Examination Format

COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE Format Overview

The examination format is a one-day test session. Candidates will spend 7.5 hours beginning with Registration at one of the NBOME National Centers for Clinical Skills Testing, in Philadelphia and Chicago. The candidate will see 12 standardized patient-based cases.

Examination Day Format

Before beginning the examination, candidates will receive a 50-minute orientation.

During the 6-hour test, candidates will rotate through a series of 12 standardized patient (SP) encounters. In each encounter, candidates will have 14 minutes to evaluate and treat the patient as they see fit given the time allowed, including conducting the patient interview and taking the history, performing indicated physical examination maneuvers, counseling the patient, and performing osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) as indicated.

These patient-centered skills are evaluated in the context of clinical encounters with SPs for a finite duration. All aspects of evaluation and treatment are required to be personally performed as appropriate in a timely, efficient, safe, and effective manner within that time period as it may be critical to a patient’s health.

Requests to expand the 14-minute patient encounters or to alter the SP mix encountered during the examination will not be considered, as this would fundamentally alter the assessment of the clinical skills evaluated by the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE examination.

Following each encounter, candidates will have an additional nine minutes to type an e-SOAP Note detailing their clinical findings and assessment of the case at a computer terminal outside the clinical encounter room.

COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE Examination Outline

COMLEX-USA examinations are administered only in the English language.

Time Limitations

The 14-minute time limit cannot be altered as this would interfere with the evaluation of the clinical skills being assessed by the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE.

• 14 Minutes are allowed for each SP encounter, which includes reviewing the patient’s presenting information (doorway information) before entering the room.
• In the event that evaluating and treating the patient is completed in fewer than 14-minutes, candidates may leave the room and begin typing the electronic Subjective Objective Assessment Plan (eSOAP) note but will not be permitted to re-enter the room to gain additional information.
• After seeing each SP, candidates document the encounter using the eSOAP note format. 9 Minutes are given for this task, plus any time left over from the 14 minute encounter time.

Students are strongly encouraged to view the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE Instructional Video, as well as to read the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE Orientation Guide.