Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I have to co-sign the Exam Candidates chart notes?  No, co-signing of all chart notes is not required. However, it is expected that chart notes are reviewed as necessary to ensure competency.

2. Can the Exam Candidate work alone? On the weekend? Evenings in private practice alone with an Assistant? This will vary depending on the capabilities of the new graduate, as assessed by the Supervisor. The Exam Candidate will undergo an initial assessment of skills and abilities by the Supervisor and an appropriate supervision plan will be created specifically for that Exam Candidate. The supervision can be indirect. This may include working alone, on weekends or evenings. However this is supervised, not independent practice and supervision must still be in place.

3. Can they bill third party payers independently? Yes, Exam Candidates can bill independently.

4. Can they work in the community in the patient’s home or in isolation a couple of times a week? See answer to #2 above.

5. What is my responsibility to the College – are there progress reports to write? How often? The supervisor must assess the Examination Candidate between day ten and thirty of supervised practice. The purpose of this evaluation is to determine the appropriate level of supervision. The Evaluation Form for the First 10 to 30 Days of Supervision, developed by CPM, can be used for this purpose. The completed evaluation should be kept on file with the supervisor and does not need to be sent to CPM.
A formal evaluation using the Assessment of Clinical Practice (ACP) tool should be conducted every three months with the last evaluation occurring two weeks prior to the Examination Candidate applying for the Practice Based Competency Assessment (PBCA). The timing of this evaluation serves the purpose of providing the Examination Candidate with time to improve problem areas of practice before beginning the PBCA. A copy of the ACP evaluation must be sent to CPM for review.
Should the Examination Candidate fail the PBCA, the period of supervision will be extended. In this event, performance evaluations using the ACP tool should continue to be conducted every three months until the Exam Candidate has successfully passed the PBCA or until registration on the Exam Candidate register is cancelled.

6. How long do I need to supervise them? Until the Exam Candidate passes the PBCA and transfers to the Active register, or until a change of Supervisor is mutually agreed upon by both Supervisor and Exam Candidate. This change must be reported to the CPM. 

7. What if I am on vacation during the time they are supervised? The Supervisor must make arrangements for supervision by another physiotherapist when the Supervisor is not available. This temporary change does not need to be reported to CPM; only PERMANENT changes in Supervisor need to be reported to CPM.

8. Are they paid the same amount as a fully qualified physiotherapist? This is determined by each individual employer, not the CPM. 

9. What happens if the Exam Candidate fails the Clinical Component of the PCE? If the Exam Candidate fails the Clinical Component, he/she continues on supervised practice.

This publication is available in alternate formats on request.