About the International Board of Chiropractic Examiners

Responding to the needs of the international chiorpractic community...

BENEFITS OF THE IBCE

The IBCE draws upon the NBCE’s long history of producing valid, reliable, legally defensible exams for the chiropractic profession. The IBCE/NBCE adheres to internationally recognized standards for examination development, meeting the testing requirements of the U.S. Federal Government, the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association and the National Council on Measurement in Education. In the 40-plus year history of the organization, no legal challenge against NBCE examinations has been found to have merit. IBCE tests ensure consistent and accurate results, leading to the following:

• Regulatory authorities will be able to rely upon standardized tests developed in collaboration with the IBCE to fulfill their unique licensing and/or registration requirements.
  
• Students of chiropractic, regulatory authorities and the public can be assured of the credibility and legitimacy of practitioners’ skills. Transferable, standardized chiropractic skills will be of great value to the global community.
  
• Chiropractic educational institutions will be able to affirm the effectiveness of their curricula and the clinical competence of their students. Educational institutions will also be able to assess their own teaching effectiveness and student preparedness.
  
• The global chiropractic profession will gain stature through improved protection of the public. Additionally, chiropractic will gain further recognition as a profession worthy of legislative regulation.

CREDIBILITY. The IBCE is committed to establishing the worldwide acceptance of a chiropractic standard of health care as well as the standard minimum of education and competence. At the same time, the IBCE respects that each country will have its own overriding legal and regulatory concerns.

One goal of the IBCE is to help countries shorten the processes that legitimize the chiropractic profession. Based on the foundation and experience of the NBCE, the IBCE is capable of developing standardized tests that can be accepted by regulatory board or councils. The exams reliably measure chiropractic knowledge, clinical skills and professional attitudes.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE. Exams are currently administered in England, France, Canada, Australia and the United States. The IBCE/NBCE has developed exams that meet standards set by diverse regulatory authorities. Since 1965, these examinations have remained consistent in their testing effectiveness and have helped establish the legitimacy of chiropractic credentials. The IBCE brings this experience to every geographic region interested in utilizing its services.

LOCAL CONTROL. The IBCE understands that the model for chiropractic testing used in North America may not be entirely appropriate for other regions or countries. The IBCE enlists the aid of advisors throughout the world to guide the development of locally appropriate and adaptable services.

CUSTOMIZED EXAMS. The IBCE is respectful of the range of chiropractic standards and practices in the global community. With an understanding of the diversity of chiropractic education and regulation at the local community level and with local input, custom assessments can be developed by the IBCE. In doing so, the IBCE will serve the chiropractic leadership in each country as they establish appropriate guidelines, parameters, and acceptable educational levels.