NBEO 2022 Changes and Announcements

NBEO 2022 Changes and Announcements

Released: January 13, 2022

The National Board of Examiners in Optometry® (NBEO) expresses sincere appreciation to all who assisted in fulfilling our mission in 2021, which was a challenging year for many. As we begin 2022 with optimism, we share the following updates.

COVID-19
As did most places of business, NBEO has implemented numerous health and safety protocols over the past two years to prevent the spread of the coronavirus between any individuals visiting the National Center of Clinical Testing in Optometry (NCCTO). These measures have ranged from nightly fogging with a virucide to recently providing KN95/N95 masks for staff and test candidates. In addition, we engaged an independent health and safety consulting firm providing environmental risk and compliance management services to review our protocols and mitigation efforts. We are proud to report that there were no additional recommendations from this review. We are even more pleased to say that we are not aware of any instance where an individual contracted COVID-19 through interactions at the NCCTO.

This level of preparedness and discipline was not without cost, however. Like other businesses, our operating expenses have increased dramatically over the past year because of the inflationary increases we have all experienced. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the 2021 inflation rate in the U.S. for the 12 months ending December 2021 is 7.0 percent and the highest since June 1982. NBEO’s priority is the safety of our candidates and employees, and we remain committed to providing a safe testing environment.

Departing NBEO Board Members
At the end of 2021, Dr. Elizabeth Hoppe and Dr. Jerry Richt completed their second terms as members of the NBEO Board of Directors and rotated off the board. We are very appreciative of their time and dedication to the mission of NBEO over the last eight years.

New NBEO Board Members
NBEO is pleased to welcome two new members to its board of directors with four-year terms that began on January 1, 2022: Dr. Joshua Baker and Dr. Patrick O’Neill. Dr. Baker is the Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Optometry, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Education at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. Dr. O’Neill is a past-president of the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry and currently serves on the Minnesota State Board of Optometry.

Part I, II, and III examination fees to increase for exams administered August 2022 and thereafter
As stated above, NBEO has experienced unrivaled increases in operating expenses due to inflation and other increased costs as compared to prior years. NBEO remains focused on responsibly delivering the highest quality optometric examinations to best serve the public while balancing organizational expenses. As such, its leadership annually reviews the examination fee structure during its comprehensive financial review. As a result of the most recent review, exam fees will increase by $75 for the Part I, II, and III examinations effective for exams administered August 1, 2022, and after. Each examination requires the combined efforts of many subject matter experts, NBEO leadership and staff, as well as outside vendor relationships. NBEO absorbs costs at every level of examination development and administration. NBEO’s leadership will continue to make all efforts to control costs without compromising exam quality.

The table below shows the examinations impacted in 2022.

NBEO Part Examination	Does Not Apply	Applies
Part I ABS®	March 2022	August 2022 and test dates thereafter
Part II PAM®	April 2022	December 2022 and test dates thereafter
Part III CSE®	August 1, 2021 - July 31, 2022	August 1, 2022 and test dates thereafter

Fourth Administrative Year for Laser and Surgical Procedures Examination
The Laser and Surgical Procedures Examination (LPSE™) is designed to assess optometric cognitive ability to appropriately manage and perform certain laser and surgical skills. LPSE will be entering its fourth administrative year beginning August 2022, with registration opening in February 2022. For more information about this exam, click here.

Part III Restructure: Patient Encounters and Performance Skills (PEPS) Examination
Consistent progress is continuing in the development of PEPS, the new Part III examination. Last year, we focused on case scenario development and creation of the software platform for the examination. This new exam will complement the Part I ABS® and Part II PAM® exams in assessing a candidate’s competency for initial licensure for the independent practice of optometry. For more information and to see a short video about PEPS, click here.

We appreciate your understanding and ongoing support, and we look forward to working with you in 2022. Questions may be sent to nbeo@optometry.org