Proofreader

POSITION OVERVIEW

Are you passionate about ensuring precision and accuracy in written materials and digital accessibility compliance? The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) is seeking a dynamic and detail-oriented Proofreader to join our Test Development team. As a full-time proofreader, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and accessibility of NBME examination materials. This role focuses on proofreading medical examination questions and materials with precision and attention to detail, as well as ensuring compliance for digital accessibility. This is not a writing or editing position.

This role has been designated as primarily remote, meaning it requires little to no onsite attendance. While this role can be designated as remote, you are offered the flexibility to select if you prefer to work primarily remotely, hybrid, or onsite. We're open to considering candidates within 50 miles of our office location in Philadelphia, PA.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

At NBME, we continue to innovate and improve how we fulfill the evolving needs of the healthcare community. This commitment starts and ends with the people at NBME. By recruiting and empowering talented individuals from various disciplines and backgrounds, which includes professionals with diverse life experiences, abilities, and perspectives, NBME can take a well-informed, robust approach to advancing medical education and assessment for years to come. We also continue to focus on ensuring that our DEI work is impactful and ingrained in everything we do, including with our staff, workplace culture, products and services, the Philadelphia community and the broader medical education landscape.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure accuracy and readability of proofread materials at all assigned stages, covering aspects such as spelling, grammar, usage, punctuation, clarity, logic, consistency of style, layout, images, option order and lettering, coding, answer keys, and classifications.
• Meet assigned deadlines, follow online request form instructions with guidance, and complete research in a timely manner using the most up-to-date resources and correct checklists and guidelines for projects. Help identify inconsistencies in documentation.
• Communicate effectively and positively across all teams and customers, including editors, managers, and directors. Respond to mentoring and training promptly, engage in self-study to gain knowledge and skills, and demonstrate resourcefulness in research and intelligent queries. Maintain frequent communication with the manager, although not always daily.
• Successfully navigate and maintain familiarity with various computer programs and websites for research. Learn and work with new technology and programs as needed for proofreading and reviewing exams/items online.
• Follow established procedures, including process guidelines, style guides, and checklists, for each proofreading task. Suggest updates to procedures based on research and internal communications, including feedback from the manager. Conduct effective research of terminology and usage on the Internet and gold-standard texts, using the most recent processes and documents with some guidance.
• Maintain descriptive alternative text (alt tags) for images in Digital Asset Management Software.
• Collaborate with physician consultants to ensure alternative (alt) text descriptions are precise and informative, maintaining accuracy while avoiding the disclosure of answers.
• Conduct QC of text-to-speech-converted mp3 files, successfully navigate Audio production computer programs, interfaces/platforms, and exam-delivery devices. Maintain accurate tracking records to ensure timely delivery of audio exam.
• Assist in proofing and or maintaining subtitles, closed caption and or audio descriptions for video material.
• Proof media for accessibility including alt text, closed captions, audio descriptions, subtitles, and color contrast for colorblindness.
• Stay current with industry trends and advancements in digital accessibility standards and guidelines. Support the values of NBME and maintain the security of all exam materials to the best of your ability. This includes ensuring the secure transfer of physical and electronic materials between teams and during work-at-home hours.

QUALIFICATIONS

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent attention to fine detail
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent grammar, punctuation, and spelling skills
• Ability to organize and budget time with some guidance (serial tasking)
• Ability to return to the previous project and refocus on unique details despite interruptions for other tasks, with guidance if needed
• Knowledge of and demonstrated skill in proofreading with medical terminology; ability to learn and apply multiple in-house styles; AMA style knowledge a plus
• Demonstrated skill in the use of and ability to learn new computer applications (track changes in MS Word, navigate computer-based tests, learn software for QC of exam questions in audio mp3 format, using textbooks and the Internet for terminology research, navigating Excel, and MS Word and Adobe Acrobat Pro)
• Understanding of digital accessibility principles and guidelines, including WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and Section 508 compliance; familiarity with advanced accessibility techniques and concepts such as ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications)
• Familiarity with assistive technologies and software used by individuals with disabilities such as screen readers (eg, JAWS, NVDA) and screen magnification (eg, ZoomText)
• Strong technical skills and demonstrated adaptability to new software and technology

• Experience with any of the following a plus:
  • Adobe Creative Cloud applications
  • Adobe Acrobat and PDF-related accessibility checking
  • Accessibility testing tools and browser extensions (JAWS, NVDA, ChromeVox, DeQ WAVE)
  • Text-to-speech software for integrating spoken audio into digital content (eg, NaturalReader, ReadSpeaker, Adobe Captivate)

Experience

• 5 years or more experience in proofreading with a focus on medical-related materials and terms.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.

About NBME:

NBME offers a versatile selection of high-quality assessments and educational services for students, professionals, educators, regulators and institutions dedicated to the evolving needs of medical education and health care. To ensure our assessments meet the highest standards of quality, stay relevant and align to the current curriculum in medical schools and training programs, we rely on a wide network of collaborators. These include the volunteers who help develop our exam questions, the committees and panels who represent various groups within the medical education community, external researchers and health profession organizations.

We are committed to meeting the needs of educators and learners globally with assessment products and expert services such as NBME Subject Examinations, Customized Assessment Services, Self-Assessments, the International Foundations of Medicine® Program and Item Writing Workshops. Together with the Federation of State Medical Boards, NBME develops and manages the United States Medical Licensing Examination®, which measures the ability to apply knowledge and skills that form the basis of safe and effective patient care. Our Competency-based Assessment unit is focused on new methods as well as the optimization of assessment in the workplace and education.

As a result of leadership in ongoing research, innovative measurement practices and the exploration of forward-thinking assessment modalities and improvements, NBME advances assessment science. Our grant and funding opportunities further support this dedication to medical education and assessment science. We help develop the next generation of assessment professionals through our Summer Psychometric Internship Program. Through the Stemmler Fund, Strategic Educators Enhancement Fund and Latin America Grants Program, researchers and educators can continue to improve the assessment of health care professionals around the world.

NBME views diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as foundational and enduring to our strategy and vision. We continue to focus on ensuring that our DEI work is impactful and ingrained in everything we do, including with our staff, culture, products and services, the Philadelphia community and the broader medical education landscape. Our commitment manifests in our hiring and staff development, recruitment for committees, grants programs, design and review of our assessments, and involvement in our local and national communities.

Learn more about NBME at NBME.org.

NBME offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a rewarding work environment. Excellent Benefits include: Healthcare, Dental, Prescription, and Vision plans; 401(k) w/match, Tuition Reimbursement Plan, Commuter Benefit: Public Transit or Parking options. Remote Friendly Workplace.

NBME is an equal opportunity employer as defined by the EEOC.