Predicting Success for Student Physical Therapists on the National Physical Therapy Examination: Systematic Review
Mitch Wolden1, Brent Hill2, Sara Voorhees3
1Physical Therapy Program, University of Jamestown, 4190 26th Ave South, Fargo, ND 58104 (USA).
Background:
In physical therapist education, the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) is the predominant measure of student success. Because the NPTE is a high-stakes examination, predicting NPTE performance is important for physical therapist students and programs.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between first attempt NPTE performance, physical therapist applicant variables, and physical therapist student variables. The 4 identified physical therapist applicant variables were undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA), undergraduate GPA for prerequisite courses, Graduate Record Examination verbal and quantitative subscale scores, and admission scores. The 4 identified physical therapist student variables were first- and third-year physical therapist student GPA, clinical performance scores (first and final clinical experiences), noncognitive student variables, and comprehensive examination scores.
Data Sources:
A systematic search was performed using the databases PubMed and EBSCO (1966-2018).
Study Selection:
Studies included in the review met the following criteria: the physical therapist education program offered an entry-level master's or doctorate degree, pertinent data were available for each independent variable, the relationship between the independent variable and the NPTE was investigated, the NPTE was a continuous variable, the program was a US entry-level therapist education program, and the study was peer reviewed.
Data Extraction:
Two independent reviewers completed data extraction and quality appraisal using the McMaster Appraisal Tool.
Data Synthesis:
Random-effects meta-analyses using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient as the measure of effect size was used.
Limitations:
Limitations of the review included a lack of homogeneity, high NPTE pass rates, modifications to the McMaster Appraisal Tool, small sample sizes, and publication bias.
Conclusions:
No one physical therapist applicant variable should be used as an independent predictor of first attempt NPTE performance. For physical therapist students, first- and third-year physical therapist student GPA had a strong relationship with first attempt NPTE performance; clinical performance had a weak and nonsignificant relationship with first attempt NPTE performance.
