National Physical Therapy Exam
The National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) assesses the ability of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to provide physical therapy for clients. The NPTE test is just one of the requirements needed to obtain a license to practice physical therapy. The test is administered after a candidate has completed an accredited program to assess her competence at an entry level. The NPTE test is offered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT).
Whether or not you are eligible to sit for the NPTE test depends on the licensing authority in your jurisdiction. To apply, you will need to obtain an application from your licensing authority and submit it, along with the $370 test fee. If your licensing authority approves your application, they will notify FSBPT and you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) letter. You will need to register for the NPTE test online or via telephone during your period of eligibility. You will need to pay a testing fee to Prometric, the test administrator. For physical therapists, the fee is $70.60. For physical therapist assistants, the fee is $55.60. It is best to schedule the NPTE test as soon as you can, so you do not miss your window of eligibility. If you miss it, you will need to complete the eligibility process again.
On the day of the NPTE test, you will need to arrive at the testing center 30 minutes early and bring two forms of ID. One must contain a signature, and the other must contain both a photo and a signature. You will also be photographed and fingerprinted. You will not be allowed to bring any personal items into the NPTE test area. Anything you bring will need to be stored in a personal locker. You will be provided with scratch paper.
The NPTE test is computer-based. The physical therapist test has 250 multiple-choice questions that must be completed within five hours. The physical therapist assistant test consists of 200 questions that must be completed in four hours. The test is broken down into sections of 50 questions each. The physical therapist version of the NPTE test consists of four areas:
- Clinical application of foundational sciences (29 questions);
- Foundations for evaluation,
- Differential diagnosis, and prognosis (73 questions);
- Therapeutic modalities,
- Equipment, and devices (59 questions), and;
- Professional roles, teaching/learning, and research and evidence-based practice (39 questions).
Each section of the NPTE test focuses on bodily systems such as cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, integumentary, metabolic, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary. Within each of these systems, you will need to be familiar with the anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, functioning, applications, interventions, and effects of exercise and other activity. The physical therapist assistant version of the NPTE test includes the same areas as the physical therapist version except for the foundations for evaluation, differential diagnosis, and prognosis areas.
The NPTE test includes scheduled and unscheduled breaks. The scoring is done through FSBPT, which sends your score to the appropriate licensing authority. The licensing authority then decides if you have passed the NPTE test and met all the requirements for your jurisdiction. If you have not passed, you are allowed to re-take the test based on the guidelines of your jurisdiction.