NPTE Study Tips

This information was posted by someone in the forum last year.I liked to revive this NPTETIPS again, which may be usefull for someone.Good luckNPTE EXAM TIPS:Requirements: 1. A basic Anatomy book. 2. Sullivan guide. 3. Blue book.Very important reference books: 1.Kisner(5th edition) 2.Magee. 3.Susan and sullivan (red book)Occasional reference books: 1. Kendall 2. Cynthia norkins 3. will keep updating.... 4. EB books or APTA EB sourceExams which need to be solved: 1. Peat.(200 questions)2. Micheal Dunaway.(400 questions)3. susan guide.(600 questions)4. Blue book questions(200 questions)5. Therapy ed online exam(200 questions)6. Scott and Giles (800 questions).7. Any other exams like test master etc etc...will keep updating.Personal notes:

1. make notes on few topics for last moment refernces and also some points which you come across reading some books or if someone explains.

2.flash cards....helpful for those who require several revision of points. 3.make a list of topics which you feel are ur strengths and weaknesses. Understanding the exam: There will be total 250 questions out of which 50 are non-scorable but you cannot make out which one's so you need to focus on all the 250. out of the 250, 100 questions would definitely be very easy asking about basic concepts, another 50 are moderately tough and 50 are considerably tough. HINT: so make sure you score full marks in the easy questions. you have to read all chapters thoroughly, no exceptions even if you do not like any chapter. This exam is not about testing your memory power or memorizing all the points from the books, this is about common sense, practical understanding of a situation, actually visualizing a patient in front of you if you have experience or imagining a situation if you have no experience in PT. Every question which you encounter visualize yourself as a P.T and the patient infront of you waiting for your treatment, would you afford to make a mistake, I DONT THINK, so in order to pass this exam you should visualise a clinical setting in ur mind, if you had experince then its more easy. There is no point in saying the exam is tough or easy because most of the questions are actualy situations in clinical setting and when you start working with a patient you cannot say " this is a tough case ", its about knowing what to do and how to do and what not to do.So focus right on clinical scenarios and not on worrying about the difficultly. Several revisions are required to understand and remember a concept, so do not get upset or panic if you dont remember something for the first time. How to start: 1.Make a time table. Based on your innate capacity and capabilities of grasping the subject make a rough time table to start with..and later you will have to keep updating the time table and....when you make a time table STICK TO IT. 2.list down all the topics and subdivide your notes for every chapter such that you need to revise what you studied.

3. Frame a time table everyday like what chapters and what concepts wpuld you be studying. I will just write down some brief ideas how to follow......THEY VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON .....so need not completely rely on what I say.Every morning dedicate 2-3 hours for reading some tables and basics concepts which are easy to answer.(the 100 questions which I was talking about)1. Anatomy: muscles actions of important muscles in the body. Myotomes in the body.(FOCUS ON EXCEPTIONS)2. Nerve supply of the muscles.3. Dermatomal supply and cutaneous nerve supply, do not get confused between dermatomes, myotomes and cutaneous nerve supplies.4.Nerve roots of major muscles.(FOCUS ON THE EXCEPTIONS)5.Location of major bursae in shoulder , knee and hip.6.Surface anatomy of some important locations corresponding to other areas.7.loose pack and closed pack positions of the joints.8. Capsular pattern of major joints.9.Joint mobilizations/glides of major joints and the spine. 10.Cranial nerves----testing, supply, reflexes, location of their nucleus in the brain and any exceptions.11.myelodysplasia levels: for which level which orthotic should be prescribed....what level can become independent household and independent community ambulators.12. Spinal cord levels: what are the various levels and corresponding loss of sensory or motor function, which level becomes a community ambulator and a household ambulator. HINT: Do not get confused between myledysplasia and spinal cord levels(THEY ARE DIFFERENT).13.CVA: blood supply of the brain: which arteries supply which areas of the brain and what symptoms are scene with a particualr arterial problems.14.Wheel chair measurement, exceptions of wheel chair conditions.15.differential diagnosis between SI, FACET, HIP AND NEOPLASTIC pathologies. 16.Develepmental milestones in pediatrics, reflexes, which are obligatory and how long are the reflexes persistent and when do they integrate.17.increased or decreased levels of potassium, calcium in the body.....what changes are scene.18. Normal blood count....contraindications for exs, normal wbc count...contra ind..... normal esr count and contra indics.... when should the exs be lessed or stopped.19.wounds....make a table which dressing and which debridement for which condition 20.differences between arterial and venous ulcers.21. burns rule of nine for adults and children22.which agencies approve which faciilities....JCAHO,CARF etc tec23. What are the 3 stages of learning and which should be your feedback.24. differences between left and right hemiplegia.25. which research testing tool for various reasearch methods conducted.26. Will keep updating on this also.THE ABOVE TOPICS NEED TO BE STUDIED THOROUGHLY EVERYDAY UNTILL THE DAY BEFORE THE EXAM OR UNTILL YOU FEEL YOU ARE COMPLETELY CONFIDENT. TOPICS WHICH NEED TO BE READ IN DEPTH AND UNDERSTAND THOROUGHLY:1. ACL ligament and pcl ligament injuries, open chain and closed chain contra indications and indications.2.synergistic muscles in the body , antagonistic muscles,3.compensatory actions of muscles in the body.4.intrinsic plus and intrinsic minus deformities.5.breathing exercises6.muscles loose/tight in swayback posture, scoliosis, kyphosis, forward head posture.7.TMJ normal measurements and deviations8. exs prescription for pregnant women... which position is good to sleep, best exp program. 9.exercise intensities for normal, cardiac, obese, pregnant, multiple sclerosis, sports person, or pediatric patients.10.post surgical complications precautions and contraindications of THR, TKR, amputations, fractures, burns, dislocations.11. Principles of hyderotherapy, which level would give what percentage of assistance and resitance.12.drug actions and side effects13.rollating walkers and supine and prone standers14. biomechanics of the pelvis and its relationship to the spine and limbs15.pnf patterns chop reverse chop16. patellar glides17.anteversion,retroverstion, valgus and varus stresses at hip and knee.18.figures from magee and all the tests pertaining to the major joints.19. will keep updating procedure:---- -----Read the npte sullivan guide for couple of times...untill you become thorough with everytopic....when you read a topic.....frame a question in your mind for every line and sentense you read, so not read the book blindly, if possible having a study partner is a best way to discuss and remember. ----be through with blue book also. after a couple of revisions start taking the exams, and asses ur strenghths and weaknesses....keep reading the rationales in guide, dunnaway,giles and peat,try to understand the concept clearly and then retake the same exams for a couple of times untill you master the concepts. u will be having total of 2600 questions to solve, if you become thorough with all the concepts of these, thorough with guide, blue book then u are all set to go for the exam.