Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions related to the credentialling and exam processes.
Here you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions related to the credentialling and exam processes.
You can apply with CAPR before, during or after your FSWP assessment. It is up to you to decide which is best for your situation. We cannot advise you regarding what to do with respect to the FSWP. It is an immigration process that is entirely independent from the credential assessment done by CAPR. We will however, try to collaborate with you and your education assessment agency (WES, ICAS or IQAS) in an effort to minimize duplication of work.
Yes, the education assessment done for the FSWP only reviewed some of your physiotherapy qualifications. CAPR continues the assessment to determine whether or not your education is substantially different from that of a Canadian trained physiotherapist to determine whether or not you are eligible to sit the Physiotherapy Competency Exam.
No, you will first need to complete CAPR’s Educational Credential and Qualifications Assessment. Please see the above question.
If your education has been assessed by WES, ICAS or IQAS for an FSWP application, we are happy to accept a verified copy of your official transcripts in their assessment report if they were sent directly from your university to WES, ICAS or IQAS. However, it is up to you to arrange to have a copy of your assessment report with your university transcripts sent directly to us from WES, ICAS or IQAS. We will not accept copies from you, the applicant. Any costs that WES or ICAS or IQAS may charge are the applicant’s responsibility. In some cases, it is possible that this may shorten the amount of time to gather and process all the necessary documents for your file, however there is no guarantee that this will shorten your overall assessment timeline. If you make these arrangements it may save you from paying for a second set of transcripts from your university, however we cannot guarantee that a copy of your transcripts from WES, ICAS or IQAS will be sufficient. If we determine that your file requires additional research, then you may still be asked to arrange for a copy of your transcripts to be sent to our office directly from your university.
NOTE: Transcripts refers to mark sheets/marks cards/statement of marks for applicants educated in certain countries.
We require the WES report that contains a verified copy your official transcript. The WES International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP) is the report that contains the verified copies of your transcript. Please contact WES or visit their website for further information: http://www.wes.org/ca/fees/evaltypes.asp
Please refer to the Credentialling Overview and Credentialling Guide for information on how to apply for a credentialling assessment with CAPR, and refer to the Credentialling Forms page to download the necessary forms for your CAPR application. Then call or email (csc@alliancept.org) our office so that our Client Services Coordinator can advise you regarding exactly what we need from you, from your school, and from your education assessment agency (WES, ICAS or IQAS). When mailing in your application, please indicate on the application or in an attached note that you are an FSWP applicant. This will alert us to the fact we may receive some of your documents in a slightly different format or from a different agency.
The Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) helps provincial and territorial physiotherapy regulators find out if you are ready for independent practice.
The Physiotherapy Competency Examination tests whether qualified exam candidates have demonstrated a minimum standard of practice. The PCE ensures that members of the public will be safe when they interact with physiotherapists. It fairly and accurately evaluates the competencies you need to have to practise physiotherapy. Most physiotherapy regulators in Canada include passing the PCE as part of their entry-to-practice process.
The PCE tests the essential competencies of physiotherapy practice – the essential knowledge, skills and abilities. It tests history-taking, physical examination, data interpretation, clinical problem solving, treatment techniques, ethics, safety, interviewing and communication. The exam covers the core clinical practice areas: neuromusculoskeletal, neurological, cardiopulmonary-vascular and multisystem. The PCE is a reliable and valid assessment tool that fairly evaluates candidates on many competencies.
Passing the PCE means that you have demonstrated the minimum standard of knowledge, skills and abilities. Failing the PCE indicates that you have not yet demonstrated the minimum standard of knowledge, skills and abilities.
The provincial and territorial regulators must protect the public. They can do this best by using a consistent and legally defensible standard for all candidates who want to register to practise physiotherapy, no matter where they have completed their physiotherapy program.
The Written and Clinical Components provide us with different information about your knowledge, skills and abilities.
The Written Component tests a broad base of physiotherapy knowledge in the practice areas of neuromusculoskeletal, neurological, cardiopulmonary-vascular and multisystem. The Written Component tests your ability to use and integrate clinical knowledge and to solve clinical problems using clinical scenarios. You must achieve a minimum overall score to pass the Written Component.
The Clinical Component tests safe, effective use of the principles and processes of physiotherapy practice. The knowledge, skills and abilities assessed by the Clinical Component include communication skills and professional behaviour.
Canadian-educated and internationally educated graduates of physiotherapy programs take the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE), regardless of their experience. Most regulators in Canada include passing the PCE as part of their entry-to-practice process.
If you are an internationally educated graduate of a physiotherapy program, CAPR must evaluate your credentials before you can take the PCE. The Educational Credentials and Qualifications Assessment will determine whether your education and qualifications are substantially equivalent to those of a Canadian-educated physiotherapist.
When you apply for an exam, you need to fill in the application form completely, and you need to include all the required documents with your application.
Why did you return my application form?
If you do not fill in the application form completely, or if you do not include all the required documents, we will return your application. We send a memo with the returned application so that you can correct the problem. Some of the common problems with applications are:
Why wasn’t I assigned to my first choice of exam site?
Site assignment is done on a first come first serve basis. If your first choice site is full, we automatically assign you to another site.
Why did you place my exam results on hold?
Before we release your exam results, we check your file to make sure everything is up to date. We need to be sure that we have all the required documents, and all payments.
If you are a graduate of a Canadian physiotherapy program, you must ensure that CAPR has received the final official transcript directly from your university program before clinical exam results can be released.
Why did CAPR move to computer-based testing?
Offering the written exam through computer-based testing (CBT) ensures that CAPR is utilizing the latest technology in exam administration. It is also consistent with best practices in testing administration and has advantages in efficiency over the previous paper-based format. Beginning with the July 11, 2015 exam administration, CAPR exam will be offered only through a CBT format.
How do I register for the computer-based written exam?
You will be able to register for the written exam through the regular application process. Application forms for the written exam are available on CAPR website.
When will the computer-based written exam be offered?
For the 2016 computer-based written exam dates, please refer to the Exam Registration Guide
Will CAPR continue to offer the exam in a paper-and-pencil format?
No. The last paper-and-pencil exam was administered in May 2015.
Can I take the computer-based written exam on my computer at home or at work?
No. CAPR computer-based written exams are only offered in secure and proctored testing centres. This provides every candidate with a professional and consistent testing environment.
Can candidates request a change to their site assignment once they receive the Booking Confirmation email from Yardstick?
No. Once candidates receive their Booking Confirmation email from Yardstick, they will not be able to request a change in site assignment.
Are individuals with Special Needs accommodated in the computer-based testing centres?
Yes. Candidates who have special needs will be accommodated at the computer-testing centres. Candidates should submit a Special Needs Accommodations Request Form, along with supporting documentation, to CAPR at the time of exam registration.
How long will it take to receive exam results?
Official exam results (Pass/Fail) will be available on CAPR website within approximately six weeks from the exam. No exam results will be provided upon completion of the computer-based exam at the testing centre.
Each candidate registered for a written exam will receive a Booking Confirmation email from Yardstick Inc. 7 weeks before their exam. The Booking Confirmation email will have the date, site assignment, and location of the exam.
An email reminder will be sent approximately 5 business days prior to your exam.
You should bring the following items to the exam site. You must bring the following identification; without it, you will not be granted access to your exam.
Permissible Items:
Please note – books, pens, keys, analog or digital watches or other personal belongings are not permitted in the exam room. You may be provided a locker to store these items.
No. Candidates will not be receiving Entry Certificates.
Candidates’ Entry Certificates will be sent by CAPR directly to the exam site.
At registration, candidates must provide the proctor with one of the three valid government-issued photo ID with signature – driver’s license, passport, or permanent resident card. The proctor will match the presented valid government-issued photo ID with signature against the candidate’s entry certificate received from CAPR for verification of the candidate’s information.
The computer-based written exam is administered in one session from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (local time). Occasionally, due to circumstances outside our control, an exam may be scheduled for a time other than 9am-1pm.
You must report to the examination site 30 minutes in advance of your scheduled appointment time. This is a timed exam, and any breaks you take during the test session are at your discretion; you will not receive any extra testing time to make up for those breaks.
Any candidate who arrives 15 minutes late for the Written Component of the PCE has to sign a Candidate Waiver form that they were offered an opportunity to withdraw from the exam due to late arrival. The candidate takes full responsibility for their choice to continue with the examination.
If a candidate signs the Candidate Waiver Form, the time the candidate started the exam will be marked by the proctor at the exam site. The candidate will not be given the full 4-hour exam. For example – If the exam is from 9.00 am to 1.00pm at an exam site and a candidate arrives at 9.15am and choses to sign the Candidate Waiver Form. The candidate’s exam will time out at 1.00pm.
The Candidate Waiver Form indicates that the candidate understands that the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) and its computer based Partner, Yardstick Inc. take no responsibility for unforeseen circumstances that may arise as a result of this decision.
Effective January 1, 2016, candidates arriving more than 15 minutes late will not be permitted to take the exam as this disrupts candidates already in session. Candidates arriving more than 15 minutes late for a written exam will also forfeit their exam fee.
Yes. CAPR offers an Orientation Tutorial so that exam candidates can learn to navigate through the computer-based version of the written exam.
Please note that your performance on the orientation tutorial will not predict your success or failure on the actual written exam. These questions are provided only for the purpose of allowing you to become familiar with our computerized environment.
The orientation tutorial has no time limit. Please take your time to become familiar and comfortable with the computer-testing environment.
Please go here and create a username and password to use the Orientation Tutorial.
CAPR computer-based exams will be offered at more testing centres across Canada than before. These testing centres are organized through Yardstick Inc., CAPR’s test service provider. Computer-based testing centres are not the same as the locations used for paper-based testing sites.
No. The computer-based written exam is very user-friendly. Prior to testing, candidates can access the Orientation Tutorial to become familiar with the computer-based format and practice with sample questions.
If you experience loss of internet connectivity or technical issues with the computer, please do not panic. Raise your hand as soon as this happens and the proctor at the exam site will address this issue. All answers submitted up to that point would NOT be lost. Also, NO time would be lost. In the event you feel you did lose time, the issue will be investigated by both the Proctor and Yardstick. Further actions will be taken on a case by case basis.
If you experience log in issues on exam day, please do not panic. Raise your hand as soon as this happens and the proctor at the exam site will address this issue.Your log in credentials will be provided in your Booking Confirmation Email.
The content and format of the questions on the computer-based written exam are comparable to those used for the PCE paper-based exam. The exam questions are multiple-choice, with four answer choices and one best answer. Some questions are part of vignettes (associated with short scenarios) and some are stand-alone multiple-choice questions.
Yes. CAPR computer-based written exam is available in English and French.
Yes. Candidates will have the ability to toggle between English and French using the tool bar.
Yes. Questions can be bookmarked and returned to at a later point in the exam. You also have the option to show all questions that are bookmarked only.
Be sure to answer all questions, as only answered questions are scored.
Yes. An answer can be changed at any time during the exam.
Yes. Candidates can view only unanswered questions by selecting the unanswered link on the toolbar.
Yes. You can increase and decrease the font of the test questions.
Some of the key features in the computer-based written exam toolbar include the ability to:
Yes. Scratch paper & pencils will be provided to you by the proctor at the test centre (You are required to leave these with the proctor at the end of the exam).
You can also make notes in the notepad feature provided in the computer-based testing interface.
No. Proctors are not bilingual in all testing centres. Proctors in Montreal, Fredericton and Ottawa may be bilingual.
No. The computer-based written exam is not more difficult (or easier) than the pencil-and-paper format. The exam maintains the same content outlined in CAPR exam blueprint, which tests your understanding of essential physiotherapy knowledge, skills, and abilities. The written exam also tests your understanding of the principles and processes of physiotherapy practice.
These questions can be directed to Erin Gollaher, Client Services Coordinator via email at csc_exams@alliancept.org or by phone at 416-234-8800 ext. 235 during the outlined phone hours, provided for your reference below:
The scoring system used in the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) is different from a percentage scoring system.
The passing score for the Written Component is a specific point set on a scaled score scale. The Board of Examiners sets the passing score for the Written Component.
For ten-minute stations, we calculate the station score from the number of checklist items done correctly (80% of the station score), the performance ratings (10% of the station score) and the communication ratings (10% of the station score).
For five-minute (couplet) stations, we calculate the station score from the number of checklist items done correctly (40% of the station score), the performance ratings (10% of the station score) and the written station score (50% of the station score).
The Board of Examiners reviews all safety and professionalism actions, behaviours, or omissions identified by examiners and makes a final decision about whether each identified issue is a Critical Incident. The decision considers many factors, including completeness of the examiner’s documentation; the standardized client’s planned portrayal, relevant literature, past decisions on similar critical incidents, and the professional judgment of the Board of Examiners.
The number of stations criterion identifies frequent or systematic gaps in your knowledge, skills and abilities. It ensures that you demonstrate reasonably consistent knowledge, skills and abilities from station to station by making it impossible to pass the Clinical Component by doing well in some stations and badly in others. The number of stations criterion is therefore a “non-compensatory” score.
Candidates who fail on this criterion often say that they failed the exam “by one station.” In fact, these candidates failed several stations, showing that they have gaps in their knowledge, skills and abilities.
After each exam, the Board of Examiners reviews the technical report on the exam. This report gives information on the performance of the stations on the exam and the performance of the exam in general. If there are problems with the statistical performance of a station, or if there were operational or security problems with a station, the BOE may decide to remove the station from scoring.
If you fail an exam you have several options. You can:
You should request everything you want at the same time. If you wait for some of your requests, you may miss the deadline date.
We include information about repeating the exam in your results package, if you fail the exam. You will need to apply for the exam again. You can get the application form from the website.
We include information about applying for another exam in your results package. This package includes the date of the next exam that is available to you. Sometimes the next exam date on the calendar is no longer available, because the application deadline has passed. We cannot accept applications for an exam after the application deadline for that exam.
We set exam fees to cover the costs to administer each exam. If you fail an exam, you must send the full exam fee with your application to repeat the exam.
We check exam scores carefully before we release results. If you still think your score is wrong, we can rescore your exam.
You can request rescoring on the form that we include in your results package. Please read the form carefully and make sure you send it to us before the deadline date. We cannot do rescoring after the deadline date.
We rescore exams by hand, following the answer key for the exam.
For the computer based version of the Written Component, we download your exam responses and check them against the answer key of the exam, ensuring you got credit for all your correct answers. We then validate the score you received against the second check.
For the Clinical Component, we check to make sure that you received credit for all the checklist items that the examiner said you did correctly. We recalculate all your station scores, and we remark your written station answers.
If your exam outcome changes after rescoring (i.e., if your results change to a pass), we will refund your rescoring fee, and we will refund any fees you have paid to take the exam again.
We complete all the rescoring requests at one time, after the deadline date. We will send your rescoring result about 4 weeks after the rescoring deadline date for the Written and Clinical Component.
Sometimes something happens that makes it harder for you to do your best. For example, you might be sick before or during the exam, you could have a family emergency, or something could be wrong with the administration of the exam. If these kinds of problems affect your exam, you might want to ask for administrative reconsideration.
You should read the information in your results package carefully, and make sure you send your request for administrative reconsideration before the deadline. We will not process and administrative reconsideration request after the deadline.
You have to send the administrative reconsideration application form, your payment, and a letter outlining the reasons for your request. You may have to include supporting documents. If you are not sure what to send, contact our office.
You must send your request by the deadline date on the application form. If you do not have all your supporting documents, send the request and your payment before the deadline. In your letter you can tell us what documents you are waiting for and when you expect to send them.
It depends on how complicated your request is. If we have all the information, we can usually send our decision quickly. If we have to wait for documents, or if we need to contact people to investigate your request, it may take longer. We will tell you if we need more information, or if your request will take longer than usual.
A file review provides more detail of your performance on the Clinical Component. You cannot get a file review for the Written Component.
You have to send the application form and your payment.
File reviews will be completed on a first-come, first-served basis. File review requests MUST be received in the CAPR office by the deadline on the file review form, located in your results package. Requests received after the deadline will not be processed.
Due to the increasing number of requests for this service, the timeline on when your file review will be completed cannot be guaranteed. That being said, CAPR endeavours to complete and mail all file reviews within 30 business days of the deadline located on the file review form.
Here is a sample file review, this is also available on CAPR website. You can review the sample to see the kind of information that you will receive. Each file review will be different, depending on the examiners’ comments, and on the trends in your performance.
The file review will not give you information about the specific tasks in the stations, or about the specific things that you did wrong.
File reviews are only available for candidates who need to take the exam again. The PCE is not designed to provide diagnostic feedback for areas of weakness.
No, you cannot review your Clinical Component test sheets. These materials are confidential and we do not allow candidates to review them after the exam.
In the Clinical Component, each test sheet has a barcode label with your candidate ID number. We check this information carefully during scoring to make sure that the results we are reporting are your results.
We use the best available evidence in measurement and evaluation research literature to guide each step in the development and maintenance of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE).
The validity of exam results is the extent to which the scores measure what we want to test. In the assessments used for licensure decisions for health care professionals, we measure the competence of individual practitioners entering practice. In other words, do candidates who successfully complete the PCE have the competence to perform at the desired level of proficiency? Also, do candidates who are not successful fall short of the necessary level of proficiency?
Validity is built into an exam program. In licensure testing, this is done by thoroughly reviewing the competencies a candidate needs to have to practise safely and competently (the Analysis of Practice). These competencies determine the content domain – the areas of study – from which the exam will be built. Decisions that are made based on the exam scores can be considered valid when an exam has been built by sampling from the specified content domain according to a pre-determined formula (also known as the exam blueprint).
Establishing the validity of exam inferences (the decisions that are made based on exam results) is a process that takes place by accumulating evidence over time. Evidence that supports the validity of the decisions made based on PCE results includes the following:
Content Aspect of Validity
Construct Aspect of Validity
Structural Aspect of Validity
Generalizability Aspect of Validity
External Aspect of Validity
Consequential Aspect of Validity
Reliability is the extent to which the scores would be reproducible on repeated administrations of the exam. Since we cannot administer the same exam to the same individuals, we use statistical methods to estimate the reliability based on the results of a single exam given to a single group.
The bodies that develop standards for educational and psychological tests (the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association and the National Council on Measurement in Education) do not set numerical thresholds for reliability, even for use in specific types of decision making. The reason for this is that a “one size fits all” approach to reliability is not consistent with the context specific nature of psychometrics. Different standards must be used for different kinds of exam results.
When an exam is testing clinical competence in order to determine whether a candidate should be licensed, it is important that a test consistently classifies candidates as passing or failing relative to a standard. The most important reliability for licensing exams is the consistency of classification: would the same candidates be classified as passing and failing the exam on a repeated administration?
For the Written Component, we use the Cronbach alpha coefficient to assess the reliability of test results. The Written Component consistently achieves acceptable Cronbach alpha values.
In 2015, CAPR changed the method for assessing reliability of classification for the Clinical Component from Subkoviak to Livingston and Lewis (1995) method. With this approach, we can define a coefficient of consistency of classification. The Clinical Component of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) consistently achieves acceptable values for criterion-referenced consistency of classification at the passing score for both the total score criterion and the number of stations criterion.
Finally, it is more important that an exam is considered reliable when compared to other exam programs than to an arbitrary external standard. In this respect, for the Clinical Component, Norcini7 found that the “reproducibility of the [total binary score] is not equivalent to most written exams, but it is comparable to other Objective Structured Clinical Examination/oral examination formats.”
Consistent scoring is very important. We have several processes to ensure that our examiners are consistent.
Each exam site uses local physiotherapists as examiners and markers. This ensures that the examiners and markers are familiar with local terminology and conventions.
All examiners (and all written station markers) must attend a pre-exam training session before they can work on an exam. Examiners must attend training again at least every three years, and many examiners attend more often. Examiners and markers all attend an exam day orientation session. Training and orientation cover the process of marking and the rules for consistent marking.
The Chief Examiners meet before the exam to discuss the exam stations. This meeting helps to ensure consistency across the country.
On the day of the exam, examiners receive detailed scoring guides that cover the stations they are marking. The Chief Examiner helps the examiners to understand the marking guide. If there are questions about a station, the Chief Examiner contacts the Physiotherapist Advisor of the exam program. This ensures that questions and answers are communicated to all sites across the country.
The Written Station Coordinators have an orientation the day before the Written Station Marking. The Markers have an orientation on the day of the Written Station Marking and review unexpected answers with the Written Station Coordinators. The national coordinator makes decisions about accepting unexpected answers and communicates these decisions to the Written Station Coordinators who inform the Markers. This process helps to maintain consistency of marking.
If you do not pass the Clinical Component, we review the scoring of your written station answers before we send your results to you. This final check ensures that you receive proper credit for written station answers.
Candidates perform very well on both components of the exam, and exam results have been quite consistent over time. Canadian-educated candidates tend to do better than those who did not receive their physiotherapy education in Canada.
The performance of graduates of Canadian physiotherapy programs varies slightly from one exam to another. Overall, the performance of Canadian educated candidates is very consistent from year to year, and from program to program.
Many factors could explain why the performance of graduates of a particular university program might vary. It would not be fair to publish the pass rates of physiotherapy programs without information about these factors, especially since these changes in performance are very small.
CAPR provides confidential feedback about exam performance to the Canadian physiotherapy programs. The programs use this feedback in their program evaluations.
The internationally educated physiotherapists are a very diverse group from many different countries. Many factors affect their success on the exam, including language of education and language of clinical practice, years since graduation, and practice patterns in the country of education (whether they are similar to Canada or different).
Familiarity with the exam format may also affect the pass rate. In other words, candidates who have experienced multiple-choice or OSCE exams during their physiotherapy education program may perform better than candidates who have not experienced these types of exams.
The passing rate on the Clinical Component varies from year to year. The passing rate for Canadianeducated candidates is fairly consistent, but the passing rate for candidates educated outside Canada varies more. This is because there is more variety in the education and clinical practice of candidates educated outside Canada. In each exam, the group of internationally educated candidates is different.
Clinical Component Pass Rates
Exam administration | Pass rate total candidate pool | Pass rate: Canadian-educated |
Pass rate: Internationally educated |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | 92.8% (n=297) | 95.5% (n=276) | 67.7% (n=21) |
1996 | 80.9% (n=372) | 84.4% (n=356) | 42.1% (n=16) |
1997 | 89.4% (n=387) | 95.2% (n=358) | 50.9% (n=29) |
1998 | 88.5% (n=524) | 93.7% (n=492) | 47.76% n=32) |
1999 | 91.9% (n=553) | 96.0% (n=497) | 66.7% (n=56) |
2000 | 89.5% (n=522) | 94.1% (n=462) | 65.2% (n=60) |
2001 | 79.9% (n=529) | 85.4% (n=469) | 52.6% (n=60) |
2002 | 85.0% (n=595) | 91.8% (n=504) | 60.3% (n=91) |
2003 | 88.67% (n=634) | 94.2% (n=531) | 68.2% (n=93) |
2004 | 87.3% (n=548) | 96.8% (n=454) | 59.1% (n=94) |
2005 | 84.1% (n=572) | 93.3% (n=473) | 57.2% (n=99) |
2006 | 88.5% (n=678) | 94.9% (n=536) | 70.7% (n=142) |
2007 | 85.5% (n=665) | 94.9% (n=505) | 65.0% (n=160) |
2008 | 85.2% (n=691) | 95.3% (n=506) | 66.1% (n=185) |
2009 | 85.0% (n=758) | 95.7% (n=538) | 66.7% (n=220) |
2010 | 88.0% (n=801) | 96.0% (n=618) | 70.0% (n=183) |
2011 | 82.67% (n=716) | 92.70% (n=603) | 59.69% (n=263) |
2012 | 72.38% (n=916) | 87.69% (n=593) | 44.27% (n=323) |
2013 | 78.23% (n=859) | 91.82% (n=606) | 57.56% (n=253) |
2014 | 73.85% (n=1056) | 57.18% (n=414) |
The leading psychometric standard-setting body, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), specifically recommends that credentialing tests do not use a norm-reference approach – that is, adjusting the passing rate to pass a specified percentage of candidates. Standard 14.17 says
CAPR does not use a “bell curve” to mark the exam. Bell curving means assigning scores according to a pre-determined frequency. This approach controls the passing rate and is not recommended by testing experts (see above).
CAPR is a non-profit organization. The money we need to administer the PCE comes from the exam fees you pay. The fees must cover all the expenses related to the exam program. We do not make a profit from the exam and we cannot operate the exam at a loss.
You pay the same fee to take the exam no matter where in the country you take it.
We set exam fees in advance so that you can budget for the expense. If something happens to increase our costs, we do not charge you more.
Exam fees cover many different kinds of expenses:
Not included in these costs is the significant number of volunteer hours contributed by physiotherapists from across the country who spend time on committee activities related to the exam. These include members of the test development groups, members of the Evaluation Service Committee and members of the Board of Examiners. These individuals are not paid for the hours they work on exam activities.
The exam operates on a break-even basis. You must pay the costs of any additional services that you request.
We pay careful attention to exam expenses and revenue. We sometimes have to adjust exam fees to cover increasing costs. When this happens, we publish the new fees in advance so that you can budget for these expenses.
Many individuals and groups are involved in the exam program. Most of them are volunteers who use their clinical, management and measurement skills to provide advice to CAPR. Some of the groups are listed below.
Written Test Development Group and Written Item Generation Teams
Physiotherapists from across Canada who develop and revise questions for the Written Component.
Clinical Test Development Group and Clinical Item Generation Teams
Physiotherapists from across Canada who develop and revise stations for the Clinical Component.
Exam Steering Group
The Chairs of the Written and Clinical Test Development Groups, who provides advice and guidance on the operation of the exam program.
Board of Examiners
Physiotherapists from across Canada who sets the standard for passing the Physiotherapy Competency Examination. The Board of Examiners includes one or more bilingual physiotherapists. The Board reviews critical incidents and sets passing scores for the exams.
Evaluation Services Committee
A group of physiotherapists, measurement experts and credentialing experts who provide oversight for the credentialing and exam programs. The Evaluation Services Committee is responsible for setting and monitoring standards for the credentialing and examination programs and assuring the effective delivery of these services.
CAPR does not decide who can be licensed to practice physiotherapy because CAPR is not a regulator. We provide exam results to the physiotherapy regulators. The regulators make decisions about who can and cannot register to practice.
The regulator’s role is to protect the public. Regulators do this through various processes, including registration requirements. Some regulators in Canada require successful completion of the PCE as a condition of registration. Some regulators will allow you to work under a temporary certificate of registration while you are waiting to complete the PCE. Each regulator has different processes and rules that apply if you fail a component of the exam.
We develop the PCE by analyzing current physiotherapy practice, creating the exam blueprint and writing the questions.
We determine the content of the exam by researching the activities that physiotherapists in Canada perform as part of their practice. The Analysis of Practice 2008[1]studied the activities physiotherapists in Canada do, how often they do them and the consequences of doing them incorrectly. We used data from this study to update the exam blueprint.
The exam blueprint is a guide to the content of the Written and Clinical components. It shows how much each area of practice and function is worth on the exam. The Written and Clinical Test Development Groups use the blueprint as a guide when they write questions. Each exam matches the blueprint for the proportions from the areas of practice and the functions.
Item generation teams write the exam questions and stations. These teams are located across the country. Members of the teams are physiotherapists who have experience in all areas of physiotherapy practice. Some of the team members are recent graduates of Canadian physiotherapy programs. Written item generation teams write multiple-choice questions for the Written Component, and clinical item generation teams develop stations for the Clinical Component.
The national test development groups approve the questions and stations. The Written Test Development Group (WTDG) approves the multiple-choice questions, and the Clinical Test Development Group (CTDG) approves the clinical stations. The members of both the WTDG and CTDG are physiotherapists from across the country, and have experience in all areas of physiotherapy practice. Some members teach in Canadian physiotherapy programs.
We review exam questions and stations regularly, and we make changes based on statistical feedback and feedback from staff, volunteers and candidates. The review of clinical stations includes a review of the task, the instructions to the standardized client, the checklist and the answer key.
We continuously review and maintain the quality of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) through the Exam Monitoring and Evaluation Program.
The Exam Monitoring and Evaluation Program is a comprehensive research and quality assurance program for the exam. It oversees the research and quality assurance activities related to the exam, and it makes improvements to the exam based on the results of these activities.
Some examples of recent research projects are
Incident reports, site feedback reports and feedback from examiners, standardized clients and candidates are all part of our regular quality assurance.
To improve exam processes, we provide feedback to everyone involved. We report to the exam sites on organization, catering and staff, to the item development committees on station content and scoring, and to CAPR staff on materials and procedures.
The Evaluation Services Committee (ESC) provides advice to the Board of Directors of CAPR about research and quality assurance for the exam. The ESC reviews planned research, research reports and quality monitoring reports, and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors. Members of the ESC include physiotherapists, regulators, exam consultants and external advisors.
We have a multi-staged translation process to ensure that each exam question is accurate in both languages before we print and distribute the exam materials.
French-speaking and bilingual physiotherapists and physiotherapy faculty members participate in the translation process. Here is a brief explanation of the main contributors involved and their primary responsibilities:
Name of group | Members | Responsibility |
---|---|---|
Exam Steering Group |
|
Oversee translation requirements for the exam. |
External translators | Individual translators or translation services contracted by CAPR | Prepare and check translations. |
Physiotherapists | Bilingual physiotherapists who speak French as their first language | Verify translations and physiotherapy terminology |
Alliance staff | Assist with preparing and checking translations. |
We translate new questions for both the Written and Clinical Components of the PCE in several stages. Here is a brief explanation of the major activities during each stage:
Step 1: Identify new or changed questions for translation
Step 2: Translate the items
Step 3: Check the translation
Step 4: Update exam question bank with new translations
Step 5: Prepare exam administration
After each exam, we review the French and English exam scores (when the numbers allow this) to confirm the fairness and accuracy of both French and English exams. Here is a brief description of that process:
Exam items identified in steps two and three receive careful scrutiny.
Our translators use a variety of translation reference materials when they translate and check exam questions. In addition to French translation resources (dictionaries), we also use leading medical translation materials. Here are just a few examples:
CAPR has made available an examiner application form on CAPR website. Examiners are requested to read the Examiner Eligibility as well as Examiner confidentiality and conflict of interest form and if they meet the requirements are encouraged to apply to be an examiner for the Physiotherapy Competency Exam (PCE).
There are two clinical exams in a year. One in June and one in November. The June exam is on a Saturday and the November exam is on Sunday. Check the exam dates for more information.
Examiners observe the performance of the candidates in clinical stations, record their observations on standardized test sheets and make decisions about whether the performance is satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Examiners do not decide whether a candidate passes or fails a station or the exam. The Board of Examiners makes the pass/fail decisions.
For more information, please refer to the roles and responsibilities of an examiner.
The Chief Examiner for an exam site selects the examiners for each station, from a list of examiners who have applied and are eligible to examine.
The Physiotherapy Advisor for CAPR selects examiners for written station marking.
Yes. All examiners will be provided with examiner training. The training is in a webinar format. Once examiners are selected and confirmed for an exam they will be informed of the webinar training dates. CAPR offers three webinars prior to each exam.
A typical exam day is from 7:00 am-6:00 pm (all day approximately).
The honorarium for full day examiner is $400.00
Examiners once signed in for an exam cannot leave the exam floor for lunch. Examiners will be signed out after the exam and once all test sheets for the station are accounted for.
All examiners and written station markers can bring the following items to an exam:
CAPR reserves the right to visually check small handbags.
CAPR and exam site will not permit the following items in an exam room:
If examiners have any of these items registration staff will place the item in a Ziploc bag. Staff will use CAPR Ziploc labels provided and hold examiner belongings in the secure registration area until the end of the exam.
In the event of an emergency, you can ask people to contact you at the site exam day number. Please use this for true emergencies only.
All examiners will be provided with breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack on exam and written station marking day.
Examiners are encouraged to wear comfortable professional clothes. Examiners are requested to dress in layers as exams are conducted in hospitals or exam centres and the exam site cannot control the temperature in each exam room. CAPR aims to provide a professional atmosphere during the examination.
If an examiner experiences an incident on exam day, the examiner contacts Hall staff to contact the Chief Examiner (CE) or Assistant Chief Examiner (ACE). The CE or ACE will document the incident in detail.
Your feedback as an examiner is essential for the examination quality assurance program. Please provide specific feedback on station questions on the feedback form provided in your registration envelope. We share this feedback with the Clinical Development Test Group during the station review process.
You can provide feedback on examination logistics, training etc., online using the survey link that we will send to your email address after the exam or written station marking process is finished.
Once an examiner arrives at the exam station they are examining, they are requested to do the following:
The security issues for licensure exams such as the Physiotherapy Competency Exam include eliminating unfair advantages among the candidates and also avoiding the high human and financial costs of replacing examination materials should security be breached. CAPR endeavors to maintain the strictest security of the content of the examination before, during and after the examination.
All examination materials are protected by copyright ©. CAPR has stringent security measures in place to protect all items of exam material during all phases of development and execution including: development and review of material; reproduction, transportation and disposal of examination materials and presentation of material on exam day.
Receiving or giving information about the clinical stations used in the Physiotherapy Competency Exam either before or after the examination is not allowed. Debriefing increases the understanding of examination stations. Information gained in debriefing can be used by unsuccessful candidates to have an unfair advantage in future examinations. Confidentiality of station information should be considered in the same way as confidentiality of patient information – the duty to maintain confidentiality never ends.
Please note that these confidentiality and security measures apply to examiners as well as candidates.
Yes, CAPR assesses physiotherapy education for any applicant, regardless of their immigration status in Canada, which includes refugees/protected persons. Please refer to our Credentialling Application Process Guide for more information.
Any one of the following documents can be used to prove your immigration status:
-Letter of decision from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
-Confirmation of Permanent Residence document
-Verification of Status document
-Refugee Protection Claimant Document
-Immigration Record of Landing document
-Protected Persons Status Document
-Letters issued by CIC indicating that an individual’s application for protection has been allowed (successful Pre-Removal Risk Assessments PPRA)
You will need to include a cover letter mentioning this information with your application form. We will then contact you to get more information about your situation to provide you with more guidance on how to proceed with the assessment of your physiotherapy education.
Yes, you can still apply to CAPR. However, we will need more information from you as to why you are unable to get these documents from your home country and we may need to conduct research about this matter. CAPR has an alternative evaluation process for applicants who cannot access documents from their home country and we can determine if you qualify for this process. See question 5 for information on the alternative evaluation process.
The alternative evaluation process is designed for those who are unable to document their qualifications for certain reasons, such as limited access to their educational institutions or inability to access resources in their home country. This process is different from the regular CAPR process in that we will require different documents and evidence to prove an applicant’s education. Examples of documents or alternative evidence may include, but are not limited to:
-sworn affidavits
-witness statements/testimonials
-professional license/membership information
-applicant copies of transcripts/educational records
-demonstration of competencies through interviews, examinations or sample work.
Each applicant’s situation is unique, therefore, the process for alternative evaluations will depend upon your situation and what documents you currently possess or have access to. Please contact our office for more information.
No, if you are able to arrange for the required educational documents to come from your home country to our office, you will not qualify for the alternative evaluation process. You must apply for credentialling under our regular process. Please review the credentialling section of our website for information on how to apply.
Under the alternative evaluations process, there is no guarantee your assessment will be processed quicker than a regular applicant’s assessment. Since the alternative evaluations process is unique to each applicant’s situation, it can take some time to gather the required evidence or documentation that we need. That means it could possibly take more time or the same amount of time as it would to process a regular file. CAPR does not guarantee any particular timeframes for reviewing educational documents under the alternative evaluations process.
A Re-Opened File Review is a re-assessment of your credentialling file that can be completed if you did not finish your initial credentialling process by not fulfilling any outstanding credentialling requirements or by not making an attempt at the PCE before your eligibility expires (see Policy 2.9). In order to re-assess your eligibility to attempt the exam, you may apply for a Re-Opened File Review. Your file will be re-assessed using the most current standards in place at the time of the Re-Opened File Review. Due to changing standards, there is no guarantee that you will receive the same credentialling outcome as your previous assessment.
You are eligible for a Re-Opened File Review if you have applied for credentialling previously, and:
• did not complete credentialling because you did not submit all of the required documents within 1 year of applying for credentialling and your file was never assessed, or
• your file was assessed by a Credentialling Officer, but you were unable to meet all of the requirements as outlined in your assessment letter before your deadline or eligibility period expired.
If you previously received an assessment letter but were unable to meet all of your requirements, please contact your Credentialling Officer by email and they will advise you further. If your file was never assessed or you are not sure who your Credentialling Officer is please email credentialling@alliancept.org for assistance.
No, after your first attempt at the PCE it is not possible to apply for credentialling again.
CAPR assesses entry-to-practice degrees only. If you have already gone through the credentialling process under an entry-to-practice physiotherapy credential and have now attained an advanced degree in physiotherapy from a country outside Canada, we will not assess the additional credential with a Re-Opened File Review.
After submitting a complete application for a Re-Opened File Review, our staff will determine if we can use documents that were previously submitted, or if we require any new documents for your re-assessment. Please be aware that some files have been archived and need to be retrieved before determining what documents are needed.
Once all of the necessary documents have been received, a Re-Opened File Review will be assigned as a precedent case or non-precedent case (see Credentialling Process Guide for more information). Your Re-Opened File Review will be completed in sequence, like any other file; a Re-Opened File Review will not be completed more quickly. The timelines for both precedent and non-precedent files are subject to change, and can be found on our website: https://wordpress-1148689-3995068.cloudwaysapps.com/becoming-credentialled/credentialling-processing-times/.