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Hi my name is Dr. Andy Gow, chiropractic specialist at the
National Board of Chiropractic Examiners,and I hope
this video will answer some of the questions you may have
regarding the selection of our written examinations.
The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners takes great pride in the quality and consistency
of the examinations that we produce for the chiropractic profession
and the regulatory boards that govern licensure.
Although the content of our examinations is by necessity
kept confidential, we would like to give you some personal insight
into how we develop the written examinations.
The examination process really begins in the chiropractic college classrooms where the
subject material that is taught eventually comprises our written
exams.
NBCE’s test plans are based on a composite of the material
being taught and reflect the curricula at chiropractic colleges
throughout the United States.
Individual test questions - we call them items –
that assess knowledge of specific subject material
are submitted by chiropractic college faculty, test committee members and chiropractic consultants.
These items are reviewed by our content specialists for accuracy
and referenced in textbooks currently used in the chiropractic colleges.
They are then categorized by subject, rewritten for clarity and
to conform to the NBCE testing format, and securely stored
for use in upcoming examinations.
Test committees for each examination convene annually
in Greeley, Colorado, to review and approve items
for the upcoming national exams.
Each committee is composed of experts in their field of study who teach
the subject matter in a chiropractic college or,
in the case of the Part III test committee members,
are actively practicing members of their state chiropractic regulatory boards.
Test committee members start their work before arriving
on the NBCE campus since they are required to provide
new test items for use in future examinations.
Creating new exams requires hundreds of new items each year
and their submissions are a vital part of maintaining our pool
of available items.
Members of test committees for Parts I & II examinations
are nominated by chiropractic college administrators and
represent all U.S. schools.
The Part III test committee is composed of chiropractors
who are regional representatives of state licensing boards.
Upon arrival, the test committee members receive specific instructions as they begin the two
day process of selecting, reviewing, editing, and approving
items to be used in the upcoming examinations.
Once in their respective committees, they review the previous exam
and its statistics to ensure consistent quality and reliability
of the NBCE examinations.
After some discussion, they then begin the actual review
and selection process which comprises the remainder
of the two day process.
Items are selected by their subject material according to the test plans published on our
website and printed in the NBCE Written Examination
candidate booklets.
To be included in an exam, items must assess core knowledge taught
at the majority of colleges, and be referenced from our published list
of textbooks commonly used at chiropractic colleges.
Upon completion of the two day process committee members sign
to indicate that their selected items will assess examinees’
understanding of the material being taught at chiropractic colleges
thereby ensuring the safe and effective practice of chiropractic.
I hope this video has given you an understanding of how the content
for the written examinations is selected.
With the help of the colleges and their instructors we here
at the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners strive to produce
examinations that are fair for the examinees and fulfill
the requirements of the state regulatory boards to ensure
safe and effective practitioners.