In order to participate in the Capstone Exam, you must read and agree to the following terms. Failure to comply with any part of these ethical and professional standards may result in forfeiting your right to complete the exam, and proceed with certification. Your check box during your registration process confirms your agreement to these terms.
Confidentiality: Once you access your exam, its content and your subsequent answers are to remain confidential and private. This confidentiality is requested throughout the exam process and after your completion of the exam. Sharing questions and/or answers with colleagues (regardless of their affiliation with the ICPA) is unacceptable. Taking the exam with others is prohibited.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism will NOT be tolerated. If your work is found to be plagiarized from any source including the internet, taken from another candidate's exam, and/or taken from the notes without citation, you will fail the exam. It is expected that your responses will be utilizing the academic and/or clinical material covered in class and in your notes, combined with your own clinical experience and research. It is important that your answers be your original work, in your own words. Extracts from your sources are not considered as your own work. In the instance where you may use quotes, sources and authors must be provided.
Citations: At a minimum, the course notes from at least one ICPA course should be used for each answer. Using notes from multiple courses and sources outside the ICPA material is encouraged. The required citing is in NLM Format (National Library of Medicine).
Exam Fee: The exam is $500 USD and is non-refundable. The exam fee is waived when you purchase the Pediatric bundle.
Exam Eligibility: DC members who have completed all classroom requirements and have passed all Multiple Choice exams are eligible to apply for the Capstone Exam. Students are not eligible to take the exam.
Deadlines: All candidates will receive 90 days to finish the exam. Your due date will be listed on the Pediatric tab in your account.
Late Exams: Late exams will be considered a failed grade unless you request and receive a special exception, in writing, to the exam coordinator . If you do not turn your exam in by the (initial or extended) due date, your exam will be filed as a “failure for non-return.” This means you will need to re-register for the exam and start the exam process from the beginning.
Exam Extensions: You can request up to (3) 30-day extensions. You must make this request in your account prior to the exam due date. Extensions are $50 each.
Grading: Your exam is submitted to a member of the ICPA Pediatric Council grading team. An 80% or higher is considered a passing grade, and you need to score 80% on each essay. Examiners provide feedback on all essays that do not receive a perfect score.
Notification of Passed Results: You will be notified of your final grade via email within 90 days of the date the test was received by the exam coordinator.
Notification of Failed Results and Exam Retake: If you do not pass the exam, you will be made aware of the unsatisfactory submitted questions and answers. You have 30 days from the date you are notified of your failed exam to register for your retake. This 30-day time frame is for you to review the feedback provided by the grading team, and submit any questions you may have from the grader feedback to the exam coordinator. Each question that receives a failing grade must be retaken. You must retake all failed questions at the same time. You have 90 days to complete your retake, there are no extensions. You should use the feedback the graders provided on your first attempt to strengthen your answers. The retake fee is $50 per question.
Once you have passed the Capstone Exam and your account has been checked by the Certification coordinator to confirm you have completed all requirements, you will have earned your Certification from the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics.
Outstanding payment balances must be reconciled before certification status is achieved.
These terms and conditions are subject to change without notice, from time to time in our sole discretion. Please refer back to this page for updates.
