Special Purposes Examination for Chiropractic (SPEC)
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SPEC Test Plan
The SPEC test plan covers the following nine clinical areas with the emphasis noted as a percent of the entire examination:
- Patient interview (16%)
- Physical Examination (11%)
- Neuromuskuloskeletal Examination (13%)
- X-ray Examination (11%)
- Clinical Lab and Special Studies (6%)
- Diagnosis or Clinical Impression (12%)
- Chiropractic Techniques (11%)
- Supportive Techniques (8%)
- Case Intervention Strategies (12%)
SPEC consists of two parts, with each session containing 100 multiple-choice questions. SPEC contains 100 questions related to the management of 25 clinical cases, selected according to the frequency with which various conditions are commonly encountered in practice.
The following indicates areas and approximate number of cases to be tested in each area:
- Cases may include articular/joint, neurological, muscular or skeletal conditions (approximately 13)
- Cases may include gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, or integument conditions (approximately 5)
- Cases may include endocrine/ metabolic, female reproductive, hematological/lymphatic, renal/urological or male reproductive conditions (approximately 4)
- Cases may include miscellaneous (allergies, nutritional), EENT, childhood, or venereal disorders (approximately 3)
SPEC also contains 100 multiple-choice questions addressing the application of general knowledge and understanding during patient evaluations.
