NPTE Quarterly Faculty Newsletter Volume 8, Number 4
Fourth Quarter 2011
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.
Newsletter subscriptions are free to all physical therapist and physical therapist assistant program faculty.
To subscribe, contact communications@fsbpt.org.
NOTE: Please be aware that this information is provided as an archive of faculty communications only. Therefore, some links may no longer work and testing information may be outdated. Be sure to check the "For Candidates/Licensees" section of the website for current information.
Table of Contents
2012 NPTE Workshop for Faculty schedule
There are two NPTE Workshops being given in 2012:
- March 9-11, 2012
- September 28-30, 2012
Maximum class size per workshop: 24 attendees
(There are only 11 spaces left in the March workshop!)
Location:
Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy
124 S. West Street Third Floor
Alexandria, VA 22314
Workshop Fee: $545
Purpose
This workshop is designed to provide faculty members with an increased knowledge of the National Physical Therapy Examination program, which may benefit their program and students.
Agenda
The workshop runs for 2 ½ days, from 7:45 AM – 5:00 PM Friday and Saturday and 7:45 AM – 12:00 PM on Sunday.
For more information or to register for a workshop, go to https://www.fsbpt.org/NewsAndEvents/NPTEWS2012/.
New Managing Director of Assessment arrives
Lorin Mueller, PhD, arrived last month to become the Managing Director of Assessment, which oversees the development and maintenance of the PT and PTA National Physical Therapy Examinations (NPTE). No small feat these days!
Prior to accepting this position, Dr. Mueller was Principal Research Scientist at AIR where he spent 10 years. Dr. Mueller has contributed his expertise in statistics, research design, and measurement to projects in a wide variety of areas, including high-stakes test development, workforce development surveys, employee selection, work disability assessment, K-12 assessment, assessing students with cognitive disabilities, teacher knowledge, teacher performance evaluation, and school climate.
Dr. Mueller is a nationally-recognized expert in the field of setting standards for occupational assessments and has published or presented in nearly all of the areas he has worked.
Dr. Mueller received his doctorate from the University of Houston, where he studied Industrial and Organizational Psychology with a specialization in statistics and measurement, with his masters and dissertation work in the area of organizational climate.
We send fond wishes to Cindy Searcy, PhD, former Managing Director of Assessment, who, during her tenure with FSBPT, was instrumental in the NPTE program obtaining accreditation by Buros.
Her leadership ensured that the exam continued to provide a reliable and valid measure of entry-level competence despite the continuing and daunting challenges of cheating through the recall of NPTE test items.
Fun fact: Lorin worked with Cindy at AIR and took over some of her projects there when she came to the Federation.
PLAN (Planned Learning and Assistance Network) at CSM
Visit the FCCPT (Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy) booth in the CSM exhibit hall to learn more about participating in the Planned Learning and Assistance Network (PLAN). PLAN connects foreign educated physical therapists (FEPT) with physical therapy academic programs for professional education courses that are needed to become substantially equivalent to the U.S. educated physical therapist.
Many of you are already a part of the PLAN program, so please drop by with your questions and suggestions. We also welcome those of you who are not yet involved, but who may be interested in learning more about the academic opportunities for your program.
The purpose of PLAN is to assist those FEPT who have academic content deficiencies based on their credential evaluation by providing a list of potential academic resources to fulfill their required physical therapy content.
Transitional DPT distance education programs provide the most convenient situation for both the academic program and the FEPT. Advantages to the physical therapy program include: 1) support a mission of educating international students; 2) enhance cultural diversity; 3) tuition funds; 4) financial support to continue t-DPT courses as the degree program may be discontinued; and, 5) a PLAN counselor acts as a liaison between the academic institution and the FEPT.
USMLE program limits exam attempts
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Program is introducing a limit on the total number of times an examinee can take the same Step or Step Component.
When this limit takes effect, an examinee will be ineligible to take a Step or Step Component if the examinee has made six or more prior attempts to pass that Step or Step Component, including incomplete attempts.
For more detailed information, consult the "Announcements" section of the USMLE website at www.usmle.org.
APTA National Student Conclave
FSBPT participated in the APTA National Student Conclave (NCS) in Minneapolis October 21-22 as an exhibitor, and representatives of FSBPT were featured speakers at this event.
While in the NCS Exhibit Hall, FSBPT staff and volunteers made contact with nearly 600 PT and PTA students from many different programs. Information was shared with the students about the NPTE including the fixed dates for 2012, the Practice Exam and Assessment Tool (PEAT), and helpful test-taking tips. Additionally the students were introduced to aPTitude, the online physical therapy continuing competence system, as a free resource for recording and storing information on their continuing competence activities once they are licensed.
Also during NCS Kathy Fleischaker, FSBPT Treasurer, delivered an unopposed presentation on the NPTE and Mark Lane, Vice President, met with the newly elected Board of Directors of the APTA Student Assembly.
FSBPT job announcement: Assessment Senior Content Analyst
The Federation has an opening for an Assessment Senior Content Analyst to work in its Alexandria, Virginia office.
- This position could be filled by one full-time or two part-time physical therapists.
Job description: Provides physical therapy expertise in the development and maintenance of the National Physical Therapy Examination and related assessments. Conducts ongoing research to ensure that operational items include fresh/valid content. Reviews items and test forms for accuracy, clarity and appropriateness. Reviews current research to determine the evidence base for test questions. Monitors the item bank to determine the need for new items. Provides physical therapy content expertise to item development and review workshops.
Education: Must be a currently licensed physical therapist.
Experience: Minimum of three full-time years’ physical therapy practice experience. Experience in exam development and technology strongly preferred.
To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to careers@fsbpt.org.
What Students Need to Know: What to do if students can’t test at their preferred site
Students should make sure they schedule an appointment for a test site that they’d be willing to travel to; this ensures that they have a seat. After that, they can routinely check Prometric’s website’s seat availability tool to see if seating opens up at a more desirable location.
If students find a test site they like better, they can decide whether to reschedule their appointment with Prometric (there is a fee for this). They will receive a new confirmation of their appointment if they reschedule.
Prometric seat availability tool: Go to www.prometric.com/fsbpt, click on “locate a test center,” and choose “search for seat availability.”
Please remind students that if they choose not to test, they need to submit a Withdrawal Request by their approved test date.
This Quarter’s Question
When do the new versions of the NPTE come out?
We’ve completed the practice analyses for both the PT and PTA NPTEs to ensure that their content reflects current entry-level knowledge and skills. The board of directors approved the new test content outlines at their December 2011 meeting. Our next steps are to post the revised content outlines on the website, set standards on the new test content and familiarize the teaching community with the revision.
New versions of the NPTE that reflect the new content and standards will come out in 2013.