 1. |
Am I eligible to take the SPEX? |
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Eligibility requirements for admission to the SPEX are dependent on your method of application. To be eligible to take the examination through the board-sponsored process, you must have held a valid, unrestricted license in a United States or Canadian jurisdiction and otherwise have met eligibility requirements established by the individual licensing boards pursuant to their statutory and regulatory provisions. To be eligible to take the examination through the self-nominated process, you must have a current, unrestricted license to practice medicine in a United States or Canadian jurisdiction.
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| 2. |
How do I register for the SPEX? |
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You may click here to go through the eligibility requirements and download the SPEX application. Complete and return the application along with the appropriate fees and supporting documentation to the Federation of State Medical Boards. Upon receipt of your application, we will determine your eligibility, process your application, and register you for the exam. Allow two to four weeks for the processing of your application. A Scheduling Permit will be sent to you to confirm your SPEX registration.
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| 3. |
Where and when is SPEX offered? |
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The SPEX is administered through a national computer-based testing network called Prometric Testing Centers. The test can be scheduled Monday through Friday throughout the year; some locations have Saturday hours. There are more than 300 test sites across the United States and Canada. Test site information will be provided to the applicant upon contacting Prometric to schedule their exam. Test site information is also available on Prometric's website.
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| 4. |
What is the SPEX fee? |
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The SPEX exam fee is $1200.00 per administration, $396.00 of which is non refundable.
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| 5. |
What kind of exam is SPEX? |
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The SPEX is a one-day, computer-administered examination consisting of eight blocks of 52 minutes each (50 questions in each block).
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| 6. |
Will I be able to take the exam if I am not computer literate? |
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Yes. The SPEX is a 'point and click' exam. Studies have shown that there is no significant difference in the pass/fail rates between the computerized format and the former paper/pencil format.
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| 7. |
What is the best way to prepare for the SPEX? |
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There are no test preparation courses affiliated with, or sanctioned by, the SPEX program. It is recommended that physicians study current medical textbooks, clinicals and periodicals. To aid examinees, FSMB has provided a practice exam under the "Related Links" section to the left. This practice test may be printed and is available to anyone who is interested in it. Review of the items and the practice test on this site should provide familiarity with the formats used in the exam.
In addition, registered SPEX examinees may register with the Federation of State Medical Boards and pay a nominal fee to Prometric Testing Center to take the SPEX Practice Test, which is designed to provide examinees with an opportunity to experience the entire testing environment prior to the actual day of testing. The Practice Test is a 2-hour exam that reflects the format of the current SPEX. It contains a tutorial and two one-hour sections of approximately 50 tests items each. The items exemplify the breadth of content included across the clinical encounters and tasks that comprise the examination. The items are grouped by item type in the same manner as the SPEX. (Please note: Questions seen at the test center practice exam are exactly the same as those seen on the practice exam offered on this website.)
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| 8. |
I'm a specialist - will I be able to pass the SPEX? |
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Every physician, regardless of specialty, is expected to be familiar with a core of clinical principles that are essential for safe and effective patient care. Examinees who have stayed current with the general medical literature are unlikely to encounter many questions on the SPEX with which they are totally unfamiliar. SPEX content is organized by categories of clinical problems, not by specialty areas, and it emphasizes an individual's ability to recognize frequently mishandled clinical problems, drug interactions, medical ethics, and current clinical procedures. A complete description of the examination content is outlined in the SPEX Information Bulletin.
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| 9. |
Upon receipt of my Scheduling Permit, how long do I have to sit for the exam? |
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Upon being registered, you will be given 90 days in which to take the exam. If your eligibility expires before you take the exam, a new application and fee must be submitted to the Federation of State Medical Boards to be registered for the SPEX again.
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| 10. |
Can I reschedule my appointment during my eligibility period? |
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Yes, but with certain restrictions. In order to reschedule within your eligibility period, Prometric must be notified at least 5 business days in advance of your test date.
To reschedule your examination, you must call the 800-telephone number provided on your scheduling permit. To cancel your application, you must submit a letter, either by mail or by fax with your signature to the Federation of State Medical Boards at the following address:
Post-Licensure Assessment System (PLAS)
Federation of State Medical Boards
P.O. Box 619850
Dallas, TX 75261-9850
Fax: (817) 868-4098
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| 11. |
Is break time available during administration of the SPEX? |
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Forty-five minutes is allotted for break time. The 45 minutes for breaks can be divided in any manner, according to your preference. For example, you can take a short break at your seat after you complete a block, or you can take a longer break for a meal outside the test center after you complete a few blocks. If you complete a block of the test or tutorial section early, the remaining time will be available for breaks. It will not be available to complete other blocks of the test. As you progress through the blocks of the test, you should monitor how many blocks are remaining and how much break time is remaining. If you take too much break time and exceed the allocated or accumulated break time, your time to complete the last block(s) in the testing session will be reduced. When section time runs out, you will not be able to move to any new screens. The computer will close the section.
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| 12. |
When will scores be available? |
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Scores are mailed out approximately two to four weeks after the exam has been taken. Scores are reported by mail on official transcript paper and will not be given out over the telephone, by fax, or by email.
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| 13. |
If I fail the SPEX exam the first time can I take it again right away or is there a waiting period? |
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A self-nominated examinee is limited to three attempts within a 12-month period. The examinee may retake the SPEX after the initial attempt with no waiting period and with the submission of a new application and fee. A third attempt requires a mandatory 90-day waiting period from the previous attempt. Any subsequent attempts require a one-year waiting period from the initial attempt.
Board-sponsored examinees, at the sponsoring board's discretion, may not be subject to the same waiting periods. Any additional reexamination eligibility requirements and procedures for unsuccessful examinees are established by the individual licensing boards, pursuant to their statutes and regulations.
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| 14. |
If I take the SPEX for one licensing board or by self-nomination, can I later use those scores for licensure in another jurisdiction? |
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Generally, passing SPEX scores are accepted by a licensing board regardless of the jurisdiction for which the exam is taken. However, because each board establishes its own pass/fail score requirements as well as other specific requirements for licensure, it is recommend that you contact the board from which you desire licensure to confirm the acceptance of the SPEX.
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| 15. |
What if I need special arrangements to accommodate my disability? |
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The SPEX program provides reasonable accommodations for examinees with disabilities who are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you are a disabled individual covered under the ADA and require test accommodations, contact the Federation of State Medical Boards for information regarding procedures and documentation requirements. In all cases, requests for testing accommodations must be made in writing before or at the time the SPEX application is submitted.
For information on testing accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities, please read the Request for Test Accommodations.
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| 16. |
I don't have a copy of my medical license, which is required as a part of the application process. What should I do? |
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Physicians who are unable to submit a copy of their license must provide one of the following:
- A signed, written explanation by the physician of why a copy of the license cannot be provided (e.g., was surrendered to the licensing authority).
- A signed, written explanation by a licensing authority verifying that the physician does have a license. The letter must be on the state medical board's letterhead and must state when the license was issued and whether it is currently in good standing.
The letter should be mailed to:
Post-Licensure Assessment System (PLAS)
Federation of State Medical Boards
P.O. Box 619850
Dallas, TX 75261-9850
Fax: (817) 868-4098
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