GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE NBCE DR. NORMAN OUZTS NBCE VICE PRESIDENT & DISTRICT V DIRECTOR AND DR. OLIVER SMITH, JR. NBCE SECRETARY

WHO IS THE NBCE? If you are new to the NBCE or new to this year’s meeting, it is important to know that the FCLB are different organizations with different missions. The FCLB membership is made up of member regulatory boards. The NBCE, however, is an independent testing organization that provides third party endorsement of a doctor’s education and training.

THE NBCE’S PURPOSE Established in 1963, the NBCE develops, administers and scores legally defensible, standardized written and practical examinations for candidates seeking chiropractic licensure throughout the United States and in many foreign countries.

State delegates NBCE CORPORATE COMPOSITION Guided by an 11-member board of directors U.S. is geographically arranged into five districts The NBCE has no “members,” instead states select (voting) delegates and alternates to attend NBCE annual meeting

NBCE COMPOSITION District directors State delegates At the annual meeting, state delegates assemble with their district to nominate a person to serve as district director An assembly of all state delegates votes to accept (or reject) each district nominee

District directors State delegates NBCE Board composition:  5 district directors  4 at-large directors  2 members from the FCLB leadership Board of Directors

NBCE PURPOSE Develops, administers and scores examinations to candidates seeking pre- and post-chiropractic licensure  Parts I, II, III, IV, Physiotherapy, Acupuncture  Special Purposes Examination in Chiropractic  Ethics and Boundaries Includes an examination for those considering a career in chiropractic  Chiropractic College Assessment Test (CCAT)

PRE-LICENSURE EXAMINATIONS Ensure a standard entry level competency for new practitioners  Part I tests basic sciences: general anatomy, spinal anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pathology, and microbiology  Part II tests clinical sciences: general diagnosis, neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, principles of chiropractic, chiropractic practice and associated clinical sciences  Parts I and II items come from surveys (Delphi studies) of college faculty to ensure that the NBCE test plans reflect the current emphasis in education

NBCE CLINICAL COMPETENCY TESTS Parts III (written) and IV (practical) are based on practitioner surveys compiled into a practice analysis, ensuring that test content reflects current practice patterns

NBCE ELECTIVE PRE-LICENSURE EXAMS Physiotherapy assesses case history and examination, physical therapy modalities, indications, contraindications and applications of modalities and therapeutic exercise and rehabilitation Acupuncture (now a computerized exam) assesses acupuncture history and philosophy, basic treatment tenets/protocols, safety and hygiene and other related topics

NBCE’S POST LICENSURE EXAMINATIONS Evaluate practitioners with specific assessment needs, such as state-to-state reciprocity and or endorsement and licensure reinstatement when impairment, lapse, suspension or other disciplinary actions are involved  SPEC (Special Purposes Examination for Chiropractic) to assess individuals’ clinical competency  Ethics and Boundaries to assess knowledge of ethical misconduct and/or harassment issues encountered in practice

NBCE IS COMMITTED TO STATE LICENSING BOARDS Five members of the board of directors are elected by the NBCE delegates The state licensing boards are a very important constituency of the NBCE

GETTING INVOLVED Test Committees Part IV Examiners Ad Hoc Committees NBCE Delegate and Alternate Delegates NBCE District Directors NBCE At-Large Directors

TEST COMMITTEES Direct involvement in item writing and selection for upcoming exams. Part III, Part IV, Acupuncture, E&B and SPEC items require the input of clinicians; therefore they are usually selected from the state licensing boards. (Parts I and II exams require the input of college faculty.) Please let your NBCE district director know if you are interested.

PART IV State licensing boards nominate participants:  State licensing boards are invited to recommend one state board member to participate in a Part IV test committee meeting once each year.  States that require or accept Part IV are invited to recommend two D.C.s to serve as examiners to the Part IV exam in May and November of each year.

AD HOC COMMITTEES When appropriate the NBCE President may appoint any state board member to an ad hoc committee. Past ad hoc committees have included researching options for computerizing exams and future funding of the FCLB.

DELEGATES AND ALTERNATE DELEGATES Appointed/elected to serve by state licensing boards Delegates are the liaison to the NBCE  Attend NBCE annual meetings  Vote on amendments to bylaws, which are a critical component of the foundation of the NBCE Delegates bring questions and concerns from state boards to the NBCE and bring information back to the state licensing boards

DELEGATES AND ALTERNATE DELEGATES Delegates are one channel the NBCE uses to communicate to the state licensing boards Delegates help to educate and inform state boards about the activities of the NBCE  On occasion delegates help in “polling” or gathering information for the NBCE Most importantly, delegates represent their states by voting for NBCE district directors and bylaws issues

DISTRICT DIRECTORS District directors are nominated by their district and approved by all delegates District directors are a voice for their district as an NBCE Board member, but represent all delegates District directors keep their district up-to-date on NBCE activities District directors report back to their districts at fall FCLB meetings District directors recommend test committee members

AT LARGE DIRECTORS There are four At-Large Directors elected by the board When there is a vacancy for an At-Large Director, persons interested should contact an NBCE board member to make their interest known At-Large Directors serve terms of one to three years At-Large Directors may be a public member

WE WELCOME YOU The National Board encourages state board participation both in test development and administration. Please talk to your district director to express your interest in becoming more involved with the NBCE.

Thank you for being here today. Questions?