Passing with Flying Colors

Physical therapy students practicing on one another

Graduates from the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) Physical Therapy (PT) Program have, for the seventh consecutive year, achieved a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). The NPTE is a rigorous, comprehensive exam that all PT graduates must pass in order to be eligible for licensure, and it serves as common element across jurisdictions in the evaluation of licensure candidates.

“This level of success is exemplary and a testimony to our strong graduates, excellent faculty, and a curriculum reflective of contemporary practice standards,” said Joyce Maring, DPT, Ed.D., program director for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and chair of the Department of Physical Therapy and Health Care Sciences at SMHS. “I am very proud of our graduates and grateful to be working with such an excellent team of faculty and staff.”

The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education monitors program pass rates to determine if student achievements meet the required standards, Maring added. Pass rates are also an important measure of whether a program is meeting its mission to graduate qualified practitioners.

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