NBME’s Fee Assistance program for USMLE supports medical students with financial need

Fee assistance aids learners and helps advance equity in medical education

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 12, 2024 – NBME is committed to supporting learners with programs and resources that make the path to medical education more accessible and equitable. The organization is introducing a new Fee Assistance program for students with demonstrated financial need to use toward the registration cost of the United States Medical Licensing Examination^® (USMLE^®). To help administer this program, NBME is partnering with National Medical Fellowships (NMF), a nonprofit with more than 75 years’ experience providing scholarship and resource assistance to students. 

As a part of NBME’s Community Collaborations and Contributions effort to assist medical students on their path to licensure, this program will provide aid to approximately 1300 medical students to support their fees for USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) examinations. NBME Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Linda Gadsby, Esq. is excited about this next step in the organization’s enhancement of its learner support programs. 

“NBME is passionate about supporting the development of physicians through our assessments and the programs and services we provide. Through the Fee Assistance program, NBME aims to reduce the financial strain for learners who confront economic barriers,” Gadsby said. “This initiative is a step toward a future where aspiring medical professionals, regardless of financial circumstances, can direct their energies toward achieving academic and career success and personal well-being.” 

NBME’s Fee Assistance program is open to students with demonstrated financial need who meet all the following criteria: 

• Are U.S. citizens or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) approval. 
• Are eligible to take the USMLE and are currently enrolled in an LCME- or COCA-accredited medical school in either the United States of America or a designated medical school in the Caribbean.
• Are able to provide a valid USMLE ID number. 
• Have not been referred to a disciplinary committee and found to have engaged in Irregular Behavior or otherwise found to have violated any policy related to any USMLE or NBME exam.
• Registered in 2024 for the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam.

NBME will continue to iterate and improve upon this program in future years as we evaluate its process and impact. 

Applications for NBME’s Fee Assistance program are open until Oct. 16, 2024. Students can learn more and apply on NMF’s Scholarships and Awards webpage by searching “NBME Educational Assistance Award for USMLE Fee Assistance.”

About NBME

NBME offers a versatile selection of high-quality assessments and educational services for students, professionals, educators and institutions dedicated to the evolving needs of medical education and health care. To serve these communities, we collaborate with a comprehensive array of professionals including test developers, academic researchers, scoring experts, practicing physicians, medical educators, state medical board members and public representatives.

Together with the Federation of State Medical Boards, NBME develops and manages the United States Medical Licensing Examination^®. In addition, we are committed to meeting the needs of educators and learners globally with assessment products and expert services such as Subject Examinations, Customized Assessment Services, Self-Assessments, the International Foundations of Medicine^® and Item-Writing Workshops.

We also provide medical education funding and mentorship through the Latin America Grants Program, Stemmler Fund and Strategic Educators Enhancement Fund, which serve to advance assessment at educators’ and health professionals’ own institutions. Learn more about NBME at NBME.org.

About NMF

National Medical Fellowships (NMF) is a nonprofit organization that advances health equity –where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to achieve their highest level of health regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status or geography. Founded in 1946, NMF seeks to eliminate health care disparities by increasing the number of Black, Indigenous, Latine, People of Color physicians and other health care professionals working to advance health equity. NMF has awarded over $50 million in scholarships and offers service-learning programs, mentorship opportunities and clinical research leadership training for chronically marginalized students and practitioners of medicine, behavioral health and related health professions. To learn more about NMF, visit nmfonline.org.