Requirement 4: Year 10 Non-Proctored Recertification Examination

The ABPTS Maintenance of Specialist Certification (MOSC) is a model for certification that focuses on continuing competence of the physical therapist specialist.

This page covers MOSC Requirement 4: Cognitive Expertise Through a Test of Knowledge in the Profession.

Recertification Exam

MOSC Recertification Exam Overview Presentation

During year 10 of the certification cycle, you must to take a recertification examination, comprising approximately 100 items. The exam is specialty-specific, assesses your cognitive expertise in the specialty area, and reflects contemporary specialist practice.

The goal of the exam, and maintenance program generally, is to facilitate continued competence, and designed to educate and enrich the clinician’s expertise in the specialty practice area.

Each specialty recertification exam blueprint will be consistent to include the following 3 general categories:

Knowledge Areas
Professional Roles, Responsibilities and Values
Patient/Client Management

Prerequisite

You must successfully complete Requirements 1-3 before sitting for the recertification exam. If you fail to receive a passing score after the first attempt, you are permitted to sit for the exam one additional time. You will maintain your certification during this one-year grace period.

What You Need To Know About the Examination

The examination is a non-proctored examination.
Specialists are permitted to use external resources and reference materials. Click on your specialty below for the MOSC examination content outline and list of suggested references from each ABPTS specialty council:

The examination is comprised of approximately 100 multiple choice items. Specialists are required to complete a minimum of 25 questions per session block - within a two-month period.
Specialists will be permitted to take the next block of 25 questions immediately after completing a prior block - if they choose. However, the two-month period dates do not change if an individual happens to start their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th block of items early.
Specialists will be given up to 10 minutes to complete each item on the exam.
- The 10-minute clock for each item will not start until the whole item vignette (including any graphics) is displayed to and reviewed by the examinee. There will be no video items included.
Specialists will be granted the opportunity to request that provisions be made to account for "life-events” that might impede an examinee's ability to complete any portion of the exam cycle in the 10th or 11th years.