident is approved to take the Level 3 examination.
Good standing denotes that the resident has met the academic and professional requirements of the residency program and is eligible to continue as a resident in the program.
New Criteria
The NBOME recommends (but does not require) that the Level 3 examination be taken after a minimum of six months in residency.
Why Attestation?
- The mission of the NBOME is to protect the public; as well as core values of integrity and accountability
- Enhanced value to state medical boards, the public and patients – entrustability
- Further aligning workplace assessment in residency training with COMLEX-USA licensure examination programs
- Linking COMLEX-USA to program directors and faculty, providing score reports and linkages for meeting milestone requirements
- Consistent with the Federation of State Medical Boards and licensing board’s interest in “duty to report”; professional self-regulation
- New candidate eligibility requirements are effective May 2018
How Will Program Directors Attest to “Good Standing”?
After a resident requests an attestation, the program director will:
- Receive an email link directly into the resident’s attestation page
- Create an account with a password and one security question
- Click to approve attestation
- Have the option to rescind attestation at any time prior to exam
- Receive an email link when scores are available
- Have the ability to view resident(s) score and other comparative score information
Administration
- Residents must complete both exam days within a 14-day time period, including ADA candidates
- The initial two-day exam cycle will run from September 2018 through December 2019 (16 months)
Questions?
If you have any difficulty or have any questions, contact Client Services by phone at 866.479.6828 or by email at clientservices@nbome.org.
About the Exam
Important Dates
Resources