At its fall 2005 meeting in Charlotte, N.C., the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners' board of directors voted to reduce fees on four of its examinations effective in 2006. The reduction is the first of its kind in the organization's history, and marks a reversal from previous board actions that had increased exam fees twice in the past four years.
Parts I, II and III of the NBCE exams will be reduced by $25, while Part IV, a practical exam, will be reduced by $100. Taking the reductions into account, the 2006 fees for Parts I, II and III will be $425 each; part IV will be $1,025. No announcement was made regarding the organization's acupuncture or physiotherapy examinations, the Special Purpose Examination for Chiropractic, or retake fees.
The new fee structure was first announced on the NBCE's Web site (www.nbce.org) on Nov. 11. The changes were mailed to chiropractic colleges in mid-December, and are included in the NBCE's Spring 2006 exam applications, which also are available online.
"One factor that made this decision possible is the commitment by the board of directors to reduce costs following its annual meeting in May," said Dr. Peter Ferguson, NBCE president. "The board has taken a hard look at our budget during this fiscal year. By reducing costs where possible, we have enacted substantial savings that we can pass on to our examinees."
The NBCE had previously voted to increase its fees in 2002 (for the first time since 1992), and again in 2004, in some instances by as much as $125 per exam.
The board's decision to reduce fees in 2006 also is due to an increase in the number of enrolling students at chiropractic colleges. The NBCE relies on revenues from its exams to cover costs, and as the number of students taking exams increases, so does the amount of revenue generated toward the company. The NBCE also worked to reduce the cost of administering its exam by making the applications and brochures available online, thus saving substantially on printing costs.
"We are very excited about passing these fee cuts on to the students," Dr. Ferguson said. "I can assure our examinees that we will continue to keep a watchful eye over our budget. By employing a conservative fiscal approach, we hope to pass along savings not just in 2006, but into the future as well."
The application postmark deadline for candidates taking Parts I, II and III of the March 17-19, 2006 exam is Jan. 10, 2006. The postmark deadline for candidates taking the May 19-21, 2006 Part IV exam is Feb. 14, 2006. Parts I, II and III also will be offered in September 2006; Part IV will be offered again in November 2006. For more information, visit www.nbce.org.
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