New Zealand Physiotherapy Competence Exams 2021

Hello,

I'm a physiotherapist from Pakistan and I applied for registration as a physio with the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand last year in July. I received the initial assessment report in October in which I was asked to provide further evidence to demonstrate competence for the Physiotherapy practice thresholds. I submitted further evidence in December and in February 2021, I was given the second assessment report in which I was informed that the evidence was not sufficient to demonstrate competence. I have been given the offer to take the competence exam in New Zealand in either musculoskeletal, cardiovascular-respiratory or neurology at either the Auckland University of Technology Department of Physiotherapy (AUT Physiotherapy) or the University of Otago School of Physiotherapy.

If anyone has gone through a similar experience and has given the exam or just has information about this, can you please provide some guidance regarding the competence exam? Although I have been provided a general guideline from the Board, I'd appreciate if a little more detail about the exam was available, i.e. what the exam is like, what sort of material should I prepare for, etc. I want to give the exam for the musculoskeletal practice so if there's any guidance regarding that, it'd be really helpful.
Secondly, if anyone has given the exam, which school of physiotherapy would be more suitable? I know both of them might be the same but is there a difference in the environment, clinical setup, examiners, etc. between them?

Thank you.

Hi there.

I am in the same process as you were- completing the registration pack.

I was wondering what evidence you provided to demonstrate the physiotherapy practice thresholds and why it didn't demonstrate competence?


Many thanks,

Mel

Hi,

So in the first assessment report, the assessors identified deficiencies in the following areas in my application:

• Foundational Abilities
• Roles 1,2,3,4,5 & 7
• Essential Components

After I submitted additional written evidence, the following areas were still deemed deficient:

• Foundational Abilities
• Roles 1, 4 & 7

The evidence I provided for the areas identified as deficient in the first report, which wasn't successful in demonstrating competence even after evaluation of the second evidence was as follows:

• Foundational Abilities:
  
  • I provided a table highlighting where I considered the shortfall in information was within the original curriculum document. The assessors said this was insufficient evidence to meet this criterion. The evidence submitted for role 1 was also not sufficient (competence as an autonomous practitioner for Role 1 is linked to Foundational Abilities).
  
  
• Role 1:
  
  • I submitted two case studies outlining clinical scenarios showing clinical reasoning and client centred physiotherapy to demonstrate autonomous practice. Although the second case study was deemed okay, in the first one, they said that low level of clinical reasoning was outlined as I hadn't made it clear how the treatment plan I mentioned in the case study fitted in with the patient's lifestyle and expectations.
  
  
• Role 4:
  
  • In the initial assessment report, peer reviews were requested. I did provide written statements from my peers, but the assessors said that they were not peer reviews but more similar to a reference.
  
  
• Role 7:
  
  • A component of role 7.1 is to show the ability to work autonomously as a physiotherapist. Since this is linked to Role 1, this was also deemed insufficient because of that.

Overall, I'd say make your application as complete as you can but don't be surprised to disappointed if any shortfalls are identified in the first moderation report. They'll tell you exactly what is required to demonstrate competence. Just make sure to provide those exact things and you'll be fine.

Thank you so much for that detailed reply.
I really appreciate it.
I'll try and make it as complete as possible and hope that they don't send back to many issues.
Best wishes.

Hi Asim
When is your exam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by asimjaved

Hi,

So in the first assessment report, the assessors identified deficiencies in the following areas in my application:

• Foundational Abilities
• Roles 1,2,3,4,5 & 7
• Essential Components

After I submitted additional written evidence, the following areas were still deemed deficient:

• Foundational Abilities
• Roles 1, 4 & 7

The evidence I provided for the areas identified as deficient in the first report, which wasn't successful in demonstrating competence even after evaluation of the second evidence was as follows:

• Foundational Abilities:
  
  • I provided a table highlighting where I considered the shortfall in information was within the original curriculum document. The assessors said this was insufficient evidence to meet this criterion. The evidence submitted for role 1 was also not sufficient (competence as an autonomous practitioner for Role 1 is linked to Foundational Abilities).
  
  
• Role 1:
  
  • I submitted two case studies outlining clinical scenarios showing clinical reasoning and client centred physiotherapy to demonstrate autonomous practice. Although the second case study was deemed okay, in the first one, they said that low level of clinical reasoning was outlined as I hadn't made it clear how the treatment plan I mentioned in the case study fitted in with the patient's lifestyle and expectations.
  
  
• Role 4:
  
  • In the initial assessment report, peer reviews were requested. I did provide written statements from my peers, but the assessors said that they were not peer reviews but more similar to a reference.
  
  
• Role 7:
  
  • A component of role 7.1 is to show the ability to work autonomously as a physiotherapist. Since this is linked to Role 1, this was also deemed insufficient because of that.

Overall, I'd say make your application as complete as you can but don't be surprised to disappointed if any shortfalls are identified in the first moderation report. They'll tell you exactly what is required to demonstrate competence. Just make sure to provide those exact things and you'll be fine.

---

Hi,
My exam was supposed to be in August this year but I have not been able to travel to New Zealand yet to take it due to COVID restrictions.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by asimjaved

Hi,
My exam was supposed to be in August this year but I have not been able to travel to New Zealand yet to take it due to COVID restrictions.

---

Hi Asim
Do you have any material for MSK like MSK conditions their assessment special questions and treatments

Uh not specifically. I'm just preparing from books, e.g. Clinical Sports Medicine by Brukner and Khan, Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy by Robin Mckenzie, etc. These books cover MSK topics and their assessments & management, but you'll have to go through the whole book that way.

There may be some sources online of the kind of MSK material you're looking for. You might want to check there.

Thanks I sent you a friend request Asim as I want to PM you
Great if you accept

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by asimjaved

Uh not specifically. I'm just preparing from books, e.g. Clinical Sports Medicine by Brukner and Khan, Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy by Robin Mckenzie, etc. These books cover MSK topics and their assessments & management, but you'll have to go through the whole book that way.

There may be some sources online of the kind of MSK material you're looking for. You might want to check there.

---

Sorry, just checked and accepted.

Hi

My self Gokula. I am in New Zealand at present. I am processing my overseas physiotherapy degree with PBNZ. I have the same queries. May I please know how you provided your evidence regarding autonomous practice. Thankyou.

Hi Asim

i would like to ask you more about MSK competency to complete in new Zealand.

Please help me out.
MM