post-licensure examinations

Overview

 

The NBCE offers two optional post-licensure examinations:

To learn more about each of these examinations, click on the links at left.

The NBCE post-licensure examinations are not for initial licensing purposes and do not replace NBCE Part I, Part II, Part III and Part IV. State licensing agencies have discretion of the use of SPEC and E&B scores in their jurisdictions.

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

SPEC

The Special Purposes Examination for Chiropractic (SPEC) is available only at the request of state or foreign licensing agencies that are considering cases of reciprocity/endorsement, reinstatement following licensure lapse, disciplinary action, suspension, revocation, etc.

SPEC assesses the clinical competency of licensed or previously licensed practitioners in areas reflecting clinical conditions generally encountered in chiropractic practice. It addresses various components of clinical competency, including patient evaluation and case management.

The SPEC test plan, the blueprint around which the examination is constructed, was derived from information gathered from a chiropractic practical analysis survey conducted by the NBCE in 2009. Responses were received from approximately 2,300 full-time U.S. chiropractic practitioners.

E&B

The Ethics and Boundaries Examination (E&B) gives state boards a tool to assess an examinee’s understanding of ethics and boundaries issues as they apply to chiropractic practice.  Successful completion of the E&B Examination requires that examinees demonstrate an understanding of appropriate clinical protocols and judgments necessary in all aspects relevant to unsupervised chiropractic practice. The E&B test plan is based on survey responses of state chiropractic licensing boards regarding the importance of understanding ethics and boundaries issues to practicing chiropractic in an ethical and legally appropriate manner.