Every three months, the question pops up again on social media: How should you study for the NPTE? The exam, also known as the boards for PTs, is officially known as the National Physical Therapy Examination, and given by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Passing it is required to practice as a physical therapist in the United States, and the test can only be taken on certain dates (that involve pre-registration) every three months.
While everyone’s study journey is a little different, I wanted to share mine with you in the hopes of offering up some suggestions:
- Create a schedule. This will help you know where to focus your time. Orthopedics, neuroscience, and cardiopulmonology comprise the vast majority of the test, so that should be where the bulk of your attention goes. It’s important to study everything, but don’t spend hours on the genitourinary system since it comprises less than 10% of the NPTE’s questions. Make an outline at the beginning of your studying period so that you plan in advance how long to spend on each topic. While debates rage on as to which study guide is the best, I found Scorebuilders easier to read, and used O’Sullivans as a supplement.
- Don’t over study. If you give yourself enough time (8 weeks is what most people recommend) to prepare, you shouldn’t need to devote your whole day to studying. I set aside 3-4 hours every day for studying and THAT WAS IT. If you try to spend all day studying, you’ll probably burn out after a week or two. Occasionally, I did an extra hour here or there if I felt like I was falling behind on my plan, but otherwise I stuck to my schedule.
- Make studying your job. Each weekday morning, I got up with my husband and had him drop me off at the library on his way to work. While I was at the library, I was there to do my job: study. Every 30-60 minutes, I took a break to walk around and briefly check my phone or grab a snack, but the rest of the morning I had nothing else to do but study. Knowing that by noon I would have the rest of the day off from studying was usually enough to keep me focused even though I can be a bit of a daydreamer. I also kept my laptop at home and my phone in my backpack so that I couldn’t “accidentally” end up on social media.
- Have fun. In the afternoons, once my three hours were over, I did not touch my notes. I went to the gym, planned my wedding, I binge watched Gilmore Girls, and I eventually started working part time, but I never once cracked a study guide. This was also true for the one day per week I took completely off. Knowing that I was not “at work” at the library allowed to me to enjoy the rest of the day guilt-free.
- Hit the highlights. As I studied, I filled two legal pads with notes. I copied down things I hoped to memorize (like pediatric milestones), wrote out things I had forgotten, and drew pictures of important concepts. While 50 yellow pages may seem like a lot, I was able to review it again and again in a way that you can’t with an 800-page study book. I reread these notes at the end of every week and several times in the lead up to the big day to make sure that the most important details stayed with me. This was my version of cramming since it is impossible to actually cram for the boards.
- Use practice tests wisely. While practice tests are very helpful, it’s important not to go overboard taking them. Each test takes about five hours, and I found that it took me about 10 (!) hours to go over each one. This meant reviewing each question one-by-one and looking into the answers I got wrong. Most books will explain why each possible answer is either right or wrong and I found this to be immensely helpful, but also very time consuming. While the tests are helpful, don’t take so many that you never have time to actually study. Also remember that it’s normal not to do well on practice tests, especially since you take most of them before you’ve finished studying.
- Take the PEAT. Overall, I did a test or two from my study guides, but most importantly, I did both tests from the PEAT about a week before I took the boards. Although the PEAT is a little pricey, I’m thankful I shelled out for it. It is written by the same organization as the boards (FSBPT), so it’s closer to the exam than any review guide or course can hope to be. It also mimics the same computer format as the boards, so that you’re already familiar with it when you sit for the test.
One big question is when to take the boards. There are three main options:
- Before graduation and during your last clinical. Only some PT programs actually allow for this. The plus side if you’ll be licensed and ready to start working as soon as you graduate, but the downside means having to study while on your last fulltime clinicals.
- After graduation and before starting work. Anecdotally, this is what most people seem to do. This way, you can make studying your job, while also giving yourself time to relax or work part time.
- After graduation, and while working as a PT on a temporary license. This is the route I took, but unfortunately, not all states allow for this. I chose to work part time since I was studying for several hours a day and also in the final stages of wedding planning at the time. I didn’t think I’d be able to study enough while also at a clinical or working full time. Keep in mind with this route that your temporary license expires after a few months, meaning you have to pass the test in order to continue working.
Now learn how to take the test itself with my post on day-of test-taking tips for the NPTE!