A piece of advice for current students about the NPTE

"How people react to getting their passing scores" from the whatweshouldcallptschool tumblr.




This page was the only thing that was keeping my humor up about the NPTE.

So I thought about one piece of advice that would be helpful to pass the NPTE for students in PT school right now. This may sound like a "no-duh." Take ALL the material in school seriously. Even if you are an "ortho person." Pay attention to Cardio-Pulmonary or Neuro!

You think (or at least I thought) that you only have to remember it for that semester to pass the exams but you actually have to study it (and remember it) for the NPTE! Its a lot easier to remember in the context of a moment that you had studying with your classmates than trying to stuff all that knowledge in your brain 2-6 weeks before the licensing exam.

It all comes back to haunt you.... haha.



Picture from Cheezburger.com.

Respiratory/Metabolic Acidosis & Alkalosis - ask the RN

Ever try to Google NPTE then the subject matter that you are trying to look up (ie. Respiratory acidosis vs Respiratory alkalosis) only to find nothing. 

Here is a great video from Simple Nursing that helped me remember the difference between Respiratory/Metabolic Acidosis/Alkakosis.

Nurses have all the creative flashcards and materials for studying their licensing exams. Here are great pictures to help remember the symptoms of Respiratory/Metabolic Acidosis/Alkakosis from a nursing flashcard deck on Studyblue.

Taking the Multidisciplinary Approach to Learning.

Oh god, I feel like I'm going to fail the NPTE!

5 typical stages of coping after scoring the same on a second PEAT exam after weeks of studying after the first

1. Disbelief/Denial

2. Anger

3. Bargaining

4. Hopelessness/Depression

5. Acceptance/”IDGAF”


From the #whatshouldwecallptschool tumblr. 

I've been studying for the NPTE for 6.5 weeks now. I started on June 2nd after I came back from a relaxing vacation in Berlin with my best friend. I study 6 days a week from 9AM-2PM. I have taken 4 exams - 3 from the O'Sullivan review book and 1 PEAT. My classmate is my study buddy and he is one of the top students in my class, served as a tutor for the underclassmen. We analyze our weaknesses and study aloud because we know that 90% of learning is being able to teach it.

In the afternoons/evenings and 1 day off, I indulge in movies and relaxing with my friends so not to burn out. I have read page in the overly-detailed O'Sullivan review book and have incredible typed up notes from my curriculum. Youtube, Wikipedia, Mayo clinic are my best friends. All the exams that I have taken have been under reasonable exam conditions. No noise, at a computer, continuously for 3+hours.

And after all this, I have failed every exam that I have taken. My best score was a 70%. SIGH! I am studying by the book. I believe in trying my hardest but wow....I don't even know if my hardest is enough for this exam. I am usually that person that tells you that I passed... after I passed. It doesn't feel right to tell you about the experience after I put out the fire. I have 6 more days to take 1 more PEAT exam and get on top of this. After my mini breakdown yesterday with my dad, I devised a plan to conquer this exam. If I am successful, I will definitely blog about it. If I'm not, well... I have perfected the art of convincing myself that retaking the exam in October won't be so bad.

Wish me luck.

Exercise Rx website

 
My classmates went to school for exercise science, worked as personal trainers, played sport in undergraduate, at least watched sports, etc. I did not have a clue about exercise before I started PT school. When I was a first year, a third year told me the best thing that I can do to help me with my studies is exercise. So I did.

The website, Exercise Prescription helped me... A LOT ... with learning how to exercise and definitely with kinesiology for my first year. There is only so much a tutor can help you learn which muscles are being worked during a specific exercise. Sometimes, you just have to do it yourself.

During clinical, I had to demonstrate these exercises in PROPER form so that the patient doesn't injury him/herself and strengthens the correct areas of the body. And I look so much more competent when I can perform an exercise without struggling. 

Picture from Exercise Prescription.

The Value in Watching Surgery

When you go to your acute care affiliation, students always talk about watching his/her first surgery. You read on facebook, 'Going to watch my first surgery!!' with a selfie in his/her operating room scrubs. After watching a partial knee arthroplasty and total hip replacement, I learned a lot about my role to the patient. Besides being a very cool experience, there are other benefiting factors of watching surgery:

1) PTs treat these patients after he/she is all stitched up. Good to know what is going on inside! Once you see the metal implanted, you can almost imagine how its rolling and gliding in the joint when treating. OHHhh and to watch the surgeons' meticulously rip off each osteophyte that could potentially irritate the patient! That doctor just saved that patient some potential pain.

2) That's a lot of stitches. Patients always fear that they will bust a stitch like busting a seam in a really tight pair of pants. I assured them that the doctors carefully stitched up SO many layers, it would be really hard to bust a stitch as long as he/she is following the prescribed precautions.

3) More compassion! OUCH! Best not to describe the gory process of slicing through several layers of skin, fascia, muscle then buzz-sawing the bones to patients. But shit, that is definitely more than a paper cut. I definitely had more compassion when I was treating these patients [and for my stepmom that had her knee replaced at 70 years of age].

Picture from healthpages.org.

I'm taking the boards in July.

Nope, I am not applying for a temporary license. I do not have a job waiting for me out of grad school.

Nope, I am not going to look for a job right away. I racked up lots of loans, what's another 2 months of not working.

I am taking my boards in July. And I'm going to do everything in my power to pass in July. I'm scared as shit to fail.

One of my CIs took a year off to celebrate being done with 7 years of school. She got into PT school right after undergrad. When it came time to take the boards, a year later, she failed because the info was not fresh in her mind. She said that it ruined her confidence. Ultimately, she passed the second time but still, she said don't do it to yourself. Take it right away. She did not need to tell me twice. 

Pic from FSBPT.
Licensure exam tests how safe and competent you are. Need to know your contraindications/ precautions/indications for tx. I cross my fingers, eyes and toes that I pass.

Motion is lotion.

My professor,  Dr. M uses these one-liners in class to remind us about concepts that we learned. My class dedicated a t-shirt to his -isms. In turn, I have passed on his wisdom to my patients in acute care and outpatient because it makes them laugh while reminding them what they need to do when they leave the clinic.

'Motion is lotion' is my favorite line. FAVORITE LINE. Dr. M uses it in reference to joint mobs similar to how its written in this blog article.

I use it for patients with low back pain. Current evidence suggest minimizing bed rest and staying functional. I tell my patients keep moving to get grease between the wheels esp the ones that sit in bed for extended period of time. Keeps them motivated to do exercises in bed to minimize his/her low back pain.

Artwork done by my very talented classmate, Gisele Andrade.