Quick answers: NBCE Part III
What is on the NBCE Part 3 exam?
NBCE Part III with DXI has 130 items of three types: 80 traditional multiple-choice questions, 20 extended case presentations that each ask for two responses, and 30 diagnostic imaging interpretation sets. Case content is 80% of the exam and spans nine clinical categories; imaging interpretation (DXI) is the other 20%.
What are the NBCE Part 3 content categories and weights?
Within the case content: Diagnosis or Clinical Impression 16%, Case Management 15%, Neuromusculoskeletal Examination 12%, Case History 11%, Diagnostic Imaging 11%, Chiropractic Techniques 11%, Supportive Interventions 9%, Physical Examination 8%, and Clinical Laboratory and Special Studies 7%. DXI is led by Arthritic Disorders at 30%.
How long is NBCE Part 3?
Part III gives you 4 hours of testing time inside an appointment of 4 hours 31 minutes, covering the tutorial, survey, and a break you may take after the first session. The NBCE says the three item types contribute equally to the total score, and its computer-based exams are forward-only, so you cannot return to earlier answers.
When is NBCE Part 3 offered, and who can take it?
Part III runs on the shared 2026 computer-based calendar (ten windows, January to November; scheduling closes 17 days out). You need coursework at an eligible chiropractic college, a passed Part I, your registrar's online approval, and to be within nine months of graduation before the administration.
How is NBCE Part 3 scored, and what is a passing score?
Scores are scaled from 125 to 800, and a score of at least 375 passes Part III. Scaling accounts for item difficulty, so a score is not a simple percent correct. Most states require or accept Part III in place of a state written clinical competency exam, so confirm the rules with your state board.
How do I study for NBCE Part 3?
Study by the weights. Diagnosis or Clinical Impression and Case Management are the biggest case categories, and Arthritic Disorders and Tumors lead the imaging section. Practice all three item types under time, including image-based sets, and rehearse the 4-hour clock. The full plan is below.
Is there an NBCE Part 3 study guide or practice test?
The NBCE publishes a test plan, a reference text list, and free sample items showing each of the three question types. It states that third-party prep materials are not affiliated with or endorsed by the NBCE. ChiroEDU's Part 3 course adds four mock exams with radiology, written by a certified DACBR.
These answers draw on NBCE pages: Part III · Part III Test Plan · Eligibility · Dates · CBT changes FAQ. Checked September 30, 2026.
What Part III covers
Part III tests whether you can work a case from start to finish, then read the imaging. The exam has 130 items in three types, and the NBCE's Part III test plan weights the content this way:
| Item type | Count | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional multiple choice (TMCQ) | 80 | One best answer |
| Extended multiple choice (EMCQ) | 20 case presentations | A longer case followed by a question that needs two responses |
| Diagnostic Imaging Interpretation (DXI) | 30 | An imaging set followed by a question, one response |
The NBCE says the three item types contribute equally to the total score. By content, the TMCQ and EMCQ items cover nine clinical categories (80% of the exam) and DXI covers six imaging categories (20%). The table below shows each category's weight within its part of the test, and, in the last column, what share of the whole exam that works out to (arithmetic on the NBCE's numbers, rounded).
| Part of exam | Category | Weight within that part | Share of whole exam content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical cases (80%) | Diagnosis or Clinical Impression | 16% | 12.8% |
| Case Management | 15% | 12.0% | |
| Neuromusculoskeletal Examination | 12% | 9.6% | |
| Case History | 11% | 8.8% | |
| Diagnostic Imaging | 11% | 8.8% | |
| Chiropractic Techniques | 11% | 8.8% | |
| Supportive Interventions | 9% | 7.2% | |
| Physical Examination | 8% | 6.4% | |
| Clinical Laboratory and Special Studies | 7% | 5.6% | |
| DXI (20%) | Arthritic Disorders | 30% | 6.0% |
| Tumors and Tumor-like Processes | 20% | 4.0% | |
| Congenital Anomalies and Skeletal Variants | 15% | 3.0% | |
| Miscellaneous Osteoarticular | 15% | 3.0% | |
| Trauma | 10% | 2.0% | |
| Soft Tissue | 10% | 2.0% |
Two categories, Diagnosis or Clinical Impression and Case Management, account for about a quarter of the exam between them. In imaging, Arthritic Disorders (degenerative, inflammatory, metabolic/crystalline) and Tumors (benign, primary malignant, metastatic, tumor-like) are half of DXI.
Format, timing, and scoring
- Testing time: 4 hours, in an appointment of about 4 hours 31 minutes with a tutorial, a survey, and an optional 15-minute break after the first session. Across 130 items, that averages under two minutes per item.
- One direction only: the NBCE's 2024 change made these exams forward-only, so each item has to be answered before the next appears.
- Scoring: 125 to 800 scaled score; 375 passes.
- Results: each window has its own posted release date, and the NBCE's scoring page puts the wait at about four weeks.
- Fee: $710.
When to take it
You need to have finished the required coursework at an eligible chiropractic college, passed Part I, and be within nine months of graduation before the administration, with your registrar's online approval. Part III runs on the same 2026 computer-based calendar as Parts I and II. The NBCE's published schedule covers 2026; check its dates page for 2027 windows.
How to study for NBCE Part 3
This plan uses only what the NBCE publishes (item types, weights, timing) plus ordinary test-prep practice.
- Start with the test plan and reference list. The Part III test plan lists every subtopic. Make sure you are using the version with DXI; almost every examinee now takes it.
- Weight your time. Begin proportional to the table above, so Diagnosis and Case Management get the largest blocks, and Laboratory and Special Studies the smallest. Then shift hours toward your weakest categories.
- Give imaging its own track. DXI is a separate skill and the NBCE scores it as one of three equally contributing item types. Practice reading films and naming findings, starting with Arthritic Disorders and Tumors.
- Practice all three item types. Single-answer items, case presentations that need two responses, and imaging sets each reward a different habit. Look at the NBCE's free sample items so the formats aren't new on test day.
- Drill forward-only pacing. Take mock exams without changing earlier answers. Answer, commit, move on.
- Run a full 4-hour rehearsal. Before test day, sit for the whole length on a computer, with a break after the first half. Watch whether your accuracy slips late.
- Review every miss. Write down why the right answer is right, and tag the category so you can see where misses cluster.
Worth knowing before you buy anything: the NBCE says outside courses and guides have no NBCE affiliation or endorsement.
How ChiroEDU's Part 3 course fits the plan
ChiroEDU's Part 3 course has four full mock exams with multiple-choice vignettes, and radiology is included, created by a certified DACBR (board-certified chiropractic radiologist). Use them for steps 4 through 6: the vignettes for case-style practice, the radiology items for your imaging track, and the full-length mocks for forward-only pacing and the 4-hour rehearsal. ChiroEDU is independent of the NBCE.
What comes next
The last step is Part IV, the hands-on practical exam. See all the exams on the NBCE board exam overview.
Sources: NBCE Part III · Part III Test Plan · Part III Eligibility · CBT changes FAQ (forward-only testing) · Fee Schedule · Deadlines. Checked September 30, 2026. Verify current dates and fees on the NBCE site. ChiroEDU has no affiliation with the NBCE.