PT Final Exam: The Essentials of NPTE Preparation

An Awesome Resource for Students Preparing for the NPTE

Copyright © 2014 PT Final Exam
Plan
• The NPTE and the format of the exam
• Content covered on the exam
• How to study for the NPTE
• How to pass the NPTE
• How to fail the NPTE
• A couple of practice questions
• Final thoughts and special offer
• Q&A

About Me
• Graduate 2011 from #15 University of Utah
• Practice in a rural hospital that includes outpatient, orthopedic, geriatric,
pediatric, sports, inpatient, long-term SNF, home health, and wound care.
• Began PT Final Exam in 2012—dedicated to being a resource for the NPTE
and helping students succeed

NPTE
• National PhysicalTherapy Exam administered by the FSBPT.
• Eligibility: Meet the conditions required for your state.
• Many states allow PT students to test before their graduation date
• Foreign-trained students must submit their credentials for review by the state
authority
• Some states limit the number of attempts
• Computer-based competence test

NPTE Format
• Computer based
• Multiple choice—4 options, no “all of the above” or “none of the above.”
• 5 sections—You are allowed 1 scheduled break after section two (clock stops), and 3
additional unscheduled breaks between the other sections (clock DOES NOT stop)
• 200 scored items
• 600/800 Scale Score required (75%)
• The FSBPT describes a type of curved scoring depending on the difficulty of the exam. This
makes the test more sensitive to students right around the 600 mark and allows for an 800
score without answering every question correctly.

NPTE Content
• You must read and understand the FSBPT Content Outline
• https://www.fsbpt.org/download/ContentOutline_2013PTT_201212.pdf
• I created a Study Outline (free) that helps flesh out the Content Outline
• Large emphasis placed on Musculoskeletal (30.5%) and Neuromuscular
(25%)

How to Study
• Scorebuilders
• Therapy Ed
• Therapy Exam Prep
• PT Final Exam (my favorite)

How to Study
• Make a plan
• Number 1 mistake by students is to not have a written plan
• Make a list of your top 10 weaknesses based on the Study Outline
• Organize your time
• Devote a specific amount of time each day to studying the material
• Find support
• Get a study partner/accountability partner
• Report your progress and be accountable

How to Study
• Join a class
• Scorebuilders andTherapy Ed both have 2 day review classes
• Therapy Exam Prep has a 3 month forum and video-based program
• TherapyTeam has a live 9-day class ($1000)
• Mastermind Study group
• 6 weeks of accountable learning
• Several large assignments meant to help you focus your time
• 5 live interactive webinars (60-90 minutes)
• Personal attention via email, phone, or skype

How to Study
• Know everything
• Take at least 4 practice exams in a “test environment”
• Same time, similar pace, don’t look at the answers until you’re done
• Use the PEAT’s as a gauge for your progress
• Report to someone your progress—be accountable

How to Pass the Exam
• Know the material well, especially the basics
• Basic anatomy and function are essential for many questions
• You’ll get questions that require you to ponder deeply muscles and muscle forces
• Keep cool
• Decrease test anxiety with preparation
• Use the “Will Crane Fist Pump”

How to Pass the Exam
• Use time effectively
• Both with study and on the test
• Pass at least 1-3 practice exams
• Stay inspired
• Keep in mind why you’re doing this

How to Fail the Exam
• These attributes are paraphrased from emails from students who did not
pass the exam. My intention is not to make fun, but I want you to learn from
their mistakes.

• I only took only 1 practice exam a few days before the exam
• I graduated 3 years ago and just wanted to see if I could pass
• I failed once, did not study much afterwards, and failed again
• I focused my time on one section and did not study musculoskeletal because
“I knew it”

• I forgot that there were only 5 sections
• I moved apartments and changed jobs 2 weeks before the exam
• I got mad at the FSBPT for writing hard questions rather than studying the
material
• I used a review book and did some light reading

• I overestimated my knowledge/underestimated the test
• I didn’t have time to study
• I thought that the curved grading system would save me

Practice Question 1
• A patient who has just had back surgery has significant quad weakness on the right
lower leg. While examining the patient’s gait from initial contact through the
loading response, which of the following anomalies will MOST likely be present?
1. Excessive hip abduction
2. Increased knee flexion
3. Increased trunk forward flexion
4. Increased dorsiflexion

Practice Question 1 Answer
A patient who has just had back surgery has significant quad weakness on the right lower leg.
While examining the patient’s gait from initial contact through the loading response, which of
the following anomalies will MOST likely be present?
• 3. Increased trunk flexion
• Weak quads mean that the normal loading response is altered. The patient could not
tolerate any knee flexion or they would collapse to the floor. Thus, they will lock the knee,
and the easiest way to prevent the quads from firing is to shift the body weight forward
onto straight leg, relying on the passive structures of the knee to maintain the extension,
rather than relying on quadricep strength.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMu1KGXgW0M

Practice Question 2
While examining a patient, a physical therapist notes hypomobility of the patient’s
talocrural joint of the right foot, limiting movement into dorsiflexion completely.
Which of the following gait patterns will most likely be observed due to this
impairment?
1. Steppage gait
2. Double step gait
3. Trendelenburg gait
4. Circumduction gait

Practice Question 2 Answer
• While examining a patient, a physical therapist notes hypomobility of the patient’s talocrural joint of the right foot,
limiting dorsiflexion completely. Which of the following gait patterns will most likely be observed due to this impairment?
1. Steppage gait is a gait pattern of increased knee and hip flexion to avoid catching the toe on the ground during swing
phase. This is typically due to foot drop.
2. This is the correct answer. Double step gait is a pattern that is defined by different alternating step lengths.
Because of the stiffness of the talocrural joint, the stance phase will be limited during midstance and will therefore
decrease the step length of the opposite limb.
3. Trendelenburg gait is a gait pattern where the contralateral hip drops during stance phase and is usually due to hip
abductor weakness.
4. Circumduction gait is a gait pattern where the limb swings laterally during swing phase and is typically due to a stiff
knee or increased leg length.

How to Answer Questions
• Read, read, read the question
• For topic, key words, and specific “what is it asking”
• Formulate an answer without looking at the answers
• Read through the options, eliminating the incorrect ones
• Mark down the best answer
• Be wary of “flagging” a question to return—you won’t have time or you’ll
“take the test twice”

FinalThoughts
• Organize your time
• Review all of the material
• Focus on your weaknesses
• Be accountable

Special Offer
• Over 8 hours of recorded video lectures from the Mastermind Study Group
• Over 200 practice questions
• Over 200 pages of study notes and materials in outline form
• Selling for $249—already a great deal!
• Use the discount code “facebookpromo” to get $50 off!

Questions?
• Will Crane admin@ptfinalexam.com
• https://www.ptfinalexam.com
• Reserve your spot in the Mastermind Study Group—limited spots available!

PT Final Exam: The Essentials of NPTE Preparation

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PT Final Exam: The Essentials of NPTE Preparation