title: Modifiable variables in physical therapy education programs associated with first-time and three-year National Physical Therapy Examination pass rates in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to examine the modifiable programmatic characteristics reflected in the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) Annual Accreditation Report for all accredited programs that reported pass rates on the National Physical Therapist Examination, and to build a predictive model for first-time and three-year ultimate pass rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  This observational study analyzed programmatic information from the 185 CAPTE-accredited physical therapy programs in the United States and Puerto Rico out of a total of 193 programs that provided the first-time and three-year ultimate pass rates in 2011. Fourteen predictive variables representing student selection and composition, clinical education length and design, and general program length and design were analyzed against first-time pass rates and ultimate pass rates on the NPTE. Univariate and multivariate multinomial regression analysis for first-time pass rates and logistic regression analysis for three-year ultimate pass rates were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The variables associated with the first-time pass rate in the multivariate analysis were the mean undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and the average age of the cohort. Multivariate analysis showed that mean undergraduate GPA was associated with the three-year ultimate pass rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mean undergraduate GPA was found to be the only modifiable predictor for both first-time and three-year pass rates among CAPTE-accredited physical therapy programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8622-8361
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Chalee
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7891-1398
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Engelhard
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Division, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Michel D
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8292-5562
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Therapy, Walsh University, North Canton, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8700-3922
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McCallum
keywords: Accreditation; Logistic models; Physical therapists; Puerto Rico; United States