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

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 national nonprofit that has nurtured generations of diverse medical practitioners by providing scholarships and professional training to advance equitable health care workforce development.

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 1,300 medical students to support their fees for USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) examinations in 2024. 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.” 

"National Medical Fellowships is grateful for this $1 million contribution from NBME to support students on their medical school journey. This program is an important step in leveling the playing field,” NMF President and CEO Michellene Davis, Esq. said. “This new investment follows another collaboration, the NBME-NMF Scholarship Fund, founded in 2023, that awards $10,000 scholarships to 10 deserving scholars annually to support the next generation of community-focused medical professionals.”

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.
• Registered for the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam in 2024.
• 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.

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.