MU VISA ADVISOR
In a stunning development, the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) today announced that it immediately has suspended National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) testing for all graduates of schools located in Egypt, India, Pakistan and the Philippines. India and the Philippines are, by far, the two largest suppliers of foreign-trained Physical Therapists. Graduates from schools in these countries will not be allowed to sit for US examinations for at least one year and probably longer.
The new exam, which is just for the foreign-trained, is to be called the NPTE-YRLY. FSBPT expects to launch the NPTE-YRLY in the fall of 2011. The FSBPT intends to offer the NPTE-YRLY only once per year, at select test sites to be identified at a later date.
The FSBPT website says that this action is a result of “ongoing security breaches by significant numbers of graduates of physical therapy schools from certain foreign countries.” Two years ago, the FSBPT eliminated the exam from being offered overseas. Today’s action disallows the exam from being offered in the United States as well.
FSBPT’s actions are the result of “compelling” evidence that reflects “systematic and methodical sharing and distribution of recalled questions by significant numbers of graduates of programs in the affected countries, as well as several exam preparation companies specifically targeted to these graduates.” FSBPT’s website says several exam preparation companies engaged in a variety of illegal actions, including widespread sharing of hundreds of live test items.
MU will pass along more news as we receive it.
If you have any questions about the issues raised in this MU Visa Advisor, please do not hesitate to contact Chris Musillo or Cindy Unkenholt.
MusilloUnkenholt LLC
3400 Carew Tower
441 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
