Steps in Taking the NPTE or National Physical Therapy Exam

Any person always dream of a better life. This is the reason many work hard on their jobs to earn money and provide what their family needs. One profession that has been gaining more and more demand overseas is physical therapy. To find growth in their career and better paying jobs, these Filipino physical therapists find a greener pasture overseas, particularly in the land of milk and honey, the United States of America.

Many Filipinos are hunting for jobs in the USA for many reasons. For starters, they pay much better and work benefits are more promising. Second, immigrant workers can possibly bring their families to the United States depending on their visa type. Finally, it is a good opportunity to work while also exploring the country. For Filipino physical therapists, working in the US starts off by preparing for the NPTE or the National Physical Therapist Examination. The NPTE is their licensure exam. Once they pass, they can practice their profession in the US. The NPTE has five different sections containing fifty questions in five different sections. Fifty of these are pretested materials while the other two hundred is scored.

For Filipino physical therapists, this is a guide in taking the NPTE.

1. Know the requirements of the state (jurisdiction).
Some state may require a jurisprudence exam before an applicant can take the NPTE. The purpose for this test is to act as an evaluation whether the applicant has sufficient knowledge on the practice acts in the state they are applying. Once he or she passes this exam, the applicant can move forward to the next step.

2. Fill out the State Application Form. 
Complete this form. This form is from the licensing authority of the jurisdiction the applicant is applying for. Read all the necessary information in this form. Make sure that there are no erasures.

3. Registration 
Complete all the requirements for the registration. Credentialing is one of these. This is when the applicant’s education on physical therapy is compared and levelled with the current standards in the US. This is to make sure that the knowledge a Filipino physical therapist has is the same with that in the US. Moreover, the Test of English as a Foreign Language should be taken. Candidates should have at least a score of 26 in the speaking test and an overall score of at least 63 in the reading, listening, and writing tests. Payment for the NPTE should be addressed to the FSBPT or the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Online payment is done at www.fsbpt.org.

4. Special Accommodations
Applicants who have special needs should notify the test center for any special requests. This should be done months before the scheduled exam.

5. Approval from the jurisdiction
Once all is done, the licensing authority will notify the applicant on the approval of their eligibility and the FSBPT.

The process can take months and even years, so candidates need to work as early as possible to comply with the requirements.