PHILADELPHIA, April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NBME congratulates John (Jack) R. Boulet, PhD, as the recipient of its 2021 John P. Hubbard Award in recognition of his extensive contributions to the field of assessment in medical education.
“I’m very honored. Over the past 25 years, I’ve met and worked with many former [Hubbard] recipients,” Dr. Boulet said. “It’s been a culmination of many years of working with some of the best people in medical education assessment. I am thankful that I was provided with the opportunity to learn from what they’ve done and to build on their knowledge and expertise.”
Dr. Boulet currently serves as Senior Scholar in the Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, at the University of Illinois; Adjunct Faculty at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine; and Senior Research Consultant for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.
NBME President and CEO Peter J. Katsufrakis, MD, MBA, believes that Dr. Boulet has made an incredible impact within the field of assessment.
“Dr. Boulet’s enthusiasm and creativity in seeking answers to important questions are readily apparent,” Dr. Katsufrakis said. “And after a long, distinguished career I firmly believe he is as interested and passionate about research and assessment today as when I first met him.”
Maxine A. Papadakis, MD, a two-time recipient of NBME’s Stemmler Award, chaired the 2021 Hubbard Award Committee, which is responsible for identifying the recipient following a global nomination process.
“In a career spanning more than 25 years, Dr. Boulet has been devoted to assessment in medical education, which he has pursued with outstanding expertise,” Dr. Papadakis said. “His studies, often in collaboration with NBME and other institutions and researchers, helped to support the validity of USMLE® and various specialty board certification examinations. His body of work is known throughout the world.”
Dr. Boulet expresses thanks to the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) for giving him the opportunity to work on various certification and licensure assessments and to collaborate with NBME and other organizations. While looking back on his ongoing career, Dr. Boulet identified his top contributions to assessment in medical education as spanning a variety of areas.
“One of my areas of interest has been the scoring of performance assessments,” Dr. Boulet said. “I’ve been able to do some very interesting work investigating the validity of scores on objective, structured clinical examinations and mannequin-based simulations.”
He also sees his teaching and mentorship of students to be equally important to the future of assessment. “I hope to be able to pass my expertise along to other researchers as I’ve tried in the last several years through various educational programs and working with master’s and PhD students,” Dr. Boulet said. “I look forward to doing more collaborative work in the future to help inspire the next group of assessment experts.”
Other recent positions held by Dr. Boulet include Vice President, Research and Data Resources at ECFMG; Vice President, Research and Data Resources at FAIMER; and Faculty in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies, College of Medicine at Drexel University. Dr. Boulet earned his PhD in Education at the University of Ottawa, specializing in Measurement and Evaluation.
Established in 1983, the Hubbard Award recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions to the pursuit of assessment excellence in medical education. Dr. Boulet joins the ranks of the distinguished individuals whom NBME has honored over the years with this award, which celebrates John P. Hubbard’s 25-year tenure as NBME’s chief executive.
The 2021 Hubbard Award Committee also included: M. Brownell Anderson, MED; Agata Butler, PhD; Anna Chang, MD; Monica Cuddy, MA; Kimberly A. Swygert, PhD; Danny M. Takanishi Jr., MD; Colin P. West, MD, PhD.
About NBME
NBME offers a versatile selection of high-quality assessments and educational services for students, professionals, educators and institutions dedicated to the evolving needs of medical education and health care. To serve these communities, we collaborate with a comprehensive array of professionals including test developers, academic researchers, scoring experts, practicing physicians, medical educators, state medical board members and public representatives.
Together with the Federation of State Medical Boards, NBME develops and manages the United States Medical Licensing Examination®. In addition, we are committed to meeting the needs of educators and learners globally with assessment products and expert services such as Subject Examinations, Customized Assessment Services, Self-Assessments, the International Foundations of Medicine® and Item-Writing Workshops.
We also provide medical education funding and mentorship through the Latin America Grants Program, Stemmler Fund and Strategic Educators Enhancement Fund, which serve to advance assessment at educators’ and health professionals’ own institutions.
Learn more about NBME at NBME.org.
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