(Part 2) Post-Examination Policies and Procedures
NPLEX PASSING STANDARDS
You have passed the Part II - Core Clinical Science Examination when you have correctly answered at least the minimum number of questions that NPLEX subject matter experts1 have determined2 are required to demonstrate competence in each of three general exam areas: Diagnosis, Naturopathic Modalities, and Other Interventions. [Note: Examinees must demonstrate minimal competence in each of nine specific exam areas (physical & clinical diagnosis, lab diagnosis & diagnostic imaging, botanical medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, physical medicine, psychology, emergency medicine, and pharmacology) in order to achieve a passing result.]
1 NPLEX subject matter experts (SMEs) are licensed/registered N.D.s
2 NPLEX uses a modified Angoff method for determining passing scores in each general exam area.
REPORTING OF EXAM RESULTS
Approximately six weeks after the answer sheets are received by NABNE, you will be sent a report of your exam results. In addition, NABNE will send this report to the single licensing/regulatory authority that you entered on your Part II - Clinical Science Exam Application. NPLEX will be reporting numerical scores for only the Part II - Clinical Elective Examinations in Minor Surgery and Acupuncture.
The report of your Part II - Core Clinical Science Exam results provides information regarding your overall passing status and also includes a visual scale that illustrates your performance in each of the three general exam areas relative to the minimum percentage of items you must correctly answer to pass that general exam area.
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Comprehensive Mastery indicates, with either a "P" (Pass) or "F" (Fail) designation, whether or not you have passed the NPLEX Part II - Core Clinical Science Examination. You have passed the NPLEX Part II - Core Clinical Science Examination when you have achieved a "P" (Pass) in all three general exam areas:
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Diagnosis, which reflects the result you achieved on the exam items that relate to physical & clinical methods, and lab tests & imaging studies
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Naturopathic Modalities, which reflects the result you achieved on the exam items that relate to Materia Medica (botanical medicine and homeopathy), nutrition, physical medicine, and psychology
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Other Interventions, which reflects your score on the exam items that relate to emergency medicine and pharmacology
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If you fail the examination, your report provides information about the specific exam areas in which your performance needs to improve. This section includes a visual scale that illustrates your performance in each of nine specific exam areas relative to your performance in the other specific exam areas.
If you have taken either or both of the Part II - Clinical Elective Examinations, your report includes a section that shows a "P" (Pass) or "F" (Fail) designation, along with your raw score, the cut score, and your converted score(s).
Exam results are the property of the examinee. NABNE serves as an unbiased repository of those results. To avoid possible misinterpretation and to protect your privacy, exam results will not be reported by telephone, fax, or e-mail.
TRANSCRIPT REQUESTS
After you receive your results from the current NPLEX administration, you may request to have a transcript that includes both your NPLEX Part I and Part II exam results sent to additional licensing/regulatory authorities. Submit a letter to NABNE that includes your name (and any other names under which you have taken the examinations), your contact information (including your phone number, mailing and e-mail address), the dates (mm/yy) of all examinations, and the name and address of the entity to whom your transcript should be sent. Your written request, accompanied by a Transcript Fee of US$20 (per recipient) in the form of a cashier's check or money order made payable to NABNE, should be sent to:
NABNE - Transcripts
Suite 119, #321
9220 S.W. Barbur Blvd.
Portland, Oregon 97219-5434
Official transcripts of NPLEX results must be sent directly from NABNE. Transcripts sent directly to you will be unofficial and will be noted as such.
RE-EXAMINATION POLICIES
Part II - Core Clinical Science Examination: If you fail any of the three general exam areas, you will be required to retake the entire Part II - Core Clinical Science Examination.
If you do not take and pass the NPLEX Part II - Core Clinical Science Examination within ten (10) years of passing the NPLEX Part I - Basic Science Series or Biomedical Science Examination, you must first retake and pass the Part I - Biomedical Science Examination before you will be allowed to take or retake the Part II - Clinical Science Examinations. In addition, you must request that the licensing/regulatory authority in the jurisdiction in which you intend to practice send a letter to NABNE stating that, if you pass the NPLEX Part I and Part II Examinations, you will be considered to have met the NPLEX Examination requirement and that your application for licensure/registration will be accepted. If this applies to you, please contact NABNE for more information.
Part II - Clinical Elective Examination in Acupuncture or Minor Surgery: Once you have taken the Core Clinical Science Examination, you may retake the Clinical Elective Examinations at any time. You will not be required to retake a Clinical Elective Examination you have previously passed, regardless of whether or not you are required to retake the Core Clinical Science Examination.
MANUAL SCORING REQUESTS
ISSUES AND APPEALS
Because NPLEX uses an extensive post-test analysis process (including statistical analysis of individual items), the exam results sent to you reflect changes made after consideration of items that did not perform as expected (see Post-Test Analysis). Consequently, NABNE does not change exam results.
If you wish to appeal a policy decision, you must submit your appeal to NABNE in writing, addressed to the Executive Director of NABNE. Your appeal will be presented to the NABNE Board. The Board will make every effort to respond to you with a decision within six (6) weeks of receipt of your appeal.
