NBCE

NBCE PURPOSE
To establish and maintain uniform high standards of excellence in the chiropractic profession and chiropractic education, primarily but not exclusively by preparing and administering to qualified applicants examinations of superior quality whereby those legal agencies that govern the practice of chiropractic within each state or country may accept, at their discretion, those individuals who have successfully completed any part of the examinations of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and by providing test and measurement services to the chiropractic profession in all areas of demonstrated need, and to advance the chiropractic profession.

Since its establishment in 1963, the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) has dedicated itself to producing quality examinations for the chiropractic profession. The NBCE is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit under the guidance of an 11-member board of directors.

The examinations developed, administered and scored by the NBCE are available to candidates seeking initial chiropractic licensure as well as to licensed practitioners in certain circumstances. NBCE written examinations are accepted and/or required in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The NBCE National Practical Examination is currently accepted in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

CORPORATE COMPOSITION
An 11-member Board of Directors oversees the organization and ensures that it carries out its purpose.

The corporate composition of the organization begins at the state/district level. States, which are geographically arranged into five districts, name delegates and alternate delegates to the NBCE annual meeting.

At the meeting, district delegates nominate a person to serve as district director. An assembly of all state delegates votes to accept or reject each district nominee. Two seats are appointed by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards. The board then elects at-large directors for terms ranging from one to three years.

Officers are elected annually. The officers of the organization serve on the Executive Committee.

An Executive Vice President is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the corporation including administration of all examinations. He is also responsible for all staff and reports to the board via the president.

Corporate headquarters are located in Greeley, Colorado.

NBCE EXAMINATIONS

PRE-LICENSURE EXAMINATIONS
NBCE pre-licensure written examinations are administered each March and September at chiropractic colleges across the United States, as well as in Canada, England, France, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The NBCE Part IV Examination is administered each May and November at chiropractic colleges in the United States. For test site locations, deadlines and schedules, please visit www.nbce.org.

Part I tests six basic science areas including general anatomy, spinal anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pathology, and microbiology and public health.

Part II tests clinical science areas including general diagnosis, neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, principles of chiropractic, chiropractic practice, and associated clinical sciences.

Part III tests clinical competency in the areas of case history, physical examination, neuromusculoskeletal examination, roentgenologic examination, clinical laboratory and special studies, diagnosis or clinical impression, chiropractic techniques, supportive techniques, and case management.

Part IV National Practical Examination assesses three important clinical areas: diagnostic imaging, chiropractic technique and case management skills.

ELECTIVE EXAMINATIONS
Physiotherapy assesses passive adjunctive procedures, including thermotherapy, electrotherapy, mechanotherapy, and phototherapy, and active adjunctive procedures, including functional assessment and physical rehabilitation.

Acupuncture assesses acupuncture history and philosophy, acupuncture techniques, basic treatment tenets and protocols, safety and hygiene, and other areas important to acupuncture as an adjunct to practice.

SAMPLE TESTS
Sample tests are available for each Part I and Part II subject, and for Part III, Physiotherapy and Acupuncture. Examinees may access sample tests at www.nbce.org. The sample tests are representative of the style, quality and content of actual NBCE examination questions.

CERTIFICATE OF ATTAINMENT
Following successful completion of Parts I, II, III and IV, examinees receive a Certificate of Attainment free of charge from the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
Although the NBCE certificate is generally recognized by state licensing authorities, each state imposes unique requirements for licensure, which are subject to change. Examinees should contact the licensing authority in the state(s) in which they desire to practice to obtain current information on licensure requirements and privileges afforded to those who hold the NBCE certificate. The NBCE issues separate certificates upon successful completion of the optional Acupuncture and Physiotherapy examinations.

POST-LICENSURE EXAMINATIONS
The NBCE offers two examinations for post-licensure purposes.

Special Purposes Examination for Chiropractic (SPEC): Assesses individuals' proficiency in conditions generally encountered in chiropractic practice. SPEC is available for cases including state-to-state reciprocity/endorsement and licensure reinstatement when impairment, lapse, suspension, revocation or other disciplinary actions are involved.

Ethics and Boundaries Examination (E&B): Assesses the knowledge of ethics and boundaries issues, including ethical misconduct, sexual misconduct and sexual harassment encountered in chiropractic practice.

The computerized post-licensure examinations are offered six times each year at testing centers throughout North America.

The SPEC and E&B are not to be used to assess students nor for those who are entering practice for the first time.

SPEC and E&B are not to be used for initial licensing purposes
SPEC and E&B are not designed for routine license renewal
SPEC and E&B do not replace NBCE Parts I, II, III and IV
E&B is not to be used in place of SPEC, but may be used in addition to SPEC
E&B is not a diagnostic psychological evaluation

SCORING AND ANALYSIS
Following the administration of a National Board examination, NBCE staff perform comprehensive scoring and analyses. Individual test items are scrutinized to determine how well they functioned under actual test conditions. NBCE test items must be relevant to chiropractic education and practice, and they must accurately reflect proficiency among examinees.

Equating is also part of the analysis procedure. The equating process is used to maintain a constant level of difficulty of the passing scores between examination administrations.

EXAMINATION SECURITY AND INTEGRITY
NBCE examinations are developed, produced, administered, scored and reported according to stringent security procedures. NBCE examinations are fully copyrighted, and extensive measures are undertaken to protect the confidentiality of all examinations.
Should any breach of security or infringement of copyright occur, the NBCE takes appropriate and necessary action to maintain the integrity of its examinations.

INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF CHIROPRACTIC EXAMINERS
The International Board of Chiropractic Examiners (IBCE) was established to assist interested regulatory authorities in the international chiropractic community. The IBCE does not embrace any particular chiropractic philosophy. Instead, the IBCE produces tests according to information provided collectively by the chiropractic educational institutions, regulatory authorities, field practitioners, and subject specialists, along with an analysis of the chiropractic profession within each jurisdiction that chooses to utilize IBCE services.

The IBCE was formed out of an initiative of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE), the principal testing agency for the chiropractic profession in the United States.

To learn more, visit www.ibce.org.

NBCE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS: 2009/2010
The Board of Directors for the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners is composed of five directors elected by their districts, four directors who serve as at-large directors and two directors appointed by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards.

NBCE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Vernon R. Temple, D.C.
Director-at-Large
President
102 Saxtons River Rd
Bellows Falls, VT 05101

N. Edwin Weathersby, D.C.
Director-at-Large
Vice President
6033 W Bell Rd, Ste H
Glendale, AZ 85308-3764

Theodore J. Scott, D.C.
District IV Director
Treasurer
180 W Gordon Ave
Layton, UT 84041

Richard L. Cole, D.C.
Director-at-Large
Secretary
2845 Summer Oaks Dr
Bartlett, TN 38134

OTHER DIRECTORS

Oliver R. Smith, Jr., D.C.
Director-at-Large
1417 North Brown
El Paso, TX 79902

Robin R. Lecy, D.C.
District I Director
1406 Mt. Rushmore Rd
Rapid City, SD 57701

Donna L. Craft, D.C.
District II Director
P O Box 130
Brooklyn, MI 49230

Paul N. Morin, D.C.
District III Director
415 Rodman Road
Auburn, ME 04210

Norman E. Ouzts, Jr., D.C.
District V Director
463B Calhoun Ave
Greenwood, SC 29649

Daniel Saint-Germain, D.C.
FCLB President
1275 Blanchette
St-Hyacinthe PQ J2S 1J9 Canada

Lawrence O'Connor, D.C.
FCLB Vice President
30 Harrington Avenue
Westwood, NJ 07675

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

Mr. Horace C. Elliott
Executive Vice President

901 54th Avenue
Greeley, Colorado 80634

(970) 356-9100
FAX: (970) 356-6134
E-MAIL: nbce@nbce.org

Web site: www.nbce.org