SPECIAL PURPOSES EXAMINATION FOR CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Daniel Côté NBCE District I Director

A Post-Licensure Exam from the NBCE

Post-Licensure Exams Special Purposes Examination for Chiropractic (SPEC) Ethics and Boundaries Examination (now administered through the Ethics and Boundaries Assessment Services)

What Is SPEC? Special Purposes Examination For Chiropractic Designed for re-assessing clinical competency and licensing eligibility To be used in special circumstances at request/requirement of state licensing boards

When to Use NBCE Post-licensure Examinations State licensing agencies have discretion over use of SPEC scores in their jurisdictions Circumstances to use exams include: Disciplinary action, including Assessment of clinical competency (SPEC) Knowledge of ethics and boundaries issues (E&B) Suspension, revocation or licensure lapse SPEC and/or E&B depending on requirements State-to-state reciprocity/endorsement

What the NBCE Post-licensure Examinations Are Not Exams are not designed to be used to assess students Exams are not for those who are entering practice for the first time Exams are not for initial licensing purposes Exams are not for routine license renewal Exams do not replace NBCE Parts I, II, III and IV E&B is not to be used in place of SPEC E&B is not a diagnostic psychological evaluation

The SPEC Test Plan The SPEC test plan is derived from information gathered from a practice analysis survey conducted by the NBCE. We are currently conducting the practice analysis survey for 2015 so if you were selected to participate, we are asking you to complete the survey as soon as possible.

SPEC Test Plan Test contains 200 multiple-choice questions selected by a committee that includes state regulatory board members SPEC includes clinical case presentations requiring the examinee to demonstrate the appropriate clinical understanding and judgments required in unsupervised general chiropractic practice.

SPEC Test Plan Weightings Topics include 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%)

Applicant Eligibility To establish eligibility, individuals must meet all of the following requirements: The applicant must hold or have held a license to practice chiropractic. Note: The license may have lapsed or been suspended or revoked, etc. The applicant must provide written authorization from a state or international licensing agency. This authorization may be in the form of a requirement or request.

Preparing for SPEC A thorough review of the subjects to be tested is the most helpful preparation. A sample test is available on the NBCE website: https://sampleexams.nbce.org/ The sample test costs $15 and consists of 50 multiple choice questions.

Administration of the Exams SPEC is a computerized exam. It is offered six times per year at Pearson Professional Centers located throughout the U.S. Applications and other required forms available online www.nbce.org

2014 Exam Fees & Dates SPEC Fee: $985 Remaining exam dates for 2014: Examination Date Application Deadline June 4 May 8 August 7 July 10 October 2 September 4 December 4 November 6

SPEC Scores The NBCE recommends a passing score of 375. Examinees with a score below 375 will be required to retake the exam. Scores are mailed directly to examinees within three weeks after the exam date. Scores are also sent to the state board that initially requested or required that the examinee take SPEC. The state has the sole determination of how SPEC scores are used in their licensing of chiropractors.

To Find Out More… Visit the NBCE website at www.nbce.org. Call us at 1-800-964-6223.