The Class of 2020 is the inaugural class for HPU’s Department of Physical Therapy.
HIGH POINT, N.C., March 8, 2021 – Class of 2020 graduates in High Point University’s Departments of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies received 100% pass rates on the national exams.
Class of 2020 graduates in the HPU Department of Physician Assistant Studies received a top score on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). The Program First-Time Taker Pass Rate for the Class of 2020 was 100%, which is five points higher than the national average for First-Time Takers, on the PANCE for 2020. The PANCE is a computer-based, multiple-choice test that assesses medical and surgical knowledge. This examination must be successfully passed in order for graduates to become eligible for licensure.
“I am so proud of the Class of 2020,” says Dr. James Johnson, chair and director of HPU’s Physician Assistant Studies program. “One of our core values in HPU’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies is tenacity. The members of the Class of 2020 embodied unmatched tenacity as they remained focused on their education in the midst of all of the uncertainty and changes related to COVID-19.”
The HPU Department of Physical Therapy’s inaugural Class of 2020 received an ultimate pass rate of 100% on the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE), four points above the national average. The class also received a first-time pass rate of 93%, two points above the national average.
This is an important step toward practicing professionally. Students need to pass the NPTE in order to apply for licensure within the state they choose to practice. Sixty-one percent of HPU’s Class of 2020 are licensed in North Carolina.
“This is a great accomplishment for our Doctor of Physical Therapy alumni whose diligence over their three years at HPU resulted in their ultimate goal of practicing as a licensed physical therapist,” said Dr. Jeff Taylor, chair and associate professor of HPU’s Department of Physical Therapy. “It illustrates the tremendous effort of our faculty and staff to mentor our DPT students and design and implement a curriculum that educates students for the licensure exam and beyond.”
HPU’s Departments of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies are housed within the Congdon School of Health Sciences inside Congdon Hall, along with the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy. Congdon Hall is part of the university’s $250 million Innovation Corridor, a nearly half-mile stretch of campus where facilities, faculty and STEM focused-programs are collectively housed.
The departments’ pass rates are a direct reflection of HPU’s commitment to offering high quality health care programs for students to pursue. Recently, HPU’s Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy received full accreditation status by the American Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). HPU also announced Dr. Racquel Ingram as founding chair of the Department of Nursing, which will also be housed in Congdon Hall.