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

2. A Post-Licensure Exam from the NBCE

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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%)

10. 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.

11. 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:
The sample test costs $15 and consists of 50 multiple choice questions.

12. 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

13. 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

14. SPEC Scores
The NBCE recommends a passing score of 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.

15. To Find Out More… Visit the NBCE website at www.nbce.org.
Call us at