NPLEX is the standard examination used by all licensing jurisdictions for naturopathic doctors in North America. It includes 5 basic science exams (anatomy, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, microbiology and immunology) taken after the first 2 years of medical school. The clinical science examinations are taken following graduation after the 4th year of school. They include: clinical and physical diagnosis, laboratory diagnosis and diagnostic imaging, botanical medicine, pharmacology, nutrition, physical medicine, homeopathy, minor surgery, psychology and lifestyle counseling, and emergency medicine. Individual jurisdictions may give additional examinations in jurisprudence and acupuncture.

NPLEX has announced the creation of a new organization: the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). NPLEX will retain it’s role as the producer of a transnational board licensing examination; the NPLEX Board has been restructured so that exam development will be its sole focus. The NABNE will take on the role of gathering input from the various constituencies involved in the profession (jurisdictions, schools, associations, etc.). In addition, the NABNE will begin two new functions. First the NABNE will be the point of application for students and candidates who want to take the NPLEX. NABNE will review credentials to make certain that applicants meet the criteria for examination. Second, the NABNE will set up testing centers in the U.S. and Canada for administration of the exams. The impetus for creating the NABNE stems primarily from the desire to maintain high standards within the profession. The first function (approving candidates to sit for the exams) will ensure that the NPLEX exams are taken only by candidates who have been appropriately trained at accredited naturopathic medical colleges. The second function (administering the NPLEX exams) will ensure that the exams are administered without bias and are kept secure. The NABNE Board will be responsive to the input of an advisory committee comprised of appointees from the jurisdictions, the schools, the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME), the Federation of Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Authorities (FNPLA), and the national associations, as well as several public members. Input from the Advisory Committee will be critical for setting examining standards and for coordinating the effort. As currently proposed, applicants will apply to the NABNE to take the NPLEX Basic Science Exams. The NABNE will ensure that the applicant meets the standards set with input from the Advisory Committee and if everything is complete, will send exam booklets to the exam administration site of choice for that applicant. The NABNE will arrange all examination sites and proctors. NPLEX will score the exams, and NABNE will send score reports directly to the examinees. Licensing Boards need no longer be involved with the approval or administration process for the Basic Science Exams. At graduation from an approved school, eligible candidates will again apply to the NABNE to be approved to take the Clinical exams; the NABNE will send exam booklets to the candidate’s exam site of choice (again arranged and proctored by the NABNE). NPLEX will score the exams, NABNE will send score reports directly to the candidates, and will then send transcripts of the candidate’s Basic Science and Clinical exam scores to the jurisdiction where the candidate wants to be licensed. Please note, the NABNE is NOT a licensing board, the jurisdictions still hold all authority for investigating the credentials of and approving candidates for licensure. The NABNE is an examining board, responsible only for the examination process. This is similar to the model followed in many other health care professions including the National Board of Medical Examiners and the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners where applicants apply to a central agency for examination.

We see it as a very positive step both to reduce confusion among applicants regarding where they should apply to take the NPLEX, and to reduce work by the jurisdictions in terms of time that will no longer be spent in approving the applicants to sit for, and administering the exams.