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PTAmanda -> Tutors (February 24, 2005 6:27:00 AM)
I have taken the PT exam several times, and have not been succesful at passing it. I was wondering if anyone knew of a tudor or anything else that may help me pass this exam. I have already tried a number of different review books and I just dont know where to go from here. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. I live in the charlotte NC area if there are any PT tutors out there.

jma -> Re: Tutors (February 24, 2005 8:08:00 AM)
Hello, It would be interesting to know what your study habits were, ie., study 4-6 hours or until you dropped, how many days a week, were you working at the same time, etc, to give us an idea of what you did. We can certainly tell you what we did. JMA

PTAmanda -> Re: Tutors (February 24, 2005 9:01:00 AM)
I studied for at least four hours a day five days a week, and more on days that I did not have to work. I work between 20 and 27 hours a week varying times of the day. I have read through books, made notcards, taken tests and reviewed anything I missed (by making notecards or writing it down in a study guide that I have made for myself), I have gotten one performance feedback report. I try to focus on my weak areas and then go back and review more broadly the other areas. I have taken the IER review class as well as another week long one. I just dont know where I am going wrong. I would love to hear what other people have done to prepair for this test, and any suggestions they may have for me. I am willing to try just about anything. Thanks

jma -> Re: Tutors (February 24, 2005 9:33:00 AM)
Hello, I can see some differences on what you did compared to me. One difference is that you studied alone, at least that is the impression I got from your response. What I did was hang out with 3 people from my class and we got together once a week initially and then twice a week before we were ready to take the exam. During these sessions we banged out questions from the review books we were using and then discssed them. If we all had the same answers, we tried to see if it was based on the same rationale. If we had different answers, then we explained why and then brain stormed about it, until we were satisfied. The rest of the time was spent at home reviewing just as you did, nothing different. We also did not work during that time, which is of course, not your situation. We decided to do this because we did not want distractions. Its one thing to come home physically tired and then to top if off by getting mentally exhausted. How was this accomplished? Two of us lived with their parents, so not working was okay. One was married and her husband worked. One member had money put away in advance, to pay off bills, etc. So in the end, it worked out for all of us to get together and not worry about expenses. Tutors sound like a good idea. The question is where to find them. For me, I would start by finding your local state chapter PT webpage. There you might find someone or ads for tutors. You can find the site, depending where you live, from the APTA website links page on chapters. You can find valuable information from it. Hope this helps. JMA

srcase -> Re: Tutors (February 24, 2005 1:34:00 PM)
Did you use the National Physical Therapy Examination Review and Study Guide book by Susan B. O'Sullivan. I read that and the textbook by the same author. The study guide comes with a computer program with practice tests. These helped me a lot. If you score within the 60th percentile on the practice test, you will likely pass the real test because the practice tests are more difficult. I studied for three weeks, 3-4 hours a day. I was only working about 12 hours a week at the time. I find it helpful to write notes on what I read in my own words or outline chapters and then go back and highlight important points in my notes. Then, I review the notes one or two more times, and it's stuck in my memory. Hope this helps! Sarah

FLAOrthoPT -> Re: Tutors (February 24, 2005 4:10:00 PM)
I think based on the group we had in school where 9 of us passed first try, one had two tries, and one a lot more and still has not passed even with state mediated remdial courses. Look I am going to be brutally honest here, and you willhate me, and so will others. But, of the people I know who have not passed the boards, I kind of thank the boards for doing so. There were some people in my school whom the school should have dropped based ont heir printed policies, but kept giving them more and more chances, graduated them, and hoped that the boards would weed them out. Now, I am not saying this applies to you, but if you have not passed on several attempts, what is the deal? YOu know what the boards are like by now, you know what to study, you went to school, you have seen real life if they made you do varied clinicals in all different settings...I mean by now, you either get it or you do not. How did you do in PT school? Were you scraping by, did you UNDERSTAND the material rather than rote memorize? I find that rote memorization of information will not only never allow you to pass the boards but hinder your ability as a PT in the future. I agree talking questions out, why the correct answer is correct and more importantly why the incorrect questions are incorrect is the way to prepare. I think if you can orally discuss your rationales and reasoning you are ready, if you are waiting for some strategy of test taking etc, you are not. You need to grasp the big picture and not get caught up with semantics of the test. Like I said, the few people who have not passed only had one thing in common...they did NOT get the BIG picture of therapy and how the body heals and how to safely progress a patient and red flags that mean the patient is out of our scope, etc...So...either go back and learn the material...learn the anaotomy and phys, learnt he rationale of WHY and not WHAT, and you will pass. Do not worry about is the answer A or B, but why is the answer A or B...and especially why it is NOT A or B, and you will do fine. Just change your mindset some, and get together with students. I did not practice with anyone else, but I did during PT school for every exam. I think taking the test fresh from school is the best way to go too, some people think they want to take 6 months to a year to study, but really they are just forgetting a lot of info in the meantime. Good luck, please look at this as contructive and not deriding...

Randy Dixon -> Re: Tutors (February 24, 2005 10:12:00 PM)
Well, just in case FLA gets fried let me say that it is clear that he is right. The boards were put in place for a reason, they are tough for a reason. I'm not a therapist but I've helped several PT's study for their boards and it seemed to me, like FLA said that the ones who had difficulty had difficulty partly because of their approach. Many questions are structured so that you can view them as if you were viewing a patient.

USAPT -> Re: Tutors (February 25, 2005 3:14:00 AM)
PTAmamda, I agree and disagree with FLA. I do in the fact that your studying habits should change. Ex: Upon reading a paragraph of info on PF biomechanics and what is happening when, can you close the book/folder and honestly recall what you just read?? If not, your mind is elsewhere! What helped me was to study as if I was teaching the class. I would read to an empty room instead of to myself. While I do agree that you need to learn the why...BUT, students don't understand that coming out of school. The 'why' comes w/ experience and learning outside of your 'school knowledge' via CE courses, lectures, speaking w/ MDs, viewing surgery, etc. I'm not pointing fingers but FLAs message was constructive criticism and I concur that some 'students' are just not meant to 'practice'. Best of luck. -Jason

PTAmanda -> Re: Tutors (February 27, 2005 9:28:00 AM)
I have not missed by more than three points on any of the tests that I have taken, so I am not ready to give up yet. Thank you to everyone who has given me some ideas on how to change my study habbits so that I will succeed the next time I take the exam. -Amanda

ptdan23 -> Re: Tutors (February 28, 2005 6:36:00 PM)
PTAmanda...I am definitely not the best one to ask for test advice. I tried so many different things when I was in school. Not really sure if just one thing worked but it sounds like you are doing it right. Just don't give up...your perserverance will pay off. Dan, PT.

ehanso -> Re: Tutors (March 3, 2005 2:55:00 AM)
Amanda, Since we all have slightly different learning styles it is difficult to assess where the weaknesses are. Have you talked with your faculty and asked them for assistance? Can you audit classes and interact with the senior students? Also have you considered talking to someone like a sports psychologist to help remove any mental blocks that sometimes creep in when we are under pressure? Good luck and don't give up.

NorthernPT -> Re: Tutors (March 3, 2005 7:19:00 AM)
Many may not agree, but I do not think the licensing exam is hard enough (or at least how it was five years ago when I took the exam), with over 90% of my graduate MPT class passed on the first try. I also wish there was also a "live" portion with actor patients, similar to what they do in Canada for licensure.

JLS_PT_OCS -> Re: Tutors (March 3, 2005 9:12:00 AM)
FLA, I have to hand it to you for having the courage to say what so many others were thinking. I agree with you completely. J

steve -> Re: Tutors (March 9, 2005 7:44:00 AM)
Northern PT, You might not like the OSCE (Live patient) component of the exam if you had to take it, it was quite stressful. This said it was a very good learning process. My piece of advice to you Amanda would be to use the KISS method - Licensing exams are generally a way of making sure you will not do any harm when you get into the real world and they want to ensure you are safe and have a minimal level of knowledge. Steve

JLS_PT_OCS -> Re: Tutors (March 9, 2005 8:01:00 AM)
Steve, I think that's probably the best way to describe licensing exams, perfect. It is by definition a "bare minimum" type of thing.

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