Examination Requirements: NBEO Parts I, II, III or Parts I and II Plus NERCOATS
Accepted examination pathways
New York’s examination requirement is met by one of two pathways: (1) passing NBEO Parts I, II, and III; or (2) passing NBEO Parts I and II plus NERCOATS. The domain tests the combination, not just whether a candidate has “passed boards.” Part I and Part II are never replaced by NERCOATS; NERCOATS is the alternative to Part III under the stated New York pathway.
Core rules
- Pathway 1: NBEO Parts I, II, and III all passed.
- Pathway 2: NBEO Parts I and II passed, plus NERCOATS passed. This substitutes for NBEO Part III only.
- No partial credit: a candidate with Part I plus NERCOATS lacks Part II; a candidate with Parts I and II but no Part III and no NERCOATS has not met the requirement.
- Separate from education: examination passage does not excuse a missing preprofessional subject or a non-four-year OD program.
Worked example. A candidate passed NBEO Part I and Part II, failed Part III, then passed NERCOATS. The examination requirement is satisfied under pathway 2. A candidate passed NBEO Part I and NERCOATS but never Part II: not satisfied, because NERCOATS does not replace Part II. A candidate passed all three NBEO parts: satisfied under pathway 1, and NERCOATS is unnecessary.
Traps that cost marks
- Treating NERCOATS as a full alternative to all NBEO examinations.
- Assuming Parts I and II alone satisfy New York without Part III or NERCOATS.
- Ignoring a missing Part II when NERCOATS has been passed.