APC Written Assessment Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the APC Written Assessment (Australian Physiotherapy Council) tests, topic by topic: what each section covers, the facts that come up most, and how to study it. Pair it with the free 15-question practice test.
The exam at a glance
| Questions | 120 multiple-choice questions in 2 papers (each paper: 15 clinical cases with 4 questions per case) |
|---|---|
| Time | 4 hours: two 2-hour papers on the same day (Paper 1 in the morning, Paper 2 in the afternoon) |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 500 or higher (Rasch-scaled across both papers). No negative marking |
| Format | Closed book, computer-based |
| Certifying body | Australian Physiotherapy Council |
| Test provider | Online exam, in person in Melbourne or Sydney, or remotely supervised from your own location |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete APC Written Assessment study notes for “Musculoskeletal Assessment and Diagnosis”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 16 minutes of reading: Start with the subjective examination · Screen for serious pathology · Clinical decision rules and imaging · Choosing the right test · Reading neurological findings · From findings to a physiotherapy diagnosis, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.
1. Musculoskeletal Assessment and Diagnosis
Subjective and objective examination, clinical tests, screening for serious pathology and forming a physiotherapy diagnosis for spinal and peripheral musculoskeletal conditions. Expect case questions that ask for the most useful test, the most likely diagnosis or the next step.
Key facts
- A good subjective examination drives the physical one: area and behaviour of symptoms, 24-hour pattern, aggravating and easing factors, history, general health and red and yellow flags.
- Screen every spinal presentation for serious pathology: cauda equina (saddle anaesthesia, bladder or bowel change), fracture, malignancy, infection and inflammatory disease.
- Clinical decision rules guide imaging: the Ottawa ankle and knee rules for fracture; most non-specific low back pain needs no imaging.
- Knee tests: Lachman (ACL, most accurate), posterior drawer and sag (PCL), valgus and varus stress at 30° (MCL, LCL), McMurray and joint-line tenderness (menisci).
- Shoulder: painful arc and resisted tests for rotator cuff related shoulder pain; loss of passive external rotation suggests frozen shoulder or glenohumeral arthritis.
- Neurological examination (dermatomes, myotomes, reflexes) separates radiculopathy from referred pain; neurodynamic tests (straight leg raise, slump, ULNT) assess neural sensitivity.
- Psychosocial yellow flags (fear-avoidance, catastrophising, low expectations) predict chronicity and shape management.
Flashcards
Exam tip: When a case gives red-flag symptoms, the answer is almost always onward referral at the right urgency, not another test.
2. Musculoskeletal Management
Evidence-based treatment of common musculoskeletal conditions: education, exercise, load management, manual therapy as an adjunct, return to sport and work, and Australian clinical care standards for low back pain and knee osteoarthritis.
Key facts
- Australia's Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard: assess for serious causes, educate and reassure, encourage staying active, avoid routine imaging and limit opioids.
- Osteoarthritis Clinical Care Standard: education, exercise and weight management are first-line for knee and hip OA; arthroscopy is not recommended for knee OA.
- Tendinopathy responds to progressive loading (isometric, isotonic, then energy-storage and sport-specific work), guided by pain monitoring.
- Rotator cuff related shoulder pain: graded strengthening and education first; surgery doesn't beat exercise for most non-traumatic presentations.
- Acute soft-tissue injuries: protect, then load optimally; early graded movement beats prolonged rest.
- Fracture rehabilitation follows healing timeframes and the surgeon's weight-bearing orders; respect precautions after joint replacement and repairs.
- Manual therapy and electrophysical agents are adjuncts at most; active treatment and self-management are the core.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Between two plausible treatments, choose the active, evidence-based one that builds self-management over the passive one.
3. Neurological Physiotherapy
Stroke, acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathies and vestibular disorders, with Australian guidelines such as the Living Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management.
Key facts
- ANZ stroke guidelines: no very early, high-dose mobilisation within 24 hours; frequent, short out-of-bed sessions within 48 hours for mild and moderate stroke.
- After stroke, task-specific, repetitive practice drives recovery: circuit class training, treadmill or overground walking, and CIMT for people with some active wrist and finger extension.
- Spinal cord injury: know key muscles by level (C5 elbow flexors, C6 wrist extensors, C7 elbow extensors, C8 finger flexors, T1 finger abductors) and the ASIA Impairment Scale.
- Autonomic dysreflexia (injuries at T6 and above) is an emergency: sit upright, lower legs, remove the trigger (bladder, bowel, tight clothing).
- Parkinson's disease: external cues for freezing, cognitive movement strategies for complex tasks, and high-amplitude, high-effort exercise.
- Multiple sclerosis: manage fatigue and heat sensitivity; aerobic and resistance exercise is safe and beneficial.
- BPPV of the posterior canal: diagnose with the Dix-Hallpike test and treat with the Epley manoeuvre.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Neurology cases often hinge on the level of the lesion. Work out the level first, then the expected function.
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question APC Written Assessment test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy
Assessment and management of acute and chronic respiratory and cardiac conditions: atelectasis, sputum retention, COPD, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, asthma, heart failure, cardiac rehabilitation and post-surgical care, following Australian sources such as Lung Foundation Australia and the Heart Foundation.
Key facts
- Identify the problem first: reduced lung volume (atelectasis), sputum retention, increased work of breathing or impaired gas exchange. Treatment follows the problem.
- Reduced lung volume: positioning upright, early mobilisation and deep breathing; sputum retention: airway clearance (ACBT, PEP, huffing, mobilisation).
Flashcards
Exam tip: Match the intervention to the impairment. Atelectasis needs volume, not percussion; retained secretions need clearance, not just oxygen.
5. Lifespan: Paediatrics, Gerontology and Gender Health
Physiotherapy across the lifespan: child development and common paediatric conditions, older adults and falls, and gender health including pregnancy, pelvic floor dysfunction and osteoporosis.
Key facts
- Typical gross motor milestones: sitting unsupported about 6-8 months, walking independently about 12 months (range up to about 18 months).
- Paediatric conditions: developmental dysplasia of the hip, talipes equinovarus (Ponseti), cerebral palsy (GMFCS levels), Osgood-Schlatter and Sever's disease.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Age changes the likely diagnosis. Read the patient's age first: the same knee pain means different things at 12 and at 62.
6. Acute Care and Patient Safety
Working safely in hospital and community settings: observations and deterioration, red flags and emergencies, lines and attachments, VTE, post-operative precautions, infection control and safe manual handling.
Key facts
- Know normal adult observations and escalate per the hospital's track-and-trigger system (e.g. Between the Flags in NSW).
- Emergencies to recognise: cauda equina, autonomic dysreflexia, suspected DVT or PE, acute coronary syndrome, stroke (FAST) and sepsis.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Safety questions reward the first, most urgent action. If the patient might be deteriorating, stop and escalate before anything else.
7. Professional, Ethical and Evidence-Based Practice
Practising as a registered physiotherapist in Australia: the Physiotherapy practice thresholds, the Code of conduct, consent and capacity, privacy, mandatory notifications, scope of practice, cultural safety, evidence-based practice, quality improvement and risk management.
Key facts
- The Physiotherapy Board of Australia regulates physiotherapists under the National Law, with Ahpra; the Code of conduct sets expected behaviour.
- Informed consent must be voluntary, specific and given by a person with capacity; competent adults may refuse treatment.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Professional-practice questions usually have one option that protects the client and follows the Code. Pick it, even when another option is more convenient.
How to pass
- Each paper is 60 questions in 2 hours: about 2 minutes per question. Read the case once carefully, because all 4 of its questions draw on it.
- Answer as an entry-level physiotherapist working in Australia. The best option is the one that follows Australian guidelines and is safe, client-centred and within your scope.
- Learn the Australian sources the Council points to: the Australian and New Zealand stroke guidelines, Lung Foundation Australia's pulmonary rehabilitation toolkit and Heart Foundation resources.
- There's no negative marking, so never leave a question blank. Flag hard ones and come back.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the APC Written Assessment exam?
Most working candidates need 4 to 8 weeks at 45 to 60 minutes a day. Book your exam once your Readiness Score has stayed at 80 or higher for about a week.
Can I take the APC Written Assessment exam online?
Yes. The Written Assessment is an online exam that you can sit in person at a venue in Melbourne or Sydney, or remotely from your own location with remote supervision (a computer running WebLock plus a second device with a camera). Format: closed book, computer-based. Check the Council's Written Assessment Information Booklet for the rules.
What score do I need to pass the APC Written Assessment exam?
Scaled score of 500 or higher (Rasch-scaled across both papers). No negative marking. The exam has 120 multiple-choice questions in 2 papers (each paper: 15 clinical cases with 4 questions per case) and a time limit of 4 hours: two 2-hour papers on the same day (paper 1 in the morning, paper 2 in the afternoon).
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers musculoskeletal assessment and diagnosis, musculoskeletal management, neurological physiotherapy, cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, lifespan: paediatrics, gerontology and gender health, acute care and patient safety, professional, ethical and evidence-based practice. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium APC Written Assessment study path
Premium APC Written Assessment prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.
Your step-by-step study path
- 1Musculoskeletal Assessment and Diagnosis9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 450 practice questions in 18 sets of 25Notes free with an account
- 2Musculoskeletal Management9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 3Neurological Physiotherapy9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 4Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 5Lifespan: Paediatrics, Gerontology and Gender Health8 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 6Acute Care and Patient Safety8 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 7Professional, Ethical and Evidence-Based Practice8 key notes, 110 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- Final step: 6 full mock exams120 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.Premium
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- The APC Written Assessment: both papers, every clinical area
- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: clinical values and red flags sheet, special tests atlas, study planner and more
- Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back
Renews once a year until you cancel. We email you before each renewal. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access until the end of the year you've paid for.
Summarized from the Australian Physiotherapy Council's official candidate information and the rules cited, checked November 2026. Confirm current requirements with Australian Physiotherapy Council.