The Special Purpose Examination, SPEX®, is a collaborative initiative of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) to provide services for use by medical licensing authorities in assessing a licensed or previously licensed physician's competence to practice medicine.

The FSMB and the NBME also collaborate through the PLAS to provide diverse, state-of-the art assessment modalities that, when administered together, generate comprehensive and pertinent data regarding a physician's medical knowledge, clinical judgment and patient management skills in his or her current or intended area of practice.