The purpose of this procedure is to administer Institutional Policy DO-14: Promotion Requirement National Board Examination – Passage of COMLEX.
This procedure applies to all students.
For purposes of applying Institutional Policy DO-14, Section 7.1 (COMLEX failures for same exam type), a COMLEX failure that triggers an academic dismissal for any one exam type must have occurred on or after May 16, 2014.
WVSOM reserves the right to amend this procedure at any time, as necessary or appropriate.
The capitalized terms in this procedure have the same meaning as assigned to them in Institutional Policy DO-14: Promotion Requirement National Board Examination - Passage of COMLEX.
All failure notifications required by this procedure must be communicated to the student in writing by letter sent via certified mail to the student’s mailing address on file with the WVSOM Registrar and e-mail to the student’s WVSOM email address. Unless otherwise specified in this procedure, all other notifications required by this procedure may be made via e-mail using the student’s WVSOM email address.
All communication, including appointment requests, must be made through the Office of National Boards and Exam Center (“ONBEC”) at nationalboards@osteo.wvsom.edu or (304) 793-6840 or (304) 793-6829.
Students are responsible for scheduling COMLEX exam dates and locations. To schedule an exam, students must register with the NBOME, pay any applicable fees, and schedule a location and date with the appropriate testing facility.
Students may take a COMLEX exam only on a date that they are active, full-time students at WVSOM.
Students on a Leave of Absence are prohibited from taking a COMLEX exam.
Students may not schedule an exam on a date that conflicts with a mandatory activity set up by the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee.
Students may take exams outside the defined window with permission from the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education and the Director of ONBEC or their designees.
Students may change the date and location of a scheduled exam at any time, provided that those changes do not violate the scheduling rules described in this procedure. The student must inform the Director of ONBEC prior to making any date or location change.
The window for taking COMLEX Level 1 is defined by the Vice Present for Academic Affairs and Dean in consultation with the Director of ONBEC.
Students may reserve a seat for the exam on any date within the defined exam window, if consistent with Section 6.1 above or unless an Exception Request is approved, but may not take the exam if they have not accomplished the following before the scheduled exam date:
Passed all Year 1 and Year 2 courses and requirements;
Passed Year 2 OSCE; and
Passed a Level 1 qualifying exam or completed the Level 1 qualifying exam Prep Track.
No student may enter Year 4 rotations until the student passes COMLEX Level 1 and the passing score is received by the WVSOM Registrar.
Students who have passed COMLEX Level 1 will be eligible to schedule the COMLEX Level 2-CE exam.
The window for taking COMLEX Level 2-CE is defined by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean in consultation with the Director of ONBEC.
Passed COMLEX Level 1;
Passed all Year 3 courses and requirements;
Passed Year 3 OSCE; and
Passed a Level 2 qualifying exam or completed the Level 2 qualifying exam Prep Track.
In special circumstances, students may be allowed to schedule a date earlier than the test window defined by 6.3.2. Requests must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee. However, students may not take the exam before completing the required Year 3 rotations.
If students are off-cycle relative to their class of entry, a revised exam window for taking COMLEX Level 2-CE will be determined by the Director of ONBEC based upon the end of Year 3 rotations.
The Director of ONBEC will notify the student and the student’s Regional Assistant Dean of the new exam window.
If the student wishes to take the exam outside of that exam window, the student must follow the same requirements for obtaining permission as those for requesting an extension of the original exam window.
Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are expected to prep for COMLEX Level 2 during the COMLEX Study Month, wherever it may appear during their second 3rd year.
i. If a GTA does not trigger a prep track based on indicators set forth by ONBEC, they may choose to take their COMLEX exam at the end of the study month (with permission from the ONBEC).
ii. If a GTA does not trigger a prep track, but delays testing more than 60 days past the end of the COMLEX Study Month, they must take a qualifying exam (within the final 2 weeks of preparation) prior to their exam and meet the benchmark score in order to sit for COMLEX.
iii. If a GTA triggers a prep track, they must take a qualifying exam prior to their COMLEX exam, within the final 2 weeks of prep, and meet the benchmark score in order to sit for the COMLEX exam.
Students may apply for test accommodations from the NBOME for COMLEX exams.
Students must review and follow the processes outlined in the current NBOME Bulletin of Information regarding test accommodations.
Students are encouraged to apply for test accommodations at least six (6) months prior to the exam window specified. Failure to do so may result in rotation delays, graduation delays, and loss of Federal financial aid for failing to progress.
Students must pass the Level 1 qualifying exam administered by WVSOM or have completed the mandatory Level 1 qualifying exam Prep Track before they may take COMLEX Level 1.
Students must pass the Level 2 qualifying exam administered by WVSOM or have completed the mandatory Level 2 qualifying exam Prep Track before they may take COMLEX Level 2-CE.
Students must take the qualifying exam by the deadline date established that year by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean.
Students who cannot attend the qualifying exam at the time(s) scheduled must obtain an excused absence from:
i. The Associate Dean for Preclinical Education or designee for Level 1 qualifying exam.
ii. The student’s SWC Regional Assistant Dean or designee for Level 2 qualifying exam.
A makeup day and location for the qualifying exam will be specified by the Director of ONBEC for those students who have been granted an excused absence from the originally scheduled exam date.
Failure to take and pass a qualifying exam, or complete a qualifying exam Prep Track without an excused absence, may result in ONBEC canceling the student’s COMLEX exam.
The passing score for a qualifying exam will be set by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean in consultation with the Director of ONBEC prior to each qualifying exam.
A student who fails to obtain a passing score on the first attempt of a Level 1 qualifying exam shall meet with the Director of ONBEC and will be enrolled in a mandatory four (4) week on-campus qualifying exam Prep Track. Students may be allowed to substitute a similar commercial program if approved by the Director of ONBEC. Students may also be mandated by the Director of ONBEC to complete a commercial prep program.
A student who fails to obtain a passing score on the first attempt of a Level 2 qualifying exam shall meet with the Director of ONBEC who will, in consultation with the Associate Dean of Predoctoral Clinical Education, or designee, develop a mandatory four (4) week qualifying exam Prep Track. Students may be allowed to substitute a similar commercial program if approved by the Director of ONBEC. Students may also be mandated by the Director of ONBEC to complete a commercial prep program.
Any failure of the student to participate in or successfully complete any scheduled and required activities of a Qualifying Exam Prep Track will be recorded and will result in the following:
i. An initial failure to meet the scheduled activities will result in an email warning to the student.
ii. A second failure to meet the scheduled activities will result in a meeting with the Director of ONBEC.
iii. A third failure to meet the scheduled activities will trigger a complaint of unprofessional behavior and notification to the student of a possible failure of the Prep Track.
iv. A fourth failure to meet the scheduled activities will be considered a failure of the Prep Track.
Failure of a qualifying exam Prep Track will trigger a meeting with the Student Promotions Committee.
i. The Student Promotions Committee will meet with the student to discuss the failure and subsequently make a recommendation for dismissal or retention. In the case of retention, the Student Promotions Committee must specify any corrective actions or conditions for retention.
ii. The Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee will consider the recommendation and affirm, modify, or reject it. If retained, any corrective actions or conditions for retention must be clearly specified. If the Associate Dean/designee recommends dismissal, that recommendation will be forwarded to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean. The Dean will make the decision in the matter.
iii. The Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee will convey the decision to the student, along with any timeline requirement and a deadline for indicating acceptance of any conditions. If the student fails to reply by the deadline or indicates non-acceptance, then the Associate Dean will notify the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean and the student will be dismissed.
Any student who fails to obtain a passing score on the Level 1 qualifying exam will not be permitted to begin rotations until the student has taken COMLEX Level 1. However, the student must attend the orientation for the SWC to which they have been assigned.
Any student who fails to obtain a passing score on the Level 2 qualifying exam shall complete all Year 3 rotations, but afterwards shall leave rotations and remain off rotations until the student has taken COMLEX Level 2 CE.
Students who do not successfully complete the OSCE on the first attempt will be required to undergo and pass OSCE re-education at the WVSOM Clinical Evaluation Center (“CEC”) on a date and time specified by the appropriate Associate Dean or designee.
Students who do not successfully complete the OSCE re-education requirements will be deemed to have failed the OSCE. Students who fail the OSCE must meet with the Student Promotions Committee and will be classified as Academically-at-Risk Category 2, pursuant to Institutional Policy DO-08: Academically-at-Risk, which said policy must also be followed at that time.
Students who cannot attend the originally scheduled Year 2 OSCE must obtain an excused absence from the Associate Dean for Preclinical Education or designee.
Students who cannot attend the originally scheduled Year 3 OSCE must obtain an excused absence from the students’ SWC Regional Assistant Dean or designee.
A makeup day for the OSCE exam will be specified by the appropriate Associate Dean for those students who have been granted an excused absence from the originally scheduled exam date.
Students will be academically dismissed if they exceed two COMLEX failures on any one exam type (COMLEX Level 1 or COMLEX Level 2-CE).
The Director of ONBEC will notify the SWC office, Dean’s office and the student’s Regional Assistant Dean. The SWC office will notify the student and schedule an appointment for an initial conference (“Initial Conference”) with the Director of ONBEC or designee and the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee.
Official notification of a first failure and instructions will be sent to the student by certified mail and email from the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee.
Official notification of a second failure and instructions will be sent to the student by certified mail and email from the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean.
Official notification of a third failure and dismissal from WVSOM will be sent to the student by certified mail and email from the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean.
Upon notification of the failure from NBOME, the student must contact the Office of Predoctoral Clinical Education about leaving any current rotations. The student may be permitted to complete any current rotation as long as the remaining time of the rotation does not exceed four (4) weeks.
The student will receive confirmation from the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee via certified mail and email regarding the date on which the student must leave rotations and information about entering the COMLEX Prep Track.
Once the student leaves rotations, the student will immediately enter the COMLEX Prep Track as described in Section 10.3 below.
If the student receives a failing score for COMLEX Level 1 before beginning Year 3 rotations, the student must enter the COMLEX Prep Track, pause the COMLEX Prep Track to attend SWC orientation, and then complete the COMLEX Prep Track. The student is not permitted to begin rotations before completing the COMLEX Prep Track and retaking COMLEX Level 1.
The student will receive confirmation from the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean or designee via certified mail and email regarding the date on which the student must leave rotations and information about entering the COMLEX Prep Track.
Upon taking COMLEX for the third time, students will remain off rotations until the third attempt score is released. Upon receiving a passing score, students may resume rotations.
Regardless of the previous conditions of failure, any student who exceeds two failures of either the COMLEX Level 1 or COMLEX Level 2-CE will be academically dismissed from WVSOM.
Any student who fails any COMLEX exam must enter a WVSOM COMLEX Prep Track.
The structure of the COMLEX Prep Track will vary, depending on the exam, the number of failures, and the score.
The COMLEX Prep Track must comply with the requirements of Institutional Policy DO-08: Academically-at-Risk.
Students participating in a COMLEX Prep Track are considered full-time, active students.
Students are required to pay full-time tuition and fees during the entire COMLEX Prep Track.
The COMLEX Prep Track may extend a student’s medical school training beyond the student’s four (4) year curriculum. Any medical school education required for graduation beyond the standard four (4) year period will be assessed using WVSOM standard tuition and fees.
Students will continue to have access to WVSOM resources, including WVSOM email.
The Director of ONBEC will supervise all aspects of the COMLEX Prep Track for COMLEX Level 1 and COMLEX Level 2-CE, provide students with specified resources, and monitor student progress through the COMLEX Prep Track.
Any failure of the student to participate in or successfully complete any scheduled and required activities will be recorded and will result in the following:
An initial failure to meet the scheduled activities will result in an email warning to the student.
A second failure to meet the scheduled activities will result in a meeting with the Director of ONBEC.
A third failure to meet the scheduled activities will trigger a complaint of unprofessional behavior and notification to the student of a possible failure of the Prep Track.
A fourth failure to meet the scheduled activities will be considered a failure of the Prep Track.
Any failure of the student to successfully complete the requirements of the Prep Track will result in a failure of the Prep Track.
Any failure of a COMLEX Prep Track will trigger a meeting between the Student Promotions Committee and the student.
The Student Promotions Committee will meet with the student to discuss the failure and subsequently make a recommendation for dismissal or retention. In the case of retention, the Student Promotions Committee must specify any corrective actions or conditions for retention.
The Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee will consider the recommendation and affirm, modify, or reject it. If retained, any corrective actions or conditions for retention must be clearly specified. If the Associate Dean or designee recommends dismissal, that recommendation will be forwarded to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean. The Dean will make the decision in the matter.
The Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education will convey the decision to the student, along with any timeline requirement and a deadline for indicating acceptance of any conditions. If the student fails to reply by the deadline or indicates non-acceptance, then the Associate Dean will notify the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean and the student will be dismissed.
Arrange to take a minimum of four (4) weeks off from clinical rotations for the COMLEX Prep Track.
Meet with the Director of ONBEC and Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education for an Initial Conference to analyze the issues and devise a plan for review. Until the Initial Conference occurs, the student will not be approved for rescheduling of the COMLEX exam.
A Learning Plan will be created for the student at the Initial Conference.
The Director of ONBEC will indicate to the student the specific dates defining the COMLEX exam window at the Initial Conference. The exam date must fall within the defined exam window.
The Learning Plan will be conveyed to the student by the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee. Students must read the Learning Plan carefully and discuss any issues that need to be addressed with the Director of ONBEC within two (2) business days if they do not agree with it. Otherwise, the student will be held to the Learning Plan.
The Learning Plan may include the following:
i. Prep Track timeline and anticipated COMLEX testing dates.
ii. A learning plan for monitoring student progress, including but not limited to, usage of question banks and weekly assessments.
iii. Mandatory attendance in a commercial prep program.
iv. Communication expectations with the Director of ONBEC or designee.
v. Regular meetings with one of the Learning Specialists.
If problems with the Learning Plan arise, students must request permission from the Director of ONBEC or designee and the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee to make changes.
Failure to comply with the outlined Learning Plan may result in failure of the COMLEX Prep Track and possible disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from WVSOM.
Communication with the Office of National Boards and Exam Center and regular interaction with the Director of ONBEC and/or Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education is required based on the plans outlined in the Learning Plan. Failure to maintain communication promptly and regularly constitutes unprofessional behavior, and may result in failure of the COMLEX Prep Track and possible disciplinary action.
The Director of ONBEC will advise the student on the review materials or programs recommended for the COMLEX Prep Track. The student is responsible for providing those specified materials or programs
Any commercial prep program must be approved by the Director of ONBEC prior to purchase. Students must inform the Director of ONBEC of the start and end dates on any commercial program. Any changes must be approved by the Director of ONBEC.
i. If the commercial prep program requires a student to be off campus for more than six (6) weeks in an off-campus review program, the program must be approved by the Director of ONBEC and/or the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education.
ii. Regardless of any assessment offered by the commercial prep program as to whether or not the student is ready to take the COMLEX exam, the Director of ONBEC and the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education will make the final determination following any testing deemed necessary.
Students on the COMLEX Prep Track must retake the COMLEX exam no later than the first available test date after completion of the Prep Track.
If the student wishes to retake the COMLEX exam before the end of the Prep Track requirements set out in Section 10.3, the student must request permission to do so from the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean. Permission may not be granted until the student has taken a diagnostic exam provided by the ONBEC under approved proctored conditions. The decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean will be based upon the student’s performance on the diagnostic exam and other data. If necessary, another exam may be mandated.
Permission to extend the COMLEX exam date past the deadline may be granted by the Director of ONBEC or the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean.
i. The student may petition the Director of ONBEC to be allowed to schedule an exam date past the time outlined in the Learning Plan. A student may request additional time beyond the maximum time allotted by the Director of ONBEC for exam preparation from the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean.
ii. The total time for the Prep Track, including any additional time granted, shall not exceed 120 days.
iii. Students who exceed 180 days of Prep Track may be placed on Financial Aid probation.
iv. If permission is not granted, the student must take the exam by the date previously specified within the time limit.
Upon retaking the COMLEX exam for a first or second time, the student may return to rotations once verified by the Director of ONBEC to the student’s Regional Assistant Dean.
Students who are unable to sit for an exam on the date and at the location specified because of illness, accident, tragedy, or other unforeseen emergency or who must leave an already-begun exam before completion of the exam because of illness, accident, tragedy, or other unforeseen emergency must:
Contact the NBOME as soon as possible to inform the NBOME of the situation;
Contact ONBEC as soon as possible and, if necessary, leave a message describing what happened;
Contact and inform their SWC Regional Assistant Dean of the non-scored exam (if applicable);
Review and follow the processes outlined in the current NBOME Bulletin of Information to report any irregularities; and
Schedule and take the exam as soon as possible, in consultation with the Director of ONBEC.
If a student finds that an exam irregularity or other issue has interfered with the ability to perform normally on the exam, the student must:
Report the irregularity to the proctor for the COMLEX exam administrator and ask that the proctor log the problem in;
Contact the Director of ONBEC and describe the issue; and
Review and follow the processes outlined in the current NBOME Bulletin of Information to report any irregularities.
All students are, without exception, to be held to the deadlines specified in this procedure. In all cases, if a student fails to meet a deadline to take or retake a COMLEX exam, the following actions will occur:
The Director of ONBEC will notify the student, the student’s Statewide Campus (“SWC”) Regional Assistant Dean or designee, and the Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee of the student’s failure to meet the deadline.
The Associate Dean for Predoctoral Clinical Education or designee will:
Instruct the student to schedule the COMLEX exam for the next available exam date within two days of the date of notification;
Immediately remove the student from rotations, without allowing the student to complete any current rotations; and
Place the student on Academically-At-Risk Category 1 status (unless the student is already on an Academically-At-Risk status).
The student, after notification of the failure to meet the deadline and an opportunity for discussion, may be subject to disciplinary action.
Unless otherwise specified in this procedure, the Director of ONBEC may extend the deadline for retaking the COMLEX exam by up to 30 days or until the first available exam date after the extension, if an Exception Request signed by the SWC Regional office is submitted at least two (2) weeks prior to the applicable exam date deadline, except in cases of emergency, to the Director of ONBEC.
If an Exception Request is granted or if a Prep Track is affected, and the student does not have vacation time to cover it, then the time off rotations will be reflected on the student’s rotation schedule as a Prep Track.
Any changes in a student rotation schedule necessitated by requirements in this procedure must be worked out by the student and the student’s SWC Director, with the approval of the student’s SWC Regional Assistant Dean. Any non-vacation time taken off will be indicated in the student’s schedule as a Prep Track.
A student may request additional time beyond the maximum time allotted by the Director of ONBEC for exam preparation from the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean. The total time for the Prep Track, including any additional time granted, shall not exceed 120 days. If a student is granted additional time by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean and the student does not have vacation time to cover it, then the additional time will be recorded as a Prep Track.