UK trained PT resident of CT

Hi,

I am a UK trained PT and permanent resident of CT.

I had my education r/v by FCCPT and they said I have to do classes in integumentary and pharmacology to be eligible for the NPTE.

Three years later I have still not found any college in the whole country that allows a student to take just 2 classes of a PT degree (they have to be part of a PT degree), and I also know that other PTs have been licensed in CT without integumentary.

What's going on?!

Can anyone help me with NPTE eligibility? I don't need any help with visas as I have a greencard already - that was a piece of cake compared to the FCCPT process!

Thank you,

Jodie

JOdie,

Have you tried to apply for NYS or HI?
you might be eligible for these states.

Jodie Finney in Hartford, Connecticut said: Hi,

I am a UK trained PT and permanent resident of CT.

I had my education r/v by FCCPT and they said I have to do classes in integumentary and pharmacology to be eligible for the NPTE.

Three years later I have still not found any college in the whole country that allows a student to take just 2 classes of a PT degree (they have to be part of a PT degree), and I also know that other PTs have been licensed in CT without integumentary.

What's going on?!

Can anyone help me with NPTE eligibility? I don't need any help with visas as I have a greencard already - that was a piece of cake compared to the FCCPT process!

Thank you,

Jodie

Hi,

You should go thru the website www.rehabessentials.com.They offer
'pharmacology in rehab'in a cd based format so that u dont need to join any college.

Jodie Finney in Hartford, Connecticut said: Hi,

I am a UK trained PT and permanent resident of CT.

I had my education r/v by FCCPT and they said I have to do classes in integumentary and pharmacology to be eligible for the NPTE.

Three years later I have still not found any college in the whole country that allows a student to take just 2 classes of a PT degree (they have to be part of a PT degree), and I also know that other PTs have been licensed in CT without integumentary.

What's going on?!

Can anyone help me with NPTE eligibility? I don't need any help with visas as I have a greencard already - that was a piece of cake compared to the FCCPT process!

Thank you,

Jodie

Hi Jodie:

I understand your frustration.I am a PT from Germany and have been licensed in Illinois, Ohio , Wisconsin and now, finally after a 4 year battle in Minnesota. Immigration was a piece of cake compared to the licensing procedure in MN. I can't give you any specific suggestion in regards to the eligiblity to take the exam but I would contact your state representative since you are dealing with a state agency in from of the licensing board and explain your situation. It has helped me in two if the states to do so.It doesn't matter if you are a citizen ( I am not) or a resident, you are still a constituent and they are ususally very willing to help.

Sibylle

twins in Saint Paul, Minnesota said: Hi Jodie:

I understand your frustration.I am a PT from Germany and have been licensed in Illinois, Ohio , Wisconsin and now, finally after a 4 year battle in Minnesota. Immigration was a piece of cake compared to the licensing procedure in MN. I can't give you any specific suggestion in regards to the eligiblity to take the exam but I would contact your state representative since you are dealing with a state agency in from of the licensing board and explain your situation. It has helped me in two if the states to do so.It doesn't matter if you are a citizen ( I am not) or a resident, you are still a constituent and they are ususally very willing to help.

Sibylle

Hi Sybylle,

Thank you so much for your reply - I really appreciate it. I lived in germany for a year (Hamburg) and loved it so much I almost stayed to study PT at Hamburg University. When I applied for my education review through the FCCPT, it said if you had a degree from Germany that you should speak to them before you apply as the German degree is not equivalent to the US degree - how rude and presumptious! Getting a degree in the US is a lot easier than Europe - I'm doing another one now out here in CT.

Congratulations on getting licensed in 4 states and getting your state rep involved - I absolutely applaud you. It's time the education agencies out here realized the US education system is not in any way superior to that of the rest of the world. (Ok I've said my piece!)

Thanks again for your advice,
Jodie

Hi Jodie,

I think you should apply for the FCCPT PLAN PROGRAM.The Fccpt representative will then suggest you how and where to fulfil your educational deficiencies.I applied for the same and it turned out to be very helpful.

All the best and dont lose your patience!

Divya in Chicago, Illinois said: Hi Jodie,

I think you should apply for the FCCPT PLAN PROGRAM.The Fccpt representative will then suggest you how and where to fulfil your educational deficiencies.I applied for the same and it turned out to be very helpful.

All the best and dont lose your patience!

Hi Divya,

I considered that - but it's mainly the cost. I applied to the FCCPT back in 2004 and my account is no longer active. I can get the pharmacology at UCONN (CT) with special permission from the program director, but after speaking with every PT program in CT, I have found there is no such class as 'integumentary'. This is learnt throughout the whole degree in many different classes. I spoke with the director of the WCPT and between us we can't find a way to satisfy the requirement of professional PT education in integumentary without sitting the whole entry level degree again.

I don't want to give the FCCPT anymore of my money! But I really appreciate your suggestion. I honestly don't think there is a PT in CT from the UK - their requirements are impossible to satisfy! I am done losing my patience :-)

Thanks Divya and have a great weekend

Jodie

Hi Jodie:

You are so right. Our system is superior to the one here. I was a clinical coordinator, supervising students during their clinical affiliations form 3 different PT schools in the Chicago area and I can attest to the fact that their education is not the same as the one I received.

Also, when I had to have my credentials evaluated, the FCCPT did not exist then, I received the equivalent of 164 credit hours (58 in general education credits ,116 in Professional, almost double of what was required here at the time) which shows, that my education from Germany was more than sufficient compared to the US requirements.

When I applied in MN the Licensing Committee notified me that they would recommend to the Board to deny my license, I had the option to go before an administrative judge, which is a right, it does not cost anything and I did. It went like a regular court hearing, my husband and I represented us, the board was represented by the assistant attorney general and the judge ruled in my favor in all three points of contention. The Licensing committee then reversed their decision and recommended to the board to issue my license, the attorney general recommended to the board to issue my license and the judge ruled that there was no reason not to issue my license, and the board still denied my license.

We then went to our legislators, the second time, and by the grace of God, a special bill was passed that allowed me to get my license. (We tried to pass a bill that would allow all PT's to receive reciprocity, the board fought that language in the bill.

There is a shortage of PT’s in this country.I regulary receive recruitment letters and phone calls.The FCCPT does not serve the profession and the patients who they say they are trying to protect by limiting trained and able PT's access to practicing their profession. I thinks it's scandalous! Sibylle

I really feel the FCCPT are laughing greedily all the way to the bank as they take foreign graduates’ money. I would be interested to know what the World Confederation would say about your experience. I contacted them about my situation and they tried to help. But ultimately it doesn’t seem right that they allow so many foreign graduates with equivalent degrees (in the least) to end-up out-of-pocket with nothing to show for it but frustration and upset, when physiotherapy is supposedly a world-wide career that will take you anywhere. I strongly believe you are right Sibylle, when you say the FCCPT is doing nothing for their profession in the US, and I absolutely applaud you for fighting back!

Hi,
I'm a UK trained physio, with over 5 years experience working over here. I'm looking into moving to the States as my boyfriend is based in SC. It all looks so overwhelming I'm not entirely sure where to start and was hoping you could give me some advice?! Is there any way of getting a visa to do the segments I will need to make up over in the states? Is it true that they won't recognise my GCSEs? How expensive are the courses I will need to take to make up these points?! And is there any way of sitting the NPTE without already having a job offer from someone willing to sponsor me for a H1b visa? Any advice welcomed! Thanks!!

Hi Ali,

There are 2 parts to working in the US as a PT:

1 - Getting your license
2 - Immigration.

Which you tackle first depends on your specific situation. If your boyfriend is a citizen and you are considering marriage, I would strongly suggest you look at immigration first - I can help you with that as I have the tee-shirt!

If this is not the case you need to tackle the license first. This will start by an education review, followed by permission (or denial) to sit the license exam for SC. Don't even think about the license exam at this point, it is prbably a long way off if you are sucessful with the education review.

The education review is usually done by the FCCPT (fccpt.org). They then inform the FSBPT if you are eligible for the exam who then allow you to register for the exam (NPTE). This site might give you an insight (it's specific to SC):

www.llr.state.sc.us/Pol/PhysicalTherapy/index.asp?file=exam.htm

Go to the fccpt page and download the type 1 application. The first thing you'll have to do is get your results (GCSEs and A Levels from the actual exam boards, not your school)along with a full course transcript (handbook of your degree and results) sent directly to the fccpt. This took me a long time and cost money because you have to pay each exam board for each transcript.

It takes time and money which ever way you do it, but it's essential to do it right first time. It can be overwhelming, but I'm sure if I had help in the first place it would have been a lot quicker, easier and cheaper!

To answer some of your questions: The cost of the courses for making up credit if you need it depends on where you do them - I'll explain the education system here later if you need to know more. They will recognise your GCSEs, but your A Levels are more important. You can't sit the NPTE until you are found eligible by the FCCPT.

Email me jodie.finney@comcast.net - let me know your situation :-)

Jodie Finney in Hartford, Connecticut said: Hi,

I am a UK trained PT and permanent resident of CT.

I had my education r/v by FCCPT and they said I have to do classes in integumentary and pharmacology to be eligible for the NPTE.

Three years later I have still not found any college in the whole country that allows a student to take just 2 classes of a PT degree (they have to be part of a PT degree), and I also know that other PTs have been licensed in CT without integumentary.

What's going on?!

Can anyone help me with NPTE eligibility? I don't need any help with visas as I have a greencard already - that was a piece of cake compared to the FCCPT process!

Thank you,

Jodie

Hi Jodie, If you're still looking please forward your resume. We can help! Thanks, Neil Weiler nweiler@valleyforgepress.com

twins in Saint Paul, Minnesota said: Hi Jodie:

I understand your frustration.I am a PT from Germany and have been licensed in Illinois, Ohio , Wisconsin and now, finally after a 4 year battle in Minnesota. Immigration was a piece of cake compared to the licensing procedure in MN. I can't give you any specific suggestion in regards to the eligiblity to take the exam but I would contact your state representative since you are dealing with a state agency in from of the licensing board and explain your situation. It has helped me in two if the states to do so.It doesn't matter if you are a citizen ( I am not) or a resident, you are still a constituent and they are ususally very willing to help.

Sibylle

Hi Sibylle! I just have a quick question for you. I'm a PT, originally from NC and now am in WA, that is possibly going to Germany next year. My husband is military and I was just wondering if you have any information on contacting the licensing board in Germany. I've tried google and I can't find anything. I'm just trying to figure out if I'm going to be able to work over there if that's where get stationed. I think if I can find a job on base then I'm ok but those jobs are really hard to come by. Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated. please respond to sqrt26@hotmail.com
Thanks!
Mandy Wiggins

Hi Mandy:

The issue of working in Germany is not so much your license but more so that as a foreigner, you can not work in Germany.
Licensing in Germany is handled very differently than in the US. Once you graduate from PT school, you do a one year PT internship at a recognized teaching hospital and receive at least 100 lectures and lessons during that time. At the end of the year the requirements have to be signed of and sent to the state that you went to school in to receive your license which does not have to be renewed and is good anywhere in Germany as well as in most European countries. The idea to be licensed in every state new is an unknown concept in Germany.

The next thing is, that it is not so easy anymore to find a job as a physical therapist, we have more PT’s than jobs and then, of course the language. You would have to speak fluent German in order to work there. Your best bet probably would be to be able to work at an American hospital there.

I hope this helps some. Please e-mail me with any other questions.

Sibylle Gridley PT

Hi Sybille,

I was wondering if you could give us some advise. My husband is Filipino-trained senior physiotherapist here in UK and he's a citizen as well. FCCPT did not find his education to be of US standard so he went for a re-evaluation and got the same answer. The irony of this story was a batchmate of his passed the FCCPT evaluation when in fact they have submitted the same documents. We did a comparison and he was lacking in evidence with many subjects listed in their requirements and was given a lower credit hours with some subjects compared to his batchmate's evaluation. Moreover, they have made a list of "courses not used" which are a list of subjects they surprisingly have given credits on his batchmate's credential review.

He is planning to appeal their decision but we've read the appeal process and it's asking for more money. Am a physiotherapist too and had my credentials evaluated by ICD back in 1999 which I did pass. My husband and I were graduates from the same school and same batch.

As we are based in UK at the moment and planning to move to US, he decided to take steps on how he can work in US. He is under an agency which chose FCCPT for his credential evaluation. Am inactive with my PT profession and did not pursue taking an exam.

As we disagree to cough out more money to solve this problem, do you know any other organization that can help us? I have a got feeling they will ignore his letter despite citing a precedent (batchmate passing her FCCPT evaluation) and will definitely ask for more money as mentioned in their appeal procedure.

We have been shouldering the cost for his application and we hope he'd be given a justified review as FCCPT claimed "consistency of review with all foreign-trained applicants.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Warm regards,

Peachie

Hi again Sibylle,

Sorry if I misspelt your name on my first message. Excuse my spelling error as I realized I typed got instead of gut before the last sentence.

Thanks in advance for taking time to read my message and hope you can give us guidance on this matter. You mentioned "World Confederation" in one of your messages and am not sure if they can help and how we should lodge a complaint. At the moment we are waiting for my husband's batchmate reply to see if she will agree to have her FCCPT records used as a reference in our appeal letter.

Thanks again,

Peachie

omg! i was planning to apply for an fccpt myself!but reading all these?i dont think i want to waste my hard earn money for this comission!

Peachie Cuanang in Wembley, United Kingdom said: Hi again Sibylle,

Sorry if I misspelt your name on my first message. Excuse my spelling error as I realized I typed got instead of gut before the last sentence.

Thanks in advance for taking time to read my message and hope you can give us guidance on this matter. You mentioned "World Confederation" in one of your messages and am not sure if they can help and how we should lodge a complaint. At the moment we are waiting for my husband's batchmate reply to see if she will agree to have her FCCPT records used as a reference in our appeal letter.

Thanks again,

Peachie

Hi Mam Peachie! I think I know you... I was one of your students in DLSU HSC wayback. Regards to Sir Albert! :)

I am having similar problems with the FCCPT. I am a UK trained PT with 3 years experience over there. My review came back saying I was lacking in certain areas of general education. I am trying to get registered in Texas. I emailed the woman directly and argued that they had not given me points for areas that I had covered.....i.e. English Composition?! Having studied English for 8 years at school and achieving my Scottish Higher, I find it very hard to understand this! I provided more evidence from the exam board in the UK (free of charge, as I told her it was ridiculous and I was not paying more!) and this morning they have come back and advised that they will increase my physics level but nothing else. I am not annoyed, angry and upset right now! At present I am going to have to return to college to study chemistry, physiology, psychology, maths-statistics and english composition. Despite them being happy with my university degree!? How can they be ok with my PT training but not happy with things that are a lower level!? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Steph

twins in Saint Paul, Minnesota said: Hi Jodie:

I understand your frustration.I am a PT from Germany and have been licensed in Illinois, Ohio , Wisconsin and now, finally after a 4 year battle in Minnesota. Immigration was a piece of cake compared to the licensing procedure in MN. I can't give you any specific suggestion in regards to the eligiblity to take the exam but I would contact your state representative since you are dealing with a state agency in from of the licensing board and explain your situation. It has helped me in two if the states to do so.It doesn't matter if you are a citizen ( I am not) or a resident, you are still a constituent and they are ususally very willing to help.

Sibylle

can you please tell me if there is a PHD programs in Germany for physiotherapy or close to the field as biomechanics,musculoskeletal medicine,manual therapy

twins in Saint Paul, Minnesota said: Hi Jodie:

I understand your frustration.I am a PT from Germany and have been licensed in Illinois, Ohio , Wisconsin and now, finally after a 4 year battle in Minnesota. Immigration was a piece of cake compared to the licensing procedure in MN. I can't give you any specific suggestion in regards to the eligiblity to take the exam but I would contact your state representative since you are dealing with a state agency in from of the licensing board and explain your situation. It has helped me in two if the states to do so.It doesn't matter if you are a citizen ( I am not) or a resident, you are still a constituent and they are ususally very willing to help.

Sibylle

Hi Sybille,

I came across your answer on indeed.com. I am from Germany also and a PT in Germany and I have tried to get the eligibility for the Exam here in the States once in KY and once in Fl. Both times it came back telling me that I was not eligible because of the difference in school systems and I would have to go to university all over again.
What did you do? Any advice?

Thank you for all your help

Christina

anyone knows how well does the spanish physios do to do the new york credentialing?

Hello everybody. Please help. I am trying to get Colorado license. They require aerosol applications in wound care. I have searched and searched and searched and I just cannot find a school that teaches that. If anyone knows of the courses in aerosol applications, please let me know.

Thanks

lenny