The National Physical Therapy Exam Presented by Courtney Woytovich PT, DPT, ATC

Objectives Following this session, participants will be able to: Identify the requirements of the state in which they wish to practice and complete their NPTE registration process  Choose study materials that best suit their needs Create a realistic timeline for studying  Pass the exam “on the first try”

Step 1: Pick your date Test Date Registration & Payment Deadline Jurisdiction Approval Deadline Seats are reserved for candidates until: Scores Reported to Jurisdictions Free Candidate Report Available Online January 28 December 23 January 2 January 14 February 4 February 11 April 29 March 25 April 1 April 15 May 6 May 13 July 21 & 22 June 16 June 23 July 7 July 29 August 5 October 28 September 23 September 30 October 14 November 4 November 12

Step 2: Register 1. Go to fsbpt.org 2. Click “National Exam” under “Register Now” on right side of the screen 3. Complete steps 1-6 to register and pay for the exam ($400) 4. Go to your state licensing authority website to print, fill out, and return your licensure application to the state board. You may be required to send a portion of the application to your school. Some states also require you to register for a jurisprudence exam. 5. Receive the Authorization to Test Letter from fsbpt.org (this will take a few weeks) 6. Follow the link through the ATT letter to pick your date and testing site

Step 3: Now what?

NPTE Study Materials ScoreBuilders: PTEXAM, The Complete Study Guide O’Sullivan: National Physical Therapy Examination: Review & Study Guide 2014 NPTE Exam Prep Team: NPTE Secrets Study Guide

Timeline Aim for 10-12 weeks of studying ScoreBuilders PT Exam: Complete Study guide ~45 pages of introductory material regarding the exam format ~645 pages of studying content 3 full practice exams 645 pages / 70 days = ~9 pages of material per day for 10 weeks This leaves two weeks for intro material, practice exams, and review of problem areas

Study vs Review Consider the difference between studying/learning and reviewing material Time constraints + Amount of material = Pick your battles

Exam Set-Up 5 sections of 50 questions = 250 questions in a five-hour time period 50 are randomly dropped Each question will fit into two categories System Specific Summary Content Outline Summary One scheduled break after section 2 Additional breaks at the end of sections will not stop the exam clock

Systems Percentage Question Range Musculoskeletal 30.5 59-63 Neuromuscular & Nervous 25.0 48-52 Cardio/Pulm & Lymphatic 16.5 32-35 Integumentary 5.0 9-12 Metabolic and Endocrine 3.5 7-9 Gastrointestinal 1.5 3-5 Genitourinary 2.0 3-6 System Interactions 6-8 Equipment and Devices 2.5 5-6 Therapeutic Modalities Safety and Protection 4-5 Professional Responsibilities 3-4 Research and EBP

Example A 22yo male s/p TBI receives PT services in a rehabilitation hospital. The patient is presently functioning at Rancho Los Amigos level VI. The patient has progressed well in therapy, however, has been bothered by diplopia. Which treatment strategy would be the MOST effective to address diplopia? 1. provide non-verbal instructions within the patient’s direct line of sight 2. place a patch over one of the patient’s eyes 3. ask the patient to turn his head to one side when he experiences diplopia 4. instruct the patient to carefully focus on a single object

Pick the relevant information A 22yo male s/p TBI receives PT services in a rehabilitation hospital. The patient is presently functioning at Rancho Los Amigos level VI. The patient has progressed well in therapy, however, has been bothered by diplopia. Which treatment strategy would be the MOST effective to address diplopia?

Eliminate 1-2 answers 1. provide non-verbal instructions within the patient’s direct line of sight 2. place a patch over one of the patient’s eyes 3. ask the patient to turn his head to one side when he experiences diplopia 4. instruct the patient to carefully focus on a single object

1. provide non-verbal instructions within the patient’s direct line of sight 2. place a patch over one of the patient’s eyes 3. ask the patient to turn his head to one side when he experiences diplopia 4. instruct the patient to carefully focus on a single object System specific: Neuromuscular and nervous systems Content outline: Interventions *ScoreBuilders also provides an explanation for why each answer is correct or incorrect

On the day of the exam… Arrive ~15 minutes early Bring your driver’s license and another form of signed ID Metal detector, fingerprint scanner, locker for belongings Seated in a cubicle with optional headphones Proctors monitor testing site Must sign out/in each time you leave testing room

And now you wait… After you take the exam, scores are reported to your state in ~1 week You can go to fsbpt.org and view the “status of your registration” About 1 week after the exam, you will see that your status has changed to “scores received” Depending on your state, your screen will say “scores received, passed” or just “scores received”. If it says “scores received”, you must wait until you receive your actual test score from the state which can take an addition 1-2 weeks

After you find out that you passed… Obtain your NPI Number National Provider Identifier Number https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do Follow the steps to create a login and register as an individual Receive an email with your NPI number. Print this form as this number will stay with you for your entire career

Resources www.fsbpt.org PTEXAM The Complete Study Guide by Scott M. Giles https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do

Questions?