Preface

Congratulations on taking the next step toward becoming a licensed Physical Therapist! Passing the National Physical Therapist Examination (NPTE) is a crucial step in obtaining licensure. This examination has reciprocity across the United States; therefore, you only need to pass it once to be licensed to practice in any state, although a separate state jurisprudence examination may be necessary to complete requirements for licensure and to practice in a specific state. Check with your state Physical Therapy Board for more information at https://www.fsbpt.org/Free-Resources/Licensing-Authorities-Contact-Information.

Preparation and success to pass the NPTE takes time and effort. Your journey to success on this difficult, comprehensive examination should begin months before your test date. Proper time management, dedication to reviewing, implementation of learning strategies, and proficient knowledge of physical therapy principles are imperative to passing the NPTE.

McGraw Hill’s National Physical Therapy Examination and Board Review will provide the necessary information to prepare for the examination, including a breakdown of the NPTE format, a comprehensive content review of all body systems, clinical tips, yellow and red flags to treatment, testing strategies, and sample questions.

In addition to studying content, understanding testing, and learning strategies, utilizing the NPTE demonstration examination provided by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and taking multiple practice examinations are critical preparation steps for success in the NPTE. McGraw Hill’s Accessphysiotherapy website is a comprehensive digital subscription product on the market for educators and physical therapy students available at https://accessphysiotherapy.mhmedical.com/. Accessphysiotherapy provides physical therapy (PT) students with instant access to videos, self-assessment, and the leading physical therapy textbooks including the FA Davis PT collection. We recommend using online resources, textbooks, and review books, such as this one, when preparing for the examination. Lecture notes from your academic program may be less effective.

The FSBPT establishes the NPTE and has published a list of the most used textbooks in DPT programs across the nation that are also used as references for examination questions. This list can be found at the following website: https://www.fsbpt.org/Secondary-Pages/Educators/Textbook-Survey-Data.

Good luck on your endeavors in this last step toward becoming a licensed physical therapist!