Since that time, the national board has initiated a number of formal and informal studies whose goal is to determine the feasibility of producing a licensing test that is practical, valid, legally defensible, and cost effective.
The scope of this project is potentially vast; and its impact upon the future of the chiropractic profession ... enormous and exciting.
During the past year, pursuit of the feasibility study has resulted in a number of firsts for the chiropractic profession:
- A practice model log project was conducted in order to produce a composite picture of practical procedures currently used in chiropractic offices across the country.
- The information from the practice model log was used to construct a preliminary questionnaire pertaining to chiropractic practice.
- A national advisory committee for the NBCE chiropractic job analysis study will be convened soon in order to construct a comprehensive questionnaire that will be mailed to several thousand chiropractic practitioners.
- Data from the job analysis will be analyzed, summarized and a report will be written that will help to define the entry level clinical competencies necessary for licensure in the chiropractic profession.
- The first step has been taken in the development of a prototype segmented practical examination for chiropractic licensure. Also, a planning protocol has been devised to examine each element of risk, return and investment for this important project.
I have recently returned from Toronto, Canada where representatives from the national board were invited to observe the pilot administration of the medical council of Canada's Q5 project.
The Q5 project is projected to be the fifth element, or part V of testing required for medical licensure in Canada. This pilot project involved the testing of 320 senior medical students at four different locations in Canada to measure practical skills required for entry into their internship programs in Canadian hospitals.
I personally observed the practical test that was administered in the Sunnybrook Clinic in Toronto. While the organization and professionalism that I observed during these proceedings was impressive, I came away with a firm feeling that we can do this better.
For the first time, the chiropractic profession has the opportunity to take the leading role in the field of licensure examination for the health professions.
I am convinced that this new era of cooperation between the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards and the national board of chiropractic examiners can result in upholding a strong standard for entry level clinical competency across the nation.
The final determinations of feasibility will not be known until all phases of the study are complete and appropriate conclusions emerge. Keeping this in mind, primacy is assigned to maintaining the high standards of the FCLB and the NBCE, and to advancing the chiropractic profession.
Brent Owens, D.C.
Waldorf, Maryland