NBME Centennial Prize Competition: Innovation in Future Assessment of Health

Professionals

Official Rules and Instructions

On May 5, 2015, the National Board of Medical Examiners will complete 100 years of service to the public and the health professions. The NBME plans to celebrate this milestone with a yearlong series of activities that will honor its past and look toward its future. The centennial year will open with NBME’s 100th Annual Meeting in April 2014 and will conclude with an invitational conference in May 2015. The invitational conference will focus on NBME’s future by featuring presentations of the finalists selected from the NBME Centennial Prize Competition: Innovation in Future Assessment of Health Professionals. The winner of the competition will receive a $5000 award and a guarantee that NBME will develop the winning idea, at least through the prototyping stage, and will be named the NBME Centennial Fellow. Overview

This is a skill-based competition intended to identify innovative ideas that address future assessment needs for:

Individual health professionals

Health professions institutions/programs

Licensing and certification bodies

Other domains across the continuum of health professions education and practice

For purposes of this competition, each idea created and submitted will be called an “entry.” Entrants may submit more than one entry, and the eligibility of each entry will be determined using the criteria described below. All eligible entries received will be judged by the Centennial Prize Competition Committee using the criteria described in the “Criteria for Selection” section below. The Centennial Prize Competition Committee will select the semi-finalists and the finalists, as described below. Based on a review by the Centennial Prize Competition Judging Panel of the presentations made by the finalists, combined with audience response to the presentations, one winner will be selected and announced on May 5, 2015.

Criteria for Selection

All eligible entries will be screened for adherence to the objective of identifying innovative ideas for assessing health professionals in the future. Ideas will be judged on their potential to enrich the next quarter century of NBME’s mission of protecting the health of the public through assessment of health professionals, and to fulfill NBME’s vision of improving healthcare around the world through assessment. Other criteria will include:

the extent to which the idea addresses a need for assessment of health professionals in the future,

the potential impact on assessment of health professionals,

the feasibility of the idea developing into a prototype of a new NBME service, and

the potential for the presentation of the idea to engage participants during NBME’s 2015 Invitational Conference.

Members selected from NBME’s Centennial Steering Committee and Invitational Conference Program Committee will serve as the “Centennial Prize Competition Committee.” The Centennial Prize Competition Committee will judge the content of the submissions and rate each submission across the selection criteria to identify semi-finalists. The semi-finalists will be invited to submit full proposals and, after timely submission of the full proposals, the Centennial Prize Competition Committee will select finalists to present at NBME’s Centennial Invitational Conference in 2015. The winner of the Centennial Innovation Prize Competition will be determined by a combination of ratings from the Centennial Competition Judging Panel and conference attendees and announced at the 2015 conference. All decisions based on these ratings will be final.

Submission Process

Round 1: Submission of Proposals - Entry Period October 1, 2013 to January 17, 2014

In 250 words or less, eligible individuals, teams and nonprofit organizations are invited to describe an innovative idea for an NBME product, process, or service that responds to future needs for assessment in one or more of the domains above. Entries must be submitted using the centennial competition form or email address posted at www.nbme.org. The names of persons and organizations submitting eligible entries will be listed in the official centennial conference program. The proposals will be reviewed and judged by the Centennial Prize Competition Committee.

Round 2: Submission of Full Proposals by Semi-Finalists

The Centennial Prize Competition Committee will announce the names of the semi-finalists by March 1, 2014. Winners will be notified by email at the address on the entry form. All semi-finalists selected during Round 1 will be invited to submit full proposals for Round 2. Full proposals will be due not later than June 9, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. The requirements for content of the full proposals are described in the “Requirements for Invited Proposals” section below. All semi-finalists will be automatically entered into a drawing to receive an iPad1 from NBME, and one semi-finalist will be selected at random by NBME to win the iPad.2

Round 3: Selection of Finalists and Invitation to Present at NBME 2015 Invitational Conference

The Centennial Prize Competition Committee will determine the number of finalists and announce the names of finalists by September 1, 2014. Each finalist will be notified by email at the address provided on the entry form and may be required, unless prohibited by law, to execute, notarize and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Grant of Rights & Release of Liability and a Publicity Release and a W-9 Miscellaneous Form or other tax documentation forms

1 Apple is not a participant in or sponsor of this competition. iPad is a registered trademark of Apple.

2 The winner of the iPad may be required to successfully answer a mathematical skill testing question before being

awarded the prize.

("Notification Documents"). All finalists selected will be invited to present their ideas at NBME’s Centennial Invitational Conference on May 4-5, 2015. Finalists will receive $2500 to apply to the costs of preparing presentation materials, and will be reimbursed for certain reasonable out-of-pocket conference attendance expenses in accordance with NBME travel policies.

General Competition Rules

Eligibility to enter this competition begins on October 1, 2013 at 12:01 a.m. and ends on January 17, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. All semi-finalists in Round 2 of the competition are automatically entered to receive an iPad from NBME. One semi-finalist will be selected at random to receive the iPad. The Centennial Innovation Prize Competition is open to individuals who are 18 years or older, to teams of individuals and to nonprofit organizations. By entering this competition, each entrant represents to NBME that the entrant has read these rules and has confirmed that participation in this competition is authorized in the jurisdiction of the participant's residence or domiciliary.3

Selection of Centennial Prize Competition Winner

Finalists will present their ideas at NBME’s May 2015 Invitational Conference. The exact time allotted for finalists’ presentations at the conference will be determined by the Centennial Prize Competition Committee. Based on a review by the Centennial Competition Judging Panel of the presentations made by the finalists, combined with audience response to the presentations, one winner will be selected on May 5, 2015 and announced at the conference. A grand prize of $5000 will be awarded to the winner. Following the conference, the product, service, or process selected as the winning idea will be included in NBME’s new product development process through prototype creation. The winner will be named NBME’s 2015 Centennial Fellow.

Eligibility

This competition is open to individuals who are age 18 or older at the time of entry and teams of such individuals, and to nonprofit organizations. To be eligible for the competition, an entry must meet the content and technical requirements described in these Official Rules, including the “Submission Process” section, and must be submitted by the time deadlines specified. In addition:

Each entry must be an original work/idea;

Each entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other contest or competition;

Each entrant must obtain any and all consents, approvals or licenses required for submission of the entry;

3 Residents of Quebec are not eligible to participate in the Centennial Prize Competition.

Each entry must not violate the rights of any other person or entity by using their intellectual property, trademarks, music, logos, names or images without their express written consent.

There is no limit to the number of entries that an individual, team or nonprofit organization can submit. Multiple representatives from one team or nonprofit organization can submit multiple entries as long as the innovation idea is different. Teams and nonprofit organizations must include a designation of one individual as the principal presenter at the NBME Invitational Conference.

To be eligible for consideration, entrants must submit an entry in English with all required fields completed using the form found at NBME’s competition web page (www.nbme.org/innovation100) or by email to communications@nbme.org. Complete the entry form and submit it electronically or send it to NBME for receipt before the deadline of January 17, 2014 at 11:59 p.m.

Centennial Prize Competition Submission Form

[Title of Idea]

[Applicant Name and Contact Information]

[If a Team or Nonprofit, Designate the Principal Presenter]

[Applicant Affiliation]

[Description of Idea in 250 Words or Less]

Requirements for Invited Proposals Applicant’s name and contact information.

1. Table of contents that labels each section of the proposal and page on which it can be found.

2. A proposal narrative no more than 10 pages, double spaced, in 12 point font size with one inch margins. All pertinent figures, charts, and tables must be included within this section.

3. Background information for the proposed idea, highlighting the futuristic view of how the proposed project is innovative and fulfills the Centennial Prize Competition objective. Any relevant published work must be cited and a list of references included in the appendices.

4. A description of how the proposal might be presented in an interactive format at the 2015 Invitational Conference.

Ideas for Innovation in Assessment While NBME in no way wishes to direct or limit your thinking, here are some examples NBME created of future needs for assessment:

A healthcare system seeks evidence of capability of its physicians as team members and an opportunity to provide feedback to support continued learning and improvement.

Regulators establish new expectations of doctors’ performance in practice requiring identification of individuals who present an unacceptable risk to patients and supporting self-directed continuous professional development.

A medical school adopts competency-based education and seeks assessments to support decisions about readiness to advance to higher levels of independent practice and to provide evidence of longitudinal progress.

Federal mandates require evidence to support that clinician services add value to patient health and quality of life.

Winners List/Official Rules:

Competition results and a copy of these Official Rules may be obtained by emailing communications@nbme.org or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: NBME Centennial Prize Competition, Office of Communications, 3750 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Ownership of Work Product Submitted to NBME

Nonprofit organizations, teams and individuals submitting entries agree that:

All entries become the property of NBME and will not be returned;

The winner grants NBME all the rights, title and interest to the entry and all its content, including any derivative works, to use for perpetuity for any purpose;

The winner agrees to sign any documentation that may be necessary or required for NBME to perfect the rights granted above;

The participants agree that no compensation or other credit for use of entries will be given, other than as described in these Official Rules.

NBME is not obligated to use any entry for any purpose, even if it has been selected as a winning entry.

If you do not unconditionally agree to grant NBME these rights, do not enter this competition.

General Conditions:

Void where prohibited by any federal, state or local law or regulation in any foreign or domestic jurisdiction. By entering this competition, each entrant represents to NBME that the entrant has read these rules and has confirmed that participation in this competition is authorized in the jurisdiction of the participant's residence or domiciliary.

All decisions of NBME concerning the competition and the iPad contest are final. Winners are responsible for all taxes on the prizes awarded. All references to time in these Official Rules means Eastern Standard Time. By submitting an entry, each entrant acknowledges having read these Official Rules and agrees to be legally bound hereby, including the requirement of arbitration of any disputes.

This competition is not open to current NBME employees or members of the Centennial Steering Committee and Invitational Conference Program Committee.

By entering this competition, participants unconditionally agree to be bound by these Official Rules and all decisions of NBME, which shall be final. NBME has the right to modify these Official Rules in its sole discretion for clarification purposes without materially affecting the terms and conditions of the competition.

By entering this competition, participants agree to waive any right to claim any ambiguity or error in the description of the competition, these Official Rules, or the competition itself, and agree to be bound by these Official Rules, the description of the competition and by all decisions of NBME.

Except where prohibited by law, entry in this competition constitutes a grant of permission to NBME for the right to use and publish the winner’s name, city, state, likeness, voice, opinions, and biographical information in any and all media for advertising, promotional and publicity purposes without additional compensation.

All entries become the property of NBME and will not be acknowledged or returned. Entries will be deemed made by the individual, team or organization whose name appears on the entry.

NBME reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to alter or revise any and all elements of this competition, including the prizes, or to cancel or suspend this competition for any cause beyond the control of NBME, which, in its sole opinion, adversely affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper operation of this competition or due to circumstances beyond its control.

Failure to comply with these Official Rules may result in disqualification from this competition. NBME reserves the right to disqualify from the competition any person or entity NBME believes has violated these Official Rules or acts with an intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other entrant, NBME, or its agents or representatives, or in any other disruptive manner.

All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the participant and NBME in connection

with this competition, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania without giving effect to conflicts of laws principles.

The failure of any provision of these Official Rules due to an act of God, hurricane, war, fire, riot, earthquake, terrorism, act of public enemies, actions of governmental authorities outside of the control of NBME (excepting compliance with applicable codes and regulations) or other force majeure event will not be considered a breach of these Official Rules.

Personal Information:

Information collected from any participant in the Centennial Prize Competition is subject to these Official Rules and NBME’s privacy policy, available at http://www.nbme.org/about/privacy.html and will be used by NBME in accordance with these Official Rules and its privacy policy. For our international users, please be aware that the information you submit is collected in the United States of America. In addition to being subject to these Official Rules and our privacy policy, the collection, storage, and use of your data will be subject to US laws and regulations, which may be different from the laws and regulations of your home country. By participating in the Centennial Prize Competition, you are consenting to this collection, storage, and use.

Disclaimer:

Entrants agree to assume liability for any injury or damages caused or claimed to be caused by participation in this competition and/or the acceptance and/or use of the prizes, and releases NBME, its officers, directors and employees (“Released Parties”) from any such liability. Released Parties assume no responsibility for any injury or damage to participants or to any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from entering or downloading materials in connection with this competition.

Released Parties are not responsible for and shall not be liable for technical, electronic, hardware, software, or telecommunications malfunctions of any kind; lost or unavailable network connections; errors in transmission; failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications or inaccurate transcription of entry information caused by the user or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this competition or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the entries in this competition; any printing or typographical error in any materials associated with these Official Rules or this competition generally or any promotional or marketing materials; for any human or electronic error, including but not limited to, the administration of this competition or the prizes; entries that are stolen, misdirected, garbled, delayed by computer transmissions, lost, late, damaged, or which have postage due; any condition caused by events beyond the control of NBME that may cause this competition to be disrupted or corrupted; or any injuries, losses, or damages, of any kind resulting from acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prizes, or from participation in this competition.

Arbitration of Disputes:

Except where prohibited by law, as a condition of participating in this competition, participants agree that any and all disputes and causes of action arising out of or connected with this competition, or the prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively

by final and binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association and held under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. Any such arbitration shall be conducted at the AAA regional office nearest the participant. The Federal Arbitration Act shall govern the interpretation, enforcement and all proceedings at such arbitration, and judgment upon such arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.