Maryland

United States Physical Therapy Practice Acts

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Requirements for License

Licensure by Examination: U.S Graduates

Completed Application Form and Exam Questionnaire.
Application fee of $150 (check or money order only, payable to the Board of Physical Therapy)

Post-graduation transcripts sent to the Board Office directly from the Registrar's office.

Evidence of Registration for the National Physical Therapy Exam. (Go online to www.fsbpt.org)
FSBPT will notify the Maryland Board electronically of your registration. When your application is complete, the Board will notify FSBPT to authorize you to sit for the examination. Effective October 1, 2008 FSBPT will no longer accept checks. All payments must be by credit card or debit card. Examination scores are sent electronically to the Board Office. The Board will notify you of your score. Do not call or e-mail the office regarding score reports. Scores are only available through the post mail.

Passing score on the Maryland Jurisprudence Examination. The Maryland Jurisprudence Exam is an open book exam. It is to be completed and returned to this office. Passing score is 90%.

Licensure by Examination: Foreign Educated

All applicants MUST have a social security number. AIN numbers are no longer being accepted on advise of the Attorney Generals’ office. You can be approved to sit for the exams, however that approval does not render one eligible for licensure if the applicant can’t meet the other criteria.

Federal regulations (45 CFR 61.7) require the Maryland Board of Physical Therapy to report a licensee’s Social Security number when making reports to the Federal Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB). Therefore all applicants for licensure are required to submit a social security number.

The Board of Physical Therapy is unable to issue a license to practice as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant in the State of Maryland until submission of the social security number. The Board will send a letter to foreign educated applicants letting the applicant know that they will be eligible to receive a Maryland license once the applicant has furnished the Board their social security number. Once the Board receives that number, you will be issued a license to practice in the State of Maryland.

Completed Application Form and Exam Questionnaire.
Application fee of $150 (check or money order only, payable to the Board of Physical Therapy)
Evaluation of educational credentials sent directly to this office from one of the following acceptable credentials agencies:

Foreign Credential Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT)
124 West Street South, 3rd Floor
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 684-8406

International Credentialing Associates (ICA)
10801 Starkey Road
Suite 104
Seminole, FL 33777
(727) 549-8555

International Consultants of Delaware (ICD)
Division of CGFNS International
P.O. Box 8629
Philadelphia, PA 19101-8629
(215) 222-8454 Ext. 603 (Lines open M-F from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time)
E-mail: icdeval.com

International Education Research Foundation (IERF)
P.O. Box 3665
Culver City, CA 90231-3665
(310)-258-9451
Evidence of Registration for the National Physical Therapy Exam. (Go online to www.fsbpt.org)
The FSBPT will keep your registration in a queue. When your application is complete and approved, the Maryland Board office will notify FSBPT to authorize you to sit for the examination. Examination scores are sent electronically to this office. Do not call or e-mail this office regarding score reports. We will mail the results to you. Scores are only available through the mail.
Passing score on the Maryland Jurisprudence Examination. The Maryland Jurisprudence Exam is an open book exam. It is to be completed and returned to this office. Passing score is 90%.
Evidence of oral competency in the English language. If not taught in English, the Test of English as a Foreign Language will be required (TOEFL). See below:
Implementation of TOEFL in Licensing:

Background – The Educational Testing Service (ETS) has developed and certified an internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). It contains four sections; writing, speaking, listening and reading. Standards for passing each of the sections have been established by several certification and licensing organizations including the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). The scales (range of numbers used) differs between sections, making a direct comparison of sections inappropriate. For example, a score of 20 in one section is not equal in any manner to a score of 20 in another section.

Policy – In using TOEFL as one of the criteria in qualifying foreign-educated physical therapists for whom English is not their primary language applying for licensure in Maryland, the Board has adopted the following minimum or cut scores in each of the four sections:

Writing - 24 Speaking - 26 Listening - 18 Reading – 21

Note: The Board has adopted these minimum cut scores for each section. The Board has not adopted the total score.

Review – It is anticipated that the cut scores for each section of the test may change from time to time as experience with tests develop. It is expected that FSBPT will advise the Board of any future changes in the cut scores at which time the Board can vote on these changes and will advise applicants.

Licensure by Endorsement: U.S Graduates

Applicant must have a current license in another state

Completed Application Form.
Application fee of $150 (check or money order only, payable to the Board of Physical Therapy)

Copy of current out of state physical therapy license showing expiration date.
Verification of out of state license. Download Out-of-State Verification Form
Post-graduation transcripts sent to the Board Office directly from the Registrar's office.
Copy of Receipt of request to Transfer NPTE Scores to the Maryland Board. (Go online to www.fsbpt.org to request a transfer of scores).
Passing score on the Maryland Jurisprudence Examination. The Maryland Jurisprudence Exam is an open book exam. It is to be completed and returned to this office. Passing score is 90%.
.

Licensure by Endorsement: Foreign Educated

Completed Application Form.
Application fee of $150 (check or money order only, payable to the Board of Physical Therapy)

Copy of current out of state physical therapy license showing expiration date.
Verification of out of state license. Download Out-of-State Verification Form
Proof of competency in English language (either recent TOEFL scores or a verification from a physical therapy program).
Credentials evaluation report for the State of Maryland from an approved credentialing agency. (see listing above under Licensure by Exam – Foreign Educated).
Copy of Receipt of request to Transfer NPTE Scores to the Maryland Board. (Go online to www.fsbpt.org to request a transfer of scores).
Passing score on the Maryland Jurisprudence Examination. The Maryland Jurisprudence Exam is an open book exam. It is to be completed and returned to this office. Passing score is 90%.

Licensure by Transfer: U.S Graduates

Applicants that registered to take or have taken the National Physical Therapy Examination in another state but did not obtain licensure in that statee

Completed Application Form and Exam Questionnaire.
Application fee of $150 (check or money order only, payable to the Board of Physical Therapy)
Post-graduation transcripts sent to the Board Office directly from the Registrar's office.
Evidence that you have registered or have taken the National Physical Therapy Examination in another state.
Copy of Receipt of request to Transfer NPTE Scores to the Maryland Board. (Go online to www.fsbpt.org to request a transfer of scores).
Signed and dated statement that you do not hold a physical therapist license in any state
Passing score on the Maryland Jurisprudence Examination. The Maryland Jurisprudence Exam is an open book exam. It is to be completed and returned to this office. Passing score is 90%.

Licensure by Transfer: Foreign Educated

If you are foreign educated and applying by transfer of examination scores, we will need your credentials evaluation report for the State of Maryland and evidence of oral competency in the English language sent directly to this office. We do not need the transcript from your PT program

References

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Disclaimer:   Informational Content is assimilated from the state practice act is a resource only and should not be considered a  substitute for the content within the state practice act.  All state practice acts can change and it is recommended that you refer to the original resource in the link above.