Mid-curricular exams are used to assess student learning in a summative format prior to the first and second internships. These exams ensure that students have the didactic knowledge and psychomotor skills to progress to the internship phase of the curriculum while providing learning assessments to identify gaps in specific knowledge areas. This process is broken down into two multiple-choice, board-style tests and two practical examinations. The DPT program faculty develops questions for each written exam. The time allotment for the written exam is 72 seconds per question, simulating the same time per question as the National Physical Therapy Licensing Board Exam. Each test is broken into two 50-question sections with a 15-minute break occurring in between.
Upon conclusion of the written exam, students will be provided a breakdown of incorrect content sections and systems to guide future study and remediation efforts. Students must pass both mid-curricular written exams with a grade of 70%.
A student failing the first attempt will be provided with an analysis of items missed. They will be placed on academic monitoring and required to meet with their Academic Coach to develop a remediation plan. The Academic Coach will sign off on the remediation plan, and the student will receive a minimum time frame of one week for remediation before attempting to take the test on a second occasion. If the student fails the second attempt, an analysis of missed items will be provided. The student will be placed on academic probation and required to meet with the program director to develop a remediation plan that may include repeating course sections or whole courses. Upon successful completion of those courses, the student will be allowed a third attempt. If the student fails the third attempt, the student will be dismissed from the program.
The mid-curricular practical examinations involve the student simulating a physical therapy session based on a case study. The practical exams occur during the latter half of the 3rd and 5th academic semesters. The practical exams are observed by a licensed physical therapist who performs a debriefing session immediately following the experience. A remediation plan is implemented if a student does not meet the pre-set entrustable practice scale threshold average for any competency domain documented in the practical rubric.