Your PCE Course Questions Answered
Commonly asked questions.
Why was the pt Health PCE Prep Course created?
If you are a recent graduate of a physiotherapy program, this course will help prepare you - regardless of experience - for the clinical component of the Physiotherapy Competency Exam (PCE). The course is designed to help each candidate perform better under pressure.
What does the course want to accomplish?
The goal of this course is to provide those individuals wishing to practice physiotherapy in Canada with a valuable experience. We test each candidate’s ability to perform during the clinical component of the PCE. This course will provide you with an experience very similar to the actual PCE and will provide individual feedback on areas to improve.
Absolutely. This course is intended to prepare both Canadian-educated and non-Canadian-educated graduates of physiotherapy programs.
Do I have to be a new graduate to enroll in this course?
Not at all! Although this course is geared toward new graduates, Canadian educated, non-Canadian educated, internationally trained and practicing physiotherapists who are required to take the PCE can also benefit from its contents.
Is this course run through the Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators?
No. Experienced registered physiotherapists of pt Health Group have developed this course.
Yes they are. The Alliance has no objection on principle to pt Health providing an exam preparation course with the understanding that the course does not contain questions that have been on previous exams. In addition, the Alliance stipulates that none of the people offering the course are assessors on the day of the PCE. Our PCE prep program complies with both of these stipulations as outlined by the Alliance. It is important to note that while the Alliance is aware that pt Health is providing this course, they in no way endorse this course or its content.
What will be the format of the course offered?
The course will consist of an objective structured practical mock examination comprised of 10 questions depicting various clinical scenarios. There will be five stations that involve a ten-minute encounter with a standardized client. The other five stations involve a five-minute encounter with a standardized client. Each is followed up with a five-minute written station related to the encounter. Each station also includes a specific task within the entry-level physiotherapy scope of practice, standardized client instructions, a predetermined standardized checklist and an answer key. Specific feedback will be given for each station that helps provide a valuable experience to use towards preparing for the PCE.
What will be the focus of the mock examination?
The examination will test a registrant’s understanding and demonstration of safe, effective application of the principles and processes of entry-level physiotherapy practice. The knowledge, skills and abilities that will be assessed include: subjective and physical examination, data interpretation, clinical problem-solving, ethics, safety, treatment skills, communication, and professional behaviours. The examination will be weighted similarly to the areas of practice (musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiorespiratory, and other conditions in client populations ranging from paediatrics to geriatrics) set by the Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators and tested on the PCE.
Who decides the content that is included on the mock examination?
Registered physiotherapists (PTs) practicing in Ontario who work for pT Health Group have determined the items on the mock examination. Questions were created by PTs with experience in all areas of physiotherapy practice. Both senior therapists and recent graduates of Canadian physiotherapy programs have combined their efforts based on past experiences with the PCE, assisting in the clinical education of physiotherapy students, and current research into the activities that PTs in Canada perform as part of their practice.
Are the questions in the course old PCE questions?
No. “The Alliance endeavours to maintain strictest security of the content of the examination before, during an after the examination. All examination materials are protected by copyright ©.” However, the questions on the mock examination are created with the intention of evaluating the knowledge and skills at a minimum practice level for physiotherapists, similar to those tested with the PCE.
Is the content of the pt Health Prep Course a secret?
Not really. You will leave the pt Health Prep Course and be able to keep your individual evaluations from each station. However, we ask that the questions used for the pt Health Prep Course not be circulated with other candidates taking the pt Health prep course at a later date.
What is the duration of the course?
The four hour, half-day mock practical examination will take place on either a Saturday or Sunday at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled date for the clinical component of the PCE pre-determined by the Alliance.
How do I register for this course?
Registration is done on the pt Health Group website. Once registered, a member of pt Health will call to collect payment information. Alternative payment arrangements can be made on a case by case basis.
What is the cost for this course?
The cost of the course is $325. Taxes are included.
