GREELEY, CO - On September 9, 2000, a committee of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE), DCs all, met to discuss computerized testing for written examinations. The committee is comprised of NBCE board members Vernon Temple, Jerry Blanchard (co-chairs), Frank Hideg and Peter Ferguson. Advisory members of the committee, not on the NBCE board, are Kenneth Padgett, chancellor of New York Chiropractic College; Jerry Clum, president, Life Chiropractic College-West College; and Cynthia Vaughn, president of the Texas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
The editor/publisher of Dynamic Chiropractic, Don Petersen Jr., attended the inaugural committee deliberations. Dr. Ferguson had extended an open invitation to Mr. Petersen to visit the NBCE and to observe the committee's upcoming meetings.
The committee meeting began with a presentation by testing experts from Chauncey Group International. The committee reported "various challenges and cost factors were discussed in analyzing the feasibility and advisability of computerized testing."
Dr. Temple recommended the committee meet again later this year with a goal of making a final recommendation in 2001.
NCBE Part IV Item Writers Meet
Twenty-one chiropractic college educators and state chiropractic examining board members gathered at the headquarters of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) in Greeley, Colorado on August 18-19, 2000 to prepare clinical case materials and questions for the Part IV Practical Examination that will be administered in November 2001 and May 2002.
Executive Director Horace Elliott welcomed the item writers and praised their efforts. Dr. David Brown, FCLB president and NBCE director, emphasized to the group the importance of ensuring that chiropractors represent a high level of education and practice standards.
Dr. Paul Townsend, director of Part IV testing, led the item writers as they developed questions. The Part IV examination tests competencies developed during a candidate's 18 months of clinical externship and includes x-ray evaluation, management skills, case history performance, and physical examination procedures. Each candidate must be able to demonstrate that they have mastered appropriate chiropractic adjusting skills.
This was the sixth Part IV writing workshop held since this examination was introduced in 1996. Part IV Practical Examination in clinical skills was developed at the urging of the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB).
For the initial administration of Part IV, six states at four sites tested approximately 525 candidates. Today, Part IV is administered at 17 sites to more than 4,000 candidates each year and is used by 42 states to satisfy their requirements for licensure.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
