The Marshall University School of Physical Therapy Class of 2018 had a 100% first-time pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Board Examination (NPTE). All 36 Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) graduates from the Class of 2018 passed the examination.
To put this accomplishment into perspective, the national average pass rate of all accredited DPT programs in 2018 was 92.3%. While the School of Physical Therapy has had a 100% ultimate board pass rate for all previous cohorts, the Class of 2018 is the first cohort to have all graduates pass the board examination on the first attempt, according to Dr. Jaime Taylor, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Marshall.
“The SOPT Class of 2018 having a 100% first-time pass rate on the NPTE is incredible!” Taylor said. “The SOPT faculty have worked diligently to optimize the DPT curriculum and implement efforts for students to review content and prepare for the National Board Examination. This is a huge achievement, and reflects the high academic standards of the chair and faculty of the School of Physical Therapy.”
Dr. Michael Prewitt, dean of the College of Health Professions, said the faculty and staff of the School of Physical Therapy made a concerted effort over the last year to achieve this goal.
“This achievement is particularly meaningful given that the national pass rate decreased this year by a couple percentage points due to substantive changes in the examination content,” Prewitt said. “The faculty offered an optional weekend review session for all graduates to help graduates prepare for the Board examination. Additionally, all third-year DPT students take a mock board examination in the third year of the program as part of the preparation process.”
Dr. Scott Davis, program director and chair of the School of Physical Therapy, said the faculty and staff are very proud of the graduates of the Class of 2018.
“This cohort set the bar high for all future cohorts with this outstanding achievement and puts Marshall University in the company of the top programs in the country,” Davis said. “These graduates are proud Sons and Daughters of Marshall.”
The official Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy Report was available to the program Aug. 9. All Doctor of Physical Therapy graduates are required to pass the NPTE in order to achieve state licensure. The NPTE is offered as a national examination by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT).
To learn more about the School of Physical Therapy, visit www.marshall.edu/physical-therapy.