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CAPR (Canada) · Last updated November 2026

Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool (PET): free practice test

A three-hour, 150-question multiple-choice evaluation that decides whether an internationally educated physiotherapist's knowledge and skills are comparable to a graduate of an approved Canadian program, and so whether they may attempt the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination. It is built on the National Physiotherapy Entry-to-Practice Curriculum Guidelines 2024 and has five domains. The first sitting is 16 December 2026, with 12 dates scheduled in 2027.

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About the PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool exam

A three-hour, 150-question multiple-choice evaluation that decides whether an internationally educated physiotherapist's knowledge and skills are comparable to a graduate of an approved Canadian program, and so whether they may attempt the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination. It is built on the National Physiotherapy Entry-to-Practice Curriculum Guidelines 2024 and has five domains. The first sitting is 16 December 2026, with 12 dates scheduled in 2027.

What's on the exam

PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool
Foundations: Anatomy, Neuroanatomy and Pathophysiology
7 key facts
Foundations: Exercise Science, Pain and Pharmacology
6 key facts
Assessment: Client Information, Clinical Flags, Tests and Measures
6 key facts
Assessment: Outcome Measures and Rating Scales
6 key facts
Care Planning: Goals, Exercise, Soft Tissue and Devices
6 key facts
Care Planning: Electrophysical Agents, Airway Management and Wound Care
6 key facts
Client Safety and Client-Centred Care
6 key facts
Professional Practice: Scholarship, Professionalism, Collaboration and Communication
6 key facts

Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →

How to pass the PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool exam

  • Foundational Knowledge is 29-31% of the PET, a far larger share of basic science than most clinicians expect. Review anatomy, pathophysiology, exercise science, pain and pharmacology before anything else.
  • With 150 questions in 3 hours you have 72 seconds each. Answer every question: a wrong answer scores the same as a blank.
  • Musculoskeletal content is 40-45%, neurological 25-30%, cardiovascular-respiratory 15-20% and other systems 10-15%. About 1 question in 5 involves a child and about 3 in 10 an older adult, so don't study adult cases only.
  • The blueprint names outcome measures such as the Chedoke-McMaster, LEFS, UEFI, PSFS, GMFCS and Berg. Know what each measures, who it suits and how to read the result. The PET does not reflect the format or difficulty of the CPTE, so prepare for each separately.

Save your results and get your Readiness Score

Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the complete study notes for the first topic, flashcards and the Clinical Values & Red Flags Sheet.

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What's in the premium PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool prep

Premium PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool 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.

3,000practice questions, every answer explained
6full-length mock exams, 150 questions each, timed
800flashcards with spaced repetition, sorted by topic
60comprehensive key notes across 8 topics

Your step-by-step study path

  1. 1
    Foundations: Anatomy, Neuroanatomy and Pathophysiology8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Notes free with an account
  2. 2
    Foundations: Exercise Science, Pain and Pharmacology8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  3. 3
    Assessment: Client Information, Clinical Flags, Tests and Measures8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  4. 4
    Assessment: Outcome Measures and Rating Scales8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  5. 5
    Care Planning: Goals, Exercise, Soft Tissue and Devices7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  6. 6
    Care Planning: Electrophysical Agents, Airway Management and Wound Care7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  7. 7
    Client Safety and Client-Centred Care7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  8. 8
    Professional Practice: Scholarship, Professionalism, Collaboration and Communication7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  9. Final step: 6 full mock exams150 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.
    Premium
Free with an account

Read the complete PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool study notes for “Foundations: Anatomy, Neuroanatomy and Pathophysiology”

Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 15 minutes of reading: Peripheral nerves versus nerve roots · Central nervous system · Vestibular and special systems · Healing and pathology, 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.

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Study tools included

3,000 practice questions

3,000 exam-style questions per exam, organized topic by topic in sets of 25. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.

6 full mock exams

6 full-length timed mock exams per exam, with real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.

Exam Readiness Score

One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready to book. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.

800 flashcards + spaced repetition

800 flashcards per exam, in a deck for each topic, that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.

60 comprehensive key notes

60 key notes per exam, split across its topics and each explained in full: the concepts, worked exam examples, the traps examiners use and a quick recap. Your first set is free with an account.

Mind maps

See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.

Sample questions with answers

These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.

1. After a long period of sitting with crossed legs, a client has a foot drop, weak foot eversion and reduced sensation over the dorsum of the foot. Foot inversion and hip abduction strength are normal. Compression at which site is MOST likely?
Answer: Common fibular nerve at the fibular neck. The common fibular nerve is superficial at the fibular neck, and its branches supply the dorsiflexors, the evertors and the skin of the dorsal foot. An L5 radiculopathy also causes foot drop, but it weakens tibialis posterior (inversion) and gluteus medius (hip abduction), which are normal here. Compare inversion and hip abduction whenever you see a foot drop.
2. Ten days after a moderate lateral ankle ligament sprain, the swelling has settled. Which statement BEST describes the tissue and its implication for loading?
Answer: Proliferative phase: fragile type III collagen benefits from graded loading. At about 10 days a ligament is usually in the proliferative phase, when fibroblasts lay down weak, disorganized type III collagen. Controlled, progressive loading helps the fibres align and gain strength. Remodelling, with conversion to stronger type I collagen, takes months, so unrestricted sport or ballistic loading at this point risks re-injury.
3. A 60-year-old client with a resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute, taking no rate-controlling medication, will start aerobic training at 60% of heart rate reserve. Using 220 minus age for maximum heart rate, what is the target heart rate?
Answer: 124 beats per minute. Age-predicted maximum is 220 - 60 = 160, so heart rate reserve is 160 - 70 = 90. Then 90 x 0.60 = 54, and adding the resting rate back gives 124 beats per minute. The common errors are taking 60% of maximum heart rate (96) or forgetting to add the resting rate (54).
4. A client with stable heart failure has recently started bisoprolol and is beginning a walking program. What is the BEST way to monitor exercise intensity?
Answer: Use a rating of perceived exertion alongside symptoms. Beta-blockers blunt the heart rate response to exercise, so age-predicted heart rate targets overestimate what is achievable and appropriate. A rating of perceived exertion, together with symptoms and vital signs, is the better guide. A low exercise heart rate is an expected drug effect, not a reason on its own to stop.
5. For 14 months a client has had widespread pain with allodynia to light touch, poor sleep and fatigue. Examination and investigations show no ongoing tissue damage and no lesion of the somatosensory nervous system. Which pain type is MOST likely?
Answer: Nociplastic pain. Nociplastic pain arises from altered nociception without clear evidence of tissue damage or of a lesion or disease of the somatosensory system. Nociceptive pain needs actual or threatened tissue damage, and both neuropathic types need a lesion or disease of the nervous system. Widespread pain with hypersensitivity, poor sleep and fatigue fits the nociplastic pattern.
6. A client has neck and arm pain with weak elbow extension and wrist flexion, a reduced triceps reflex and numbness of the middle finger. Which nerve root is MOST likely involved?
Answer: C7. C7 supplies elbow extension and wrist flexion, carries the triceps reflex and has a dermatome over the middle finger. C6 would reduce the brachioradialis reflex and affect the thumb side, while C8 weakens finger flexion and affects the little finger. Combine the myotome, reflex and dermatome rather than relying on one finding.
7. A 13-year-old with obesity has had 3 weeks of knee pain and a limp. The knee examination is normal, hip internal rotation is limited, and the hip rolls into external rotation as it is flexed. What should the physiotherapist do NEXT?
Answer: Advise protected weight-bearing and arrange urgent medical referral. Knee pain with a normal knee and restricted hip motion in an adolescent suggests slipped capital femoral epiphysis, and obligatory external rotation with hip flexion is a classic sign. The client needs urgent medical assessment and imaging, with weight-bearing restricted to reduce the risk of further slip. Always examine the hip in a child or teen with knee pain.
8. A 9-year-old with cerebral palsy walks with a posterior walker in most indoor settings, needs a railing and supervision on stairs, and uses a wheelchair for school trips. Which Gross Motor Function Classification System level BEST fits?
Answer: Level III. Level III describes children who walk using a hand-held mobility device in most indoor settings and use wheeled mobility over longer distances. Level II children walk in most settings and only sometimes need a device, while Level IV children mostly need physical assistance or powered mobility. Classify usual performance, not best capacity.
9. A client with adhesive capsulitis has limited glenohumeral abduction. According to the convex-concave rule, which accessory glide is MOST appropriate for restoring this movement?
Answer: Inferior glide of the humeral head. The convex humeral head moves on the concave glenoid, so it glides opposite to the direction of the shaft. As the arm abducts, the shaft rises and the head glides inferiorly. A superior glide would drive the head toward the acromion and impingement, and compression does not restore accessory motion.
10. A 72-year-old with osteoporosis and a healed T12 vertebral compression fracture wants to exercise at home. Which activity should the physiotherapist advise against?
Answer: Repeated loaded trunk flexion such as sit-ups. Repeated or loaded spinal flexion raises anterior compressive load on the vertebral bodies and the risk of another fracture. Osteoporosis Canada's guidance favours back extensor strengthening, balance training and weight-bearing activity, with the spine kept in a neutral position during effort. All the other choices are appropriate.
11. A client who had surgery yesterday will use conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for incisional pain. Which parameters BEST match this mode?
Answer: High rate (about 80-100 Hz), short pulse, comfortable tingling. Conventional TENS uses a high rate, short pulse and sensory-level intensity to modulate pain through segmental mechanisms, which suits fresh post-operative pain. The low-rate strong-twitch mode is acupuncture-like TENS, and 35-50 Hz at a tetanic intensity is neuromuscular stimulation. Noxious intensity is not part of conventional TENS.
12. A client with a COPD exacerbation is drowsy on nasal oxygen at 4 L/min. SpO2 is 97%; blood gases show pH 7.31, PaCO2 60 mmHg and bicarbonate 29 mmol/L. A hospital protocol allows the physiotherapist to titrate oxygen. What is the BEST action?
Answer: Titrate oxygen down to SpO2 88-92% and notify the team. The gases show partially compensated respiratory acidosis with drowsiness, and SpO2 of 97% is above the 88-92% target used for clients at risk of hypercapnia. Titrating down and urgently involving the team reduces oxygen-related CO2 retention. Raising the flow worsens the problem, and removing oxygen completely risks dangerous hypoxemia.
13. During a transfer, a client with a complete T4 spinal cord injury develops a pounding headache and facial flushing. Blood pressure is 178/100 mmHg, well above their usual 105/65. What should the physiotherapist do FIRST?
Answer: Sit the client upright and check for a blocked catheter or other trigger. This is autonomic dysreflexia, a medical emergency in lesions at or above about T6. Sit the client upright to lower blood pressure, loosen tight clothing and look for the noxious trigger, most often bladder or bowel distension, while calling for medical help. Lying flat pushes blood pressure higher, so it is the wrong direction.
14. A new special test is studied in 200 clients. Of 50 clients with the condition, 40 test positive. Of 150 clients without it, 15 test positive. What is the positive likelihood ratio?
Answer: 8.0. Sensitivity is 40/50 = 0.80 and specificity is 135/150 = 0.90. The positive likelihood ratio is sensitivity divided by (1 - specificity): 0.80/0.10 = 8.0. The value 0.22 is the negative likelihood ratio, (1 - 0.80)/0.90, and 0.80 is the sensitivity.
15. A 16-year-old attends alone for a knee injury and clearly understands the proposed care, its risks, its benefits and the alternatives. In most Canadian jurisdictions, what determines whether this client can give consent?
Answer: The client's capacity to understand and appreciate the decision. Canadian consent law generally turns on capacity, the ability to understand the information and appreciate the consequences, and not on a fixed age, although details vary by province. A capable minor can usually consent to their own care. Consent must still be informed, covering risks, benefits, options including no care, and cost.

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PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool exam FAQ

How many questions are on the PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool exam?

150 multiple-choice questions, each with 4 options and one correct answer, about 37% at the Knows (recall) level and 63% at the Knows How (short clinical scenario) level, with a time limit of 3 hours (72 seconds a question). Format: computer-based, multiple choice only, 150 equally weighted questions. capr's pet day page was still marked information to follow when checked, so confirm permitted materials and breaks with capr.

What is the passing score for PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool?

No simple pass mark. Three outcomes: Comparable (eligible for the CPTE), Partially Comparable (targeted remediation first) or Not Comparable. Each question is worth one mark with nothing deducted for a wrong answer. Thresholds come from CAPR standard setting and the figures were not published when checked; confirm with CAPR.

How much does the PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool exam cost?

C$900 (C$675 for a re-attempt after a Not Comparable outcome; C$900 for an optional re-take). CAPR's Qualifications Assessment, C$550, is a separate earlier stage. CAPR sets the fee per exam date and charges for rescheduling, so confirm the current fee on the CAPR website before you apply.

Which languages is the PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool exam offered in?

Chosen in the PET application. CAPR requires fluency in English or French; confirm the languages offered with CAPR.

Where do I take the PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool exam?

Virtual and remotely proctored; there are no test centres.

Is this PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool practice test free?

Yes. The 15-question practice test on this page is free, with an explanation for every answer and no signup. A free account also unlocks the complete study notes for the first topic. The full PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool prep is Premium at C$207 a month for this exam.

What's in the premium PET Physiotherapy Evaluation Tool prep?

3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (Foundations: Anatomy, Neuroanatomy and Pathophysiology: 375; Foundations: Exercise Science, Pain and Pharmacology: 375; Assessment: Client Information, Clinical Flags, Tests and Measures: 375; Assessment: Outcome Measures and Rating Scales: 375; Care Planning: Goals, Exercise, Soft Tissue and Devices: 375; Care Planning: Electrophysical Agents, Airway Management and Wound Care: 375; Client Safety and Client-Centred Care: 375; Professional Practice: Scholarship, Professionalism, Collaboration and Communication: 375), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 150 questions, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes split across all 8 topics, plus a mistakes bank and the Readiness Score.

Related practice tests

Exam details are summarized from the official candidate information available in November 2026. the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators changes formats and fees, so confirm with Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) before you book. CPTEExamPrep is not affiliated with the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators.

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