NBME Exams

Students have the choice of using their own laptop or a Stanford-provided device for NBME exams.

To use your own laptop, you will have to certify it first using the instructions below before each NBME exam. The certification confirms compatibility and detects any application that may be used to compromise the exam. Only Mac or Windows laptops are supported for NBME exams.

Prior to Exam Day

  1. Restart your laptop
  2. Quit all applications that open at login (Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, etc...)
  3. Turn off Bluetooth
  4. Go to http://wbt.nbme.org/exam and follow the on-screen instructions to download and run the latest version of the Secure Browser
  5. Once the Secure Browser is installed, run the application and click “Workstation Certification”, then “Examinee Personal Laptop Certification”

Email the EdTech team with any questions or issues.

Students can only run the Workstation Certification three times in any 28-day period. After the third attempt, examinees will be blocked from running the Examinee Workstation Certification for 28 days. The block will be lifted after 28 days. Contact EdTech for assistance if you are blocked from running the certification.

On Exam Day

  1. Make sure to bring your laptop’s power adapter
  2. Make sure you are connected to the “Stanford” wifi  
  3. Restart your laptop to ensure that nothing is running in the background
  4. Quit all applications that open at login (Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, etc...) Some of these applications may block you from accessing the exam
  5. Turn off Bluetooth
  6. Go to http://wbt.nbme.org/exam and follow the on-screen instructions to download and run the latest version of the Secure Browser
  7. Once the Secure Browser opens, click “Start Exam” and enter the start-up code provided by the proctor

If you have any issues during the exam, the NBME browser saves your work and you can continue from where you left off. You may choose to restart the browser or use one of EdTech’s laptops instead.

NBME Secure Browser

Support Contacts

For questions and support, contact edtech-support@stanford.edu 

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