Opinion ID: 2167002
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: FLEX Handbook

Text: The Board provided information from the Purpose, Procedure and Policy of the Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX Handbook) publication produced by the Federation for Boards of Medical Examiners. [3] In the Policy section of the FLEX Handbook, the Federation noted that the only way a FLEX weighted average (FWA) will be computed is by averaging the scores of Day I, II, and III of the same examination; otherwise, a FWA will not be computed. In the event of reexamination, no FWA could be computed by the Federation unless the applicant took a total reexamination of all three days. FLEX HANDBOOK, supra, n. 3, at 9, 10. The Flex Handbook further provided that: A pick-and-choose mechanism (scrambling) across multiple examinations utilizing only the highest grades, whether re-examined or otherwise, and whether by the same or different states, is admittedly a prerogative of the individual state medical board but can result in serious endorsement difficulties on the part of the licentiate. The FLEX Board, therefore, urges that if such a procedure be practiced by an individual state board, a clear statement to the individual be made pointing out that the license so received may well be non-endorsible [sic], thus avoiding undue hardship upon the individual through no fault of his own. The FLEX Board strongly recommends against this type of procedure. Id. at 10 (emphasis in original).