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 to 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.
Plan Ahead: 2008 NPTE Workshops for Faculty
April 11-12, 2008: Sheraton Chapel Hill, North Carolina
September 12-14, 2008: Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis, MN
Registration is open for both workshops and we already have one registrant for the April workshop!
Updating the Passing Standard for the National Physical Therapy Examinations (NPTE)
Because the practice of physical therapy evolves with time, the Board of Directors re-evaluates the appropriateness of the passing standards for the NPTE every five years after updating the test content outlines to reflect any changes in the scope of practice of entry-level physical therapy. This periodic review ensures that the passing standards for the NPTE-PT and NPTE-PTA accurately reflect the amount of physical therapy knowledge and skills currently required of competent entry-level professionals. The Board of Directors considers information from a variety of sources when determining what the new standards should be, such as:
Recommendations from standard-setting panels who participated in a process to establish criterion-referenced passing standards for the NPTE-PT and NPTE-PTA;
A historical record of the passing standard and annual summaries of candidate performance on the NPTE since the introduction of computer-based testing.
Anticipated changes in practice to include autonomous practice.
Changes in physical therapy educational degree requirements over the past few years, as evidenced, for example, by the number of physical therapy programs transitioning from Masters-level to doctoral degrees.
Considering these and other factors, the FSBPT Board has approved updated passing standards for the NPTE-PT and NPTE-PTA. The new standards will be implemented in conjunction with the updated NPTE-PT and NPTE-PTA content outlines and the newly assembled test forms that will be launched in March 2008.
If you have questions about the NPTE passing standards, contact Mark Lane, PT, Vice President of Professional Standards and Assessment at (800) 881-1430, extension 232.
What Students Need to Know
Effective the week of December 10, 2007, all Prometric test centers administering the NPTE began using Biometric Identity Management during a candidate’s check-in and throughout their exam. This system greatly enhances the security procedures at the test site by automating the check-in process and using biometrics to track candidate movement throughout the exam administration.
Candidates will still be required to submit two forms of identification (one current, government-issued photo ID and one ID pre-printed with the candidate’s name and containing their signature). Candidates will also continue to be fingerprinted and photographed during check-in.
With Biometric Identity Management, the candidate’s government-issued ID (driver’s license/passport) will be swiped in order to authenticate the ID and to retain scanned information. In addition, fingerprints will now be taken electronically, not only at check-in but whenever a candidate enters or leaves the test room.
The benefits of the Biometric Identity Management solution include:
Candidates experience reduced check-in times, especially for repeat test takers. Returning candidates simply need to provide their IDs and fingerprint instead of repeating the initial check-in process.
While electronically capturing the candidate’s photo ID, multiple tests are used to detect fake or falsified IDs.
Candidates use a fingerprint to begin and end breaks as well as at check-in. This provides an electronic record of a candidate’s movement during an exam administration that is much more accurate than the manual sign-in logs.
A fingerprint capture can detect potential proxy testers and prevent unauthorized access to the exam.
If you have any questions regarding these upgrades please contact Christine Sousa at (703) 739-9420, ext. 201.
This Quarter’s Question
Now that the Federation has updated the content outlines for the 2008 PT and PTA NPTE, how will that affect the Practice Exam and Assessment Tool (PEAT)?
The Federation completed its latest practice analysis in 2006 and has used that information to update the content outlines for the 2008 PT and PTA NPTE. The content outlines delineate the major content areas of the examinations. They will be used to develop the exams taken by candidates beginning March 1, 2008.
These new content outlines will also be used to develop the exams given as part of the Practice Exam and Assessment Tool (PEAT). The new PT and PTA PEAT forms will be available to candidates beginning the week of March 31, 2008.
You can review the content outlines by going to www.fsbpt.org.
