Examination

All persons intending to apply for licensure as an osteopathic physician in Tennessee must successfully complete a written examination pursuant to this rule. Such written examination must be completed prior to application for licensure. Certification of successful completion must be submitted by the examining agency directly to the Board Administrative Office as part of the application process contained in rule 1050-02-.03. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING CHAPTER 1050-02 THE PRACTICE OF OSTEOPATHY (1) The Board adopts the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensure Examination (COMLEX), the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners’ Examination (NBOME), NBME, FLEX, USMLE, or a Board approved State administered examination taken prior to 1994 as its written licensure examinations. Successful completion of one of these examinations is a prerequisite to licensure. (2) An applicant (except reciprocity applicants) whose examination or combination of examinations, as provided in paragraph (3), is certified as having been successfully completed on or before the fifth (5th) year preceding the date of application shall be required to successfully complete the Special Purpose Examination (SPEX), the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Special Purpose Examination (COMSPEX), or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Variable Purpose Examination (COMVEX). (3) The Board will accept any of the following examinations or combinations of examinations: (a) The NBOME or COMLEX or any combination of their parts; or (b) FLEX Components I and II; or (c) Predecessor FLEX Days I, II and III; or (d) FLEX Component I plus USMLE Step 3; or (e) NBME Part I or USMLE Step 1, plus NBME Part II or USMLE Step 2 plus NBME Part III or USMLE Step 3; or (f) NBME Part I or USMLE Step 1 plus NBME Part II or USMLE Step 2 plus FLEX Component II (g) Combinations of the Predecessor FLEX Days I, II and III are not allowed with any other examination. (4) Passing Scores - The Board adopts the NBOME’s, the NBME’s, the FLEX’s, COMLEX’s and the USMLE’s determination of the passing scores for each Part or Step of their examinations. (5) All applicants for the examinations shall submit all application inquiries, applications, fees and all necessary admission documentation directly to the examination administering agency. The Board does not distribute or process applications for the any examination administering agency. (6) To gain access to USMLE Step 3, an applicant must have completed the post-graduate year one (PGY-1) training program. (7) At the Board’s discretion, submission of any document or set of documents required by this rule or submission of verification of the authenticity, validity and accuracy of the content of any document or set of documents required by this rule directly from the FCVS or other Board approved credentialing service to the Board Administrative Office shall be deemed to be submission of originals of those documents or sets of documents by the issuing institution(s). GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING CHAPTER 1050-02 THE PRACTICE OF OSTEOPATHY