Taking the CAPR exam after getting an Australian physiotherapy degree

Getting an Australian physiotherapy degree? What do you need to know about taking the CAPR exam?

So, you spent two or three years studying physiotherapy in Australia. You were taught by some of the world’s leading physio researchers, hit the books, and had a few hundred hours of clinical placements.

Now one of the only things standing between you and your dream of being a licensed physiotherapist in Canada is the CAPR exam.

What is CAPR?

The Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators is the credentialing and assessment agency for Canadian physiotherapists. CAPR reviews the education and qualifications of people who received their physiotherapy education outside of Canada to ensure that they are equivalently skilled to their Canadian-trained counterparts.

Okay, so what is this exam?

CAPR also issues the Physiotherapy Competency Exam to both Canadian and internationally trained physiotherapists. It is used to determine a person’s readiness to practice safe, effective, and independent physiotherapy.

There are two parts: the Written Component (Qualifying Exam) and the Clinical Component (Physiotherapy National Exam), which test the following:

• history-taking
• physical examination
• data interpretation
• clinical problem solving
• treatment techniques
• ethics
• safety
• interviewing and communication

Former OzTREKK student explains how you study for it

Australian physiotherapy school graduate, Alexis, decided to take a study course offered by Canada’s Physical Therapy Development Institute. It was helpful given that what she learned in Australia will help you become an exceptional physiotherapist, but it won’t necessarily help you pass the CAPR exam.

“You’re learning all this great stuff in Australia… whereas Canada’s still behind in the old school where they still do things that are proven to be not that beneficial sometimes.”

The additional study course helped Alexis understand the ins and outs of CAPR’s judging criteria and from there she could use a combination of what she learned in the classroom and what she knew CAPR was looking for in order to succeed.

Here more about this from Alexis herself here!

How did it all end? She’s now a practicing physiotherapist in Ontario!

Studying physiotherapy at an Australian university

Australian physiotherapy degrees are highly sought after by Canadian university graduates with academic backgrounds in kinesiology, health sciences and human kinetics. Canadians enjoy learning from Australian academics who are world leaders in the physiotherapy field. The Master of Physiotherapy (MPT), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Bachelor of physiotherapy programs that OzTREKK features are designed to produce qualified, highly skilled physiotherapists who will be eligible to write the exam in order to practice physiotherapy in Canada.

OzTREKK Physiotherapy Eligibility Pre-assessment

Are you thinking of applying to a physiotherapy program, but not sure where to start or what exactly “neuro” means? We can help!

If you’re wondering if you’re eligible—and if you’re competitive—start by sending us your university transcripts. Together, we can cut right through to your best options. Send us a PDF of your unofficial transcripts (must be clear, legible, and have course titles) and we’ll be able process your application(s) much faster.

Questions? Shoot us an email at physio@oztrekk.com. We’re here to help!

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Do you have questions about Australian physiotherapy schools? Contact OzTREKK’s Physiotherapy Admissions Officer at physio@oztrekk.com for more information, and to see if studying in Australia is right for you!