NBCE SPEC study plan
NBCE SPEC · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Chiropractic clinical sciences and diagnosis & Basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics)
Map every Domain 1 and Domain 3 topic to a personal confidence rating (1-5) to expose weak areas
Build a one-page neuroanatomical pathway summary covering corticospinal, spinothalamic, and dorsal column tracts
List the 10 most common neuromusculoskeletal presentations and their key differentiating exam findings
Schedule two 45-minute spaced-repetition blocks per week for anatomy terminology
Your checkpoint
A completed confidence-rating spreadsheet covering all Domain 1 and Domain 3 topics, plus a one-page tract summary sheet.
Chiropractic clinical sciences and diagnosis & Basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics)
Differentiate red-flag versus mechanical causes of neck and low back pain using case vignettes
Explain the pathophysiology of disc herniation, radiculopathy, and spinal stenosis in writing
Interpret a full set of vital signs and flag values requiring referral
Practice 20 orthopedic and neurologic screening tests and record their sensitivity/specificity
Your checkpoint
A written 500-word case analysis of one low back pain vignette with differential, red flags, and referral criteria.
Chiropractic clinical sciences and diagnosis & Chiropractic technique and case management
Connect common diagnoses to appropriate adjustive or manual approaches with rationale
Draft a full case-management document (history, exam, diagnosis, plan, prognosis) for one patient scenario
Identify contraindications and relative precautions for high-velocity spinal manipulation
Summarize current evidence on manipulation for acute versus chronic low back pain
Your checkpoint
One complete SOAP-style case document including differential diagnosis, technique selection, and contraindication screen.
Chiropractic technique and case management & Basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics)
Describe the biomechanics of a spinal adjustment including cavitation and force-vector concepts
Explain the physiology of inflammation, healing phases, and tissue repair as applied to treatment timing
Build a technique-selection decision tree keyed to patient age, diagnosis, and comorbidity
Compare three adjustive setups and state the biomechanical rationale for each
Your checkpoint
A technique-selection decision tree plus a 300-word rationale document, submitted for self-review.
Professional practice, ethics, and jurisprudence & Chiropractic technique and case management
Outline informed consent, documentation, and record-retention requirements for a chiropractic practice
Identify scope-of-practice boundaries and when referral is legally required
Apply a four-step ethical decision framework to three practice dilemmas
List the elements of a defensible patient record and audit one sample note against them
Your checkpoint
A one-page compliance checklist for consent, documentation, and referral, applied to a sample patient note.
Professional practice, ethics, and jurisprudence & Chiropractic clinical sciences and diagnosis
Summarize jurisdictional variations in licensure, advertising, and continuing education rules
Explain malpractice elements (duty, breach, causation, damages) and risk-reduction behaviors
Practice disclosing a treatment complication using a structured communication script
Review professional-boundary and dual-relationship scenarios and state the correct response
Your checkpoint
A written response to three ethics/jurisprudence scenarios with legal citations or rule references where known.
Chiropractic clinical sciences and diagnosis & Chiropractic technique and case management & Basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics)
Complete a 100-question mixed-domain practice set and categorize every miss by domain
Re-teach the five weakest topics aloud in under five minutes each
Re-derive key differential diagnoses for chest, abdominal, and headache presentations
Review imaging and lab interpretation basics for commonly ordered studies
Your checkpoint
An error log of all missed questions with corrected reasoning and a re-test score on those items.
Chiropractic clinical sciences and diagnosis & Chiropractic technique and case management & Basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics) & Professional practice, ethics, and jurisprudence
Run two timed full-length simulations under exam conditions
Consolidate one-page summary sheets for each of the four domains
Verify logistics: test-day schedule, ID requirements, and permitted materials
Finalize a spaced-review schedule for the last 72 hours before the exam
Your checkpoint
Two timed simulation scores recorded with a final one-page summary sheet per domain.
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 70% on a 50-question Domain 1 and Domain 3 practice set; any topic rated 1-2 on the confidence sheet is scheduled for review.
Week 4: Complete the case-management document and technique decision tree; self-assess against a written rubric with all sections present.
Week 6: Pass a 30-question Domain 4 ethics and jurisprudence quiz at 75% or higher, with every wrong answer corrected in writing.
Week 8: Achieve 75% or higher on both timed simulations and confirm every domain summary sheet is complete.