Preparing and appearing for NPTE can make students feel anxious and frightened, especially in the absence of hand-holding. A carved-out study program coupled with explicitly mentioned high-impact study areas is all that is needed to focus upon for these intense study times!
During his live classes, NPTE Final Frontier Founder and Lead Instructor, Dr. Bhupinder Singh, emphasizes three phases of studying for the licensure exam for the 11-week long NPTE preparation program by Final Frontier, described below.
Phase 1:
He draws an analogy between phase 1 of studies and the acute phase of musculoskeletal injury, both of which last roughly three weeks. This phase ensures warming up for subsequent intense phases. It mainly covers entry-level study material at a slower pace, covering topics that students have already studied during their first PT school year. The timetable focuses on relatively simple and shorter topics each day to adjust to the program during this phase.
"Regularly solving practice questions followed by reading rationales is the ultimate key to success!"
Phase 2:
Phase 2 of the studies are compared with the subacute phase of musculoskeletal injury, lasting another four weeks. Some of the trickier topics, such as gait, orthotics, prosthetics, PNF, and other systems, are introduced during this phase. Early introduction of complex topics provides sufficient time for students to revise and prepare for level 2 and level 3 questions on the NPTE. The topics during this phase get a little harder and a little longer.
Phase 3:
Phase 3 of the studies is similar to the chronic phase of musculoskeletal injury, lasting the conclusive four weeks of NPTE preparation. Students are familiar with most content areas in this phase and focus primarily on their weaknesses. Dr. Singh seldom introduces any newer topic; instead, students are encouraged to revise topics and readings from previous phases; appear for as many practice tests as possible, and revise as needed.
Focusing on reading and revising muscles, nerves, dermatomes, myotomes, and special tests have proved effective with most students. Regularly solving practice questions followed by reading rationales is the ultimate key to success!
