Admission to the bar in the United States is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in the jurisdiction and before those courts. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission, which can lead to different admission standards among states. In most cases, a person is "admitted" or "called" to the bar of the highest court in the jurisdiction and is thereby authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction. Federal courts, although often overlapping in admission standards with states, set their own requirements for practice in each of those courts.
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, also referred to as the Engineer in Training (EIT) exam, and formerly in some states as the Engineering Intern (EI) exam, is the first of two examinations that engineers must pass in order to be licensed as a Professional Engineer (PE) in the United States. The second examination is Principles and Practice of Engineering Examination. The FE exam is open to anyone with a degree in engineering or a related field, or currently enrolled in the last year of an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited engineering degree program. Some state licensure boards permit students to take it prior to their final year, and numerous states allow those who have never attended an approved program to take the exam if they have a state-determined number of years of work experience in engineering. Some states allow those with ABET-accredited "Engineering Technology" or "ETAC" degrees to take the examination. The state of Michigan has no admission pre-requisites for the FE. The exam is administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a three-step examination program for medical licensure in the United States sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) that physicians with a medical degree and international medical graduates must pass after successful completion of medical training to receive their medical license and begin practicing medicine.
There are a number of professional degrees in dentistry offered by dental schools in various countries around the world.
The Western Regional Examining Board (WREB) is one of five examination agencies for dentists and dental hygienists in the United States. The other examination agencies are, Council of Interstate Testing Agencies, Central Regional Dental Testing Service, Northeast Regional Board of Dental Examiners, Southern Regional Testing Agency. These were organized to better standardize clinical exams for licensure.
Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS) is one of five examination agencies for dentists in the United States. The other examination agencies are, West Regional Examining Board, Northeast Regional Board of Dental Examiners, Southern Regional Testing Agency, and Council of Interstate Testing Agencies. These were organized to standardize clinical exams for licensure.
The Commission on Dental Competency Assessments is one of five examination agencies for dentists in the United States. The other examination agencies are the Western Regional Examining Board, the Central Regional Dental Testing Service, the Council of Interstate Testing Agencies, Inc. and the Southern Regional Testing Agency. These were organized to better standardize clinical exams for licensure. Historically each state had its own independent licensing exam.
The USMLE Step 1 is the first part of the United States Medical Licensing Examination. It aims to assess whether medical school students or graduates can apply important concepts of the foundational sciences fundamental to the practice of medicine. US medical students who wish to seek licensure to practice medicine in the US typically take Step 1 at the end of the second year of medical school. Graduates of international medical schools must also take Step 1 if they want to practice in the US. Graduates from international medical schools must apply through ECFMG, and the registration fee is $915. For 2020, the NBME registration fee for the test is $645, with additional charges for applicants who choose a testing region outside the United States or Canada.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) is a licensure for mental health professionals in some countries.
National Board Dental Examination(NBDE) is the United States national dental examination for students and professionals in dentistry. It is required for licensure in the United States and may also be required when applying for postgraduate studies in dental specialities after completing a dental degree. Foreign-trained dentists also must take the NBDE in order to earn admission into advanced standing programs in US dental schools.
The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) is a non-profit national and international testing organization for the chiropractic profession that develops, administers, analyzes, scores, and reports results from various examinations. Examinations are offered to students at chiropractic colleges accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE). The NBCE maintains its headquarters in Greeley, Colorado. The organization was established in 1963 to standardize chiropractic testing requirements as opposed to each state having its own board exam. Since 1963, all but one of states have adopted the passage of Parts I-IV; however, each state has its own licensing requirements in addition to the NBCE exams.
Dentistry throughout the world is practiced differently, and training in dentistry varies as well.
The Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination is a 500-item multiple choice exam to test basic nursing level competency which considers the objectives of the nursing curriculum, the broad areas of nursing and other related disciplines and competencies. It is held every June and December annually in various public schools throughout the Philippines. Room assignment for the exams are posted outside the Professional Regulation Commission building at least three days before the exam.
The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) of the United States is a national non-profit organization that represents the 71 state medical and osteopathic boards of the United States and its territories and co-sponsors the United States Medical Licensing Examination. Medical boards license physicians, investigate complaints, discipline those who violate the law, conduct physician evaluations, and facilitate the rehabilitation of physicians where appropriate. The FSMB's mission calls for "continual improvement in the quality, safety and integrity of health care through the development and promotion of high standards for physician licensure and practice."
The practice of dentistry in Canada is overseen by the National Dental Examining Board of Canada in conjunction with other agencies, such as the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada and the Royal College of Dentists of Canada. In 2013 there were 21,109 dentists in Canada according to the Canadian Dental Association.
The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), founded in 1915, is a United States non-profit which develops and manages assessments of health care professionals. Known for its role in developing the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in partnership with the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), USMLE examinations for medical students and residents are used by medical licensing authorities in the U.S. to help determine qualifications to grant and recognize medical licenses. NBME also creates assessments and materials that are used by medical students, medical educators, practicing physicians, and for state testing of physicians already holding licenses.
The practice of dentistry in the United States is overseen by several agencies, including the American Dental Association, the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and the regional boards. Ultimate licensure is the responsibility of individual states. There are roughly 190,000 practicing dentists in the United States.
Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA) is one of five examination agencies for dentists in the United States. The other examination agencies are, Central Regional Dental Testing Service, West Regional Examining Board, Northeast Regional Board of Dental Examiners, and Southern Regional Testing Agency. These were organized to standardize clinical exams for licensure. The CITA examination is recognized for licensure in a total of twenty-six (26) states/territories.
Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are registered nurses with graduate degrees in nursing. APRN roles include: certified nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, and nurse practitioner. APRNs assess, diagnose, manage patient medical problems, order diagnostic tests, and prescribe medications. Rules, regulations, and credentialing for APRNs vary by state. This page outlines the regulatory processes for nurse practitioners in Wisconsin, including education, certification, licensing, and credentialing. Regulatory and credentialing processes are continuously changing, and the information contained on this page is current as of November 2015.
Bar examinations in the United States are examinations administered to candidates for admission to the bar in U.S. states and territories. Bar exams are administered by states or territories, generally by agencies under the authority of state supreme courts. Bar examinations are currently required for admission to the bar in all U.S. jurisdictions except Wisconsin. Almost all states use some examination components created by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). 41 jurisdictions have adopted the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which is composed entirely of NCBE-created components.
