Dr. Peter J. Katsufrakis is New President of National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME)

PHILADELPHIA, March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a national search, the Executive Board of the National Board of Medical Examiners selected Peter J. Katsufrakis, MD, MBA to lead the NBME. The NBME, which creates and administers a wide range of health professions assessments and assessment tools, is best known as the creator and co-sponsor of the United States Medical Licensing Examination^® (USMLE^®), which all medical doctors must pass to be licensed to practice in the U.S.  Dr. Katsufrakis took on his new role upon the retirement of Donald E. Melnick, MD, who has led the NBME since 2000.

"I am honored to follow Don Melnick as president of the NBME," comments Dr. Katsufrakis. "I feel as though I am inheriting a well-tended orchard, where Don has tilled and prepared the soil that will allow us to grow in many directions. I am eager to take the great work our staff has done serving the public and apply that expertise as we strive to expand our offerings to other health professions, other skills and competencies, and other parts of the globe."

Dr. Katsufrakis most recently served as senior vice president of Assessment Programs at the NBME and is nationally recognized in the medical education and assessment community, both for his work at the NBME and in past roles advancing professionalism, HIV education, clinical training, and medical education administration. Prior to joining the NBME, Dr. Katsufrakis's positions included associate dean for student affairs and associate professor of clinical family medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, where he received teaching and outstanding service awards for his work. He also served more recently as clinical associate professor of family and community medicine at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University.

After receiving his medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, Dr. Katsufrakis completed an internship and residency in family medicine at Santa Monica Hospital.  He began his training during the early years of the HIV epidemic, which influenced his career path and his interest in education. He sought leadership roles soon after residency, working to train faculty and residents to care for HIV patients as director of clinical training at the AIDS Education and Training Center of the University of Southern California. His demonstration of ability and leadership in education led to service in medical administration and other positions at the Keck School of Medicine, including interim associate dean for administration. While engaged in this work, he broadened his expertise by earning an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business. Throughout his time at USC, Dr. Katsufrakis loved working with students, issues of professionalism, and other matters he deemed most important to the mission of protecting the public.

These interests drew him to the NBME in 2007, when he joined the staff to direct a group working on assessment of professionalism. Dr. Katsufrakis was subsequently tasked with helping to lead the response to recommendations from the Committee to Evaluate the USMLE Program. He made significant contributions to changes that have resulted in improved alignment between the USMLE and the competencies required to obtain a license to practice medicine.

Dr. Katsufrakis is licensed to practice medicine in Pennsylvania and is a diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and has served many organizations as a member, including the International AIDS Society, the American Academy of HIV Medicine, and the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Student Affairs in many roles on committees and task forces.

Dr. Katsufrakis, his partner Shathi Abdulrab, and Lucy, their Chesapeake Bay retriever, live in the historic Society Hill section of Philadelphia, a short walk from Independence Hall.

For downloadable photos, CV, and additional material about Dr. Katsufrakis, please visit www.NBME.org/about/Katsufrakis.html.

The NBME is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides high-quality assessments for the health professions. Protection of the health of the public through state-of-the-art assessment is the mission of the NBME, along with a major commitment to research and development in evaluation and measurement. The NBME develops the three-step United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE^®), which provides a common evaluation system and established minimum standards for all doctors of medicine seeking an initial license to practice medicine in the United States. USMLE is a joint program of the NBME and the Federation of State Medical Boards. Results of USMLE are reported to all licensing authorities in the United States and its territories for use in granting the initial license to practice medicine. The NBME's examinations and services are also widely used by the medical education system both in the United States and around the world.

SOURCE National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME)