National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO)

The nbeo series of licensure exams consists of three separate parts. Part i applied basic science (abs) is a multiple-choice, computer-based exam that assesses candidates' mastery of the underlying basic science concepts necessary for entry into optometric practice. Part ii patient assessment and management (pam) examination assesses clinical thinking and decision-making, along with knowledge of diagnosis and treatment. The part ii pam exam is also a computer-based, multiple-choice exam. Continued on schedule o. Part ii pam questions frequently are shown as part of an overall case wherein candidates are given clinical information, sometimes including diagnostic images. The treatment and management of ocular disease (tmod) examination can be completed as part of part ii pam (embedded within the exam) or may be taken as a standalone examination. Part iii clinical skills exam (cse), which will be retired at the end of the 2023-2024 administrative year, is a performance-based exam wherein examinees are required to perform optometric clinical skills that reflect practice. These skills are performed at four different stations; all stations rely on standardized patients on whom the examinee performs the skills for each station. Each station is housed within an examination room that is designed to simulate real-life optometric exam rooms. The equipment, placement of materials, and room dimensions are standardized, and the nbeo follows a multilayered protocol for quality assurance throughout the examination process. Beginning in august 2024, nbeo will offer the part iii patient encounters and performance skills (peps) examination. This new, restructured part iii exam is consistent with nbeo's mission of public protection and will complement the part i and part ii exams in assessing whether candidates are qualified to enter into the independent practice of Optometry. It is the combination of these three exams that represents overall competency and ultimately enables a candidate to demonstrate the optometric knowledge and skills necessary to practice. Part iii peps has been developed to not only evaluate essential skills but also to measure a candidate's ability to apply evidence-based knowledge to patient care. The new exam moves beyond the assessment of the physical ability to perform the skill to also measure a candidate's cognitive ability to interpret the result and apply that knowledge directly to patient care.for information on these licensure exams as well as the additional exams offered by nbeo, please visit the nbeo website at www.optometry.org.