7. FSBPT To Change Testing Options For Physical Therapy Graduates

The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) has announced that it will stop using continuous testing and will begin a fixed-date administration for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). 

Continuous testing will be available for Physical Therapy graduates until June 30, 2011.  After this time, the FSBPT will administer the NPTE on three dates in 2011:

• September 7, 2011
• October 20, 2011 
• December 5, 2011

In 2012, there will be five testing dates:

• January 30, 2012
• March 29, 2012
• July 2, 2012
• July 31, 2012
• October 23, 2012

The purpose of offering the NPTE on a limited number of fixed dates is so the FSBPT can ensure that the NPTE given on a particular date will not contain previously compromised items. This change will reduce or eliminate candidates’ ability to gain a score advantage by having advance access to previous NPTE questions.

The change in procedure is a result of a Georgia court decision.  Physical therapy graduates in Georgia filed a lawsuit challenging the FSBPT’s decision to develop a version of the NPTE for physical therapy graduates from Egypt, India, Pakistan and the Philippines, known as the NPTE-i. This version of the exam was instituted due to evidence of sharing test questions by and among graduates from these countries.

On February 9, 2011, a Georgia Superior Court judge granted an injunction to three graduates of physical therapy programs in the Philippines against the Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy and the FSBPT. The injunction prohibited the Georgia State Board and the FSBPT from requiring physical therapy graduates from Egypt, India, Pakistan and the Philippines to take the NPTE-i.

For more information, visit https://www.fsbpt.org/NewsAndEvents/index.asp.