Credentials
All internationally educated physical therapists (IEPTs) – including Canadians educated as physical therapists (PTs) in another country – wanting to practice physical therapy in BC, must first apply to the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) for a credentialing assessment. Their educational credentials and qualifications will then be assessed to confirm their eligibility to take the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE), which is administered by CAPR.
Everyone who wants to practice physical therapy – both IEPTs and graduates of Canadian programs – must pass the PCE. However, graduates of physiotherapy programs in Canada do not have to complete CAPR's Educational Credential and Qualification Assessment before taking the PCE.
The Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) has two parts:
Written component (Qualifying Exam) – a multiple-choice examination that evaluates the candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities required to work as a physiotherapist in Canada.
Clinical Component (Physiotherapy National Exam) - In January 2022, the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) discontinued the administration of the Clinical Component of the PCE.
Please note: You must pass the PCE written component before you can register for the next available Alternate Clinical Evaluation BC (ACEBC).
For more information on the credentialing and examination processes, please go to CAPR’s website, www.alliancept.org.
Alternate Clinical Evaluation BC (ACEBC):
In accordance with the College of Physical Therapists of BC (CPTBC) bylaws, the University of British Columbia (UBC), Department of Physical Therapy will administer an alternate evaluation as a response to the discontinuation of the Physiotherapy Competency Exam (PCE) clinical component.
The Alternate Clinical Evaluation BC (ACEBC) is an in-person OSCE that is administered four (4) times per year.
The ACEBC will take the format of an eight (8) station practical assessment where each station is focused on a different question or scenario.
Please note: When registering for the ACEBC, you will be asked to provide proof that you have passed the PCE written component.
For more information on the ACEBC, please visit the UBC, Department of Physical Therapy website, https://physicaltherapy.med.ubc.ca/acebc/
Provincial Registration
All Physical Therapists must be registered with the College of Physical Therapists of BC (CPTBC) before they can practice physical therapy and use the title physical therapist, physiotherapist, registered physical therapist or registered physiotherapist in BC. The CPTBC is responsible for regulating the practise of physical therapy in the public interest.
The CPTBC requires that you must have a university level, entry-to-practice degree (or credential by another name) in physiotherapy, from a recognized institution in Canada, or have been successfully assessed and determined to be equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in Canada by th Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR).
There are two main CPTBC categories of registration:
Full Registration in BC:
- an internationally educated physiotherapist (IEPT) who has successfully completed the credentialing process with CAPR; passed the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) written component; and passed a clinical assessment by way of the PCE clinical component or the Alternate Clinical Evaluation BC (ACEBC).
- a graduate of a physiotherapy program at an approved Canadian institution; passed the PCE written component; and passed a clinical assessment by way of the PCE clinical component or the ACEBC.
Interim Registration in BC:
- an IEPT who has successfully completed the credentialing process with CAPR, passed the written component of the PCE and registered for the next available ACEBC. You must also have a confirmed supervisory employment arrangement with a fully registered physiotherapist in BC.
- a graduate of a physiotherapy program at an approved Canadian institution, passed the written component of the PCE and registered for the next available ACEBC. You must also have a confirmed supervisory employment arrangement with a fully registered physiotherapist in BC.
Other categories include student registration and courtesy registration.
Registration with the Canadian Physiotherapy Association or membership in the Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia is voluntary.
Download or view our Quick Reference Guide with information for Physiotherapists:
Health Match BC Physiotherapists Brochure [PDF]