Hello again to all of my readers! This post is especially exciting for me to share, because I not only sat for Part IV of my board exams this past weekend, I also received my scores for Parts II and III. Although I’ve been writing about board exams quite a bit recently, it feels almost surreal to say that I have now completed all of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) examinations required for licensure here in Florida.
What You Can Expect
Part IV consisted of 25 total stations: 5 adjusting rooms, 5 history-taking rooms with corresponding post-exam rooms, 4 orthopedic/neurological examination rooms with post rooms and 1 physical exam station which may involve cardiovascular, pulmonary or abdominal evaluation, followed again by a post room. Each post room includes two questions that require selecting the best three responses out of 10, usually focused on clinical reasoning, diagnosis and referral decision-making. I felt well-prepared going into the exam. Interestingly, I found myself more stressed before than during or after the actual experience. One tip for anyone taking it in the future: bring snacks! After finishing the exam, we were sequestered until after 5 p.m., and with an 8 a.m. start time, that made for a long day.
Part IV is undergoing a major format change starting this coming March. The exam is moving to Greeley, Colorado to be administered at the NBCE headquarters, and the structure will shift to reflect more realistic clinical encounters. Students will perform history taking, physical examinations and even complete SOAP documentation based on their own clinical judgment. Another positive change: instead of being offered only twice a year, the new Part IV will be available almost every weekend.
Prioritizing Your Own Health
While I’m grateful and relieved to be finished, I also want to acknowledge the physical toll that stress can take. Over the last three months, I have studied for and completed three board exams, and I can feel the exhaustion today. I woke up with a sore throat, pounding headache and full-body fatigue. This is just a gentle reminder of the importance of prioritizing your own well-being, especially during periods of high demand. The work matters — but so does your health.
Closing out this chapter feels both grounding and energizing! I’m excited for what comes next: finishing my final stages of training, stepping into the profession and serving my future patients with knowledge, skill and compassion. To those of you who are on the same path and preparing for your own board exams, keep going. Take care of yourself. Trust your preparation. And remember that this process is not just about earning licensure but about growing into the provider you are meant to be.
