The NPTE Quarterly Faculty Newsletter is published by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) as one mechanism to communicate with faculty in physical therapist and physical therapist assistant programs. This effort to provide ongoing communication includes current information and updates on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as information on other regulatory issues that might impact or be of interest for program faculty. Subscription to the newsletter is free to all physical therapist and physical therapist assistant program faculty. Please contact communications@fsbpt.org for subscription information, feedback and comments.
Every five years, FSBPT conducts an analysis of practice to ensure that the NPTE measures the knowledge and skills currently required for safe and effective practice as an entry-level PT or PTA. As part of the practice analysis currently being conducted, a nationwide sample of approximately 20,000 PTs and PTAs were asked this summer to participate in a survey about the tasks performed and knowledge required by entry-level practitioners. The survey was completed in August, and the data collected from participants are being analyzed. Based on these analyses, updated test specifications for the NPTE are being drafted.
At meetings scheduled for mid to late October, PTs and PTAs serving on practice analysis task forces will review and finalize the test specifications. They will check to be sure that critical knowledge areas and activities are appropriately linked in the test specifications and that the knowledge areas are appropriately weighted on the examinations. In addition, an oversight panel of six physical therapy professionals who are knowledgeable about the NPTE will meet in October. The purpose of the oversight panel is to provide guidance to project staff and PT and PTA task force members as they carry out their responsibilities.
In November, a group of policymakers will meet to review the test specifications in light of environmental or policy issues expected to influence entry-level practice within the next five years. The group will provide recommendations regarding factors pertaining to public protection that might influence the appropriateness of the updated test specifications.
The practice analysis will be complete once the test specifications have been finalized, but the process of updating the NPTE will continue. New test forms will be assembled to measure the updated test specifications over the coming year, and the updated examinations will be launched in March 2008.
Do You Agree with a Faculty Advisory Task Force Recommendation?
One of the areas the faculty advisory task force looked at was the content of the school reports. They suggested adding some relevant information and deleting some “irrelevant” information. One of the data points they suggested eliminating was the “ALL” pass rate. This is the pass rate of all the tests taken by graduates of a particular program including first time and retakes. It does not differentiate between different retakes. No one on the task force used this information and they were unable to come up with any good use for it. Have you ever used the “ALL” data? If so, we want to hear from you. Please contact Mark Lane.
FSBPT Continues to Meet with Faculty at the State Level
If you and fellow programs within your state or region are interested in having the FSBPT come and address your faculty at a joint meeting on different licensing exam issues, contact Mark Lane. The Federation has conducted several of these visits and the response has been very favorable. These visits will be provided on a first come, first serve basis.
One More NPTE Faculty Workshop in 2006
FSBPT has received a very positive response to our faculty workshops. Because of this, we are offering several during the year at various regions throughout the country. These workshops include a day of learning how to write and analyze multiple choice questions and a day of general information on the NPTE including how to read and utilize school report information.
If you missed the workshops in Ft. Lauderdale or Portland, Oregon, there is one more opportunity this year - November 3-4, 2006 in Scottsdale, AZ. Registration information is available online at www.fsbpt.org.
What Students Need to Know
Often we’re asked about what identification will be required at the test site on the day of the exam. This is very important because candidates without the proper identification will not be permitted to test will be required to withdraw their registration, pay a processing fee, and will have to re-register for the exam. In order to ensure a smooth check-in, students should keep the following in mind when planning for their exam day:
The check-in process takes some time. Students must arrive 30 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment.
Two forms of identification are required at the test site. The first must be a currently valid, government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport. The second form of ID must be preprinted with the student’s name and contain his or her signature, such as a credit card. A social security card is not an acceptable form of identification.
The first and last name on both forms of ID must exactly match the first and last name on the Authorization to Test letter issued by FSBPT. Students should notify FSBPT of any name changes as soon as possible to avoid problems at the test center.
Finally, if a student is unsure about one or both of their IDs, their best bet is contact the FSBPT prior to their exam date to confirm that what they have is acceptable.
This Quarter’s Questions
Currently, the NPTE contains questions that include graphics. Does the Federation have plans to add other testing technologies such as “hot spots” or video?
The Federation has been exploring other testing formats for some time. While we have the technical capabilities of utilizing these formats, we are not planning on adding these types of test questions in the immediate future. These types of questions create a host of additional issues and complexities. For example, a question that requires the examinee to review to a video clip of a gait pattern and determine the dysfunction may seem like the perfect question for a physical therapy licensing examination. However, before such a question can be used, several issues have to be addressed. How much time needs to be allowed for a question that requires the viewing of a video as compared to a standard multiple choice question? How many times should the candidate be allowed to re-run the video? Is the video clip clear enough that all candidates are able to see the action taking place clearly? How does one account for the psychometric differences between the video question and other questions?
Another reason we are waiting prior to implementing additional test question formats is to continue to allow our tests to remain stable for a period of time before implementing any significant test format changes.
In spite of these factors, we do believe there may be some advantages to utilizing different test formats at some point in the future and will continue to review the literature and address the questions mentioned above. Ultimately, it is critical to determine whether or not these additional test formats provide us with better information related to the competency of the entry-level physical therapist.
