Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has signed Assembly Bill 834, legislation repealing the requirement that DCs wishing to practice in Wisconsin score higher on Parts III and IV of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) examination than is required in most other states. A summary of the bill specifies both the new and old scores needed for successful completion of Part III and Part IV of the NBCE exam:
"Under this bill, an applicant is required to score at least 375 on Part III of the examination administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and to score at least 375 on Part IV of that examination in order to be granted a chiropractor license. Current law [prior to the passage of AB 834, which took effect April 16, 2018] requires a score of at least 438 on Part III and at least 475 on Part IV of that examination in order for an applicant to be granted a chiropractor license."
The Wisconsin exam standards were unique in that while several other states require higher minimum passing scores on Part III or Part IV of the NBCE examination, Wisconsin was the only state to mandate higher scores on both parts of the exam. With the enactment of AB 834, Wisconsin DCs can earn the minimum scores on Part III and Part IV as stipulated by the NBCE.
The Chiropractic Society of Wisconsin heavily favored the passage of AB 834; the WCA reported on its website that it remained neutral, citing that "membership was evenly divided in terms of their opinions on this issue, and [the] WCA Board of Directors found that there was no evidence or correlation to support that higher test scores lead to better, more successful professional Wisconsin chiropractors in the real-world."
Readers will recall that until 2013, chiropractors wishing to practice in Wisconsin also were required to pass a state exam in addition to meeting the elevated NBCE score requirements. The WCA fought to establish and then preserve the state exam, while the Chiropractic Society opposed it.
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?
