News about FSBPT and their actions to temporarily ban all Filipinos from physical therapy licensure has already hit the Philippines and other countries such as India. I just wanted to give a brief update on here.
Rumors
- On Friendster and physical therapy forums, there is a rumor of a New York physical therapist that was asked to retake the NPTE, supposedly because her name was on the SLRC list. So is this fact or fiction? And who started this rumor? It took me a while to trace this rumor (the Internet is big), but I found the following post online that seemed to have started it all:
charmaj_14 wrote:
Hello to everyone. I just want to share this. I receive a call from a friend in New York & she's been working there as a PT for almost two years. Last week she received an email from FSBPT requesting her to RE-TAKE the stateboards. I think she was also enrolled at slrc So, in-short even if you're already in the U.S , you are still affected by the fsbpt's investigation. This is so unfair. We passed the exam because we study hard & all of us deserves it.
- I can tell you that charmaj_14's account has not been recently created. For instance, if someone just wanted to joke around, they could create a fake account and post a rumor. The account has been active for at least 2 years, giving some credibility that this person is not a spoof or a joke.
- The New York state board does not publish their disciplinary actions instantly and we don't have a name on the PT, so at the moment, we have to label this rumor as speculative with some credible elements. I will attempt to contact the original poster to verify the story.
- bingbong from the PT forum called the NY state board and said, "i was very surprised when i heard this from a friend and when i read it here. i called nysed office of the professions and they clarified that the rumor is not true. they are not revoking any license unless a therapist commited and was proven guilty of anything that would jeopardize his/her license".
- APTA's PT Bulletin, September 13, 2002, Volume 3 Issue 38 reported that FSBPT was investigating cheaters, presumably in the U.S.A.
- FSBPT Vol 19 No 3 reported during a meeting in Utah that cheating was prevalent in the United States (Professor Hogan was quoted).
- Ann Tyminski, Executive Director of the Maryland Board of Physical Therapy Advisors and a member of the FSBPT Board of Directors gave an update in 2004 that FSBPT was pursuing four candidates that had committed copyright violations of NPTE.
- So why didn't FSBPT withhold test scores from all U.S. students when they found U.S. cheaters?
- Once you have double standards, the policy, in my eyes, moves away from being fair and balanced to discrimination.
- Most people recognize that FSBPT has the right to investigate cheaters. This is fair and just if they follow the evidence.
- But their actions against an entire country is incorrect and it is excessive. They do not have evidence that the entire country cheated, so why do they temporarily ban all Filipino-educated PTs from licensure?
- The only people that seem to disagree with me are people that are already in the United States or Canada and are already licensed. Or people that are in the Philippines that aren't in the situation because they don't want to come over to the U.S. to work. My only words to these critics: Don't criticize people that are suffering from this. If you have nothing constructive to say, don't say it at all.
- To people that do not like FSBPT's actions, you need to start writing letters. Yes, letters to newspapers, media outlets, TV, government officials, and to FSBPT. Without the public on your side, nobody will know. Click here for some additional actions you can take.
- Look at FSBPT's web site, they have entirely been silent on the issue. Why? Because they know what they are doing is controversial: banning an entire nation's PT graduates without due process is un-American (I'm a Filipino-American, so I can say that).
- In America's legal system, due process protects an individual from being punished for a crime before there is evidence against him. For instance, if a murder occurred in the state of New Jersey, should we jail the entire population of New Jersey and then figure out who the murderer is? Due process protects you from that type of unfair, knee jerk reaction.
- If FSBPT claims to "protect the health, safety and welfare of the [American] public", they must at least follow the principles of the country's legal establishment. If not, they are hypocrites.
I invite discussion and if you have any updates, please click on the comment link below.
9 comments:
I totally agree with what you're saying. It's total hipocrisy. Everybody who's taken a board exam (be it any) WILL be able to recall exam questions and WILL discuss in detail what was on the exams. Sure, we were caught and sure, there are consequences. But to hold and entire COUNTRY and its people in blame and proclaimed guilty without due process is just that - UNFAIR, DISCRIMINATORY and UNAMERICAN. I've turned the whole FSBPT site upside down and there ARE facts about the raid, but none of the investigation and withholding scores.
Okay, that was just me blowing some steam. I am a PTRP. I do not have plans to take the state boards in the near future (if at all) but I know some people who are truly qualified to be RPTs. I say this because they ARE and I know them personally. As students, they were diligent and top-notch. As therapists, resourceful, patient-oriented and better than some people I personally know who have passed the state boards.
And to someone who said that knowing what will be tested will result in an RPT handling a patient's life in their hands and failing -- hello? You know what will be tested and you know what the RIGHT answers will be. I'd think you will make the RIGHT decision regarding that patient's life, don't you think?
Punish the review center and make new state board questions -- its as simple as THAT. Surely FSBPT has the resources to make sure that past board questions are not repeated?
I think all the people who enrolled in SLRC and passed should retake the board again. There are no doubts that all of us are working hard to passed this dammed exam. But lets face it those people from SLRC have an edge not because they work harder than we did, but because they use illegal materials such as recalled questions from past board takers. It is unfair for everybody. The only fair to do is let those people retake that exam. Thanks
To: Mr or Ms PT ako
Please think before making such comments. You are practically saying that Fsbpt's accusation is true. Do you benefit from such comments? Does SLRC get affect by such comments? Maybe, but the brunt of the blow( what blow? like the suspention of examination for Pinoy PTs) ..the brunt of the blow affects not the review centers but our fellow pinoys. So please. Stop making these kind of comments. TIGIL NA SA PAGIGING TALANGKA.
To ptako what you said is very unfair. you have no idea how it was to work while have the review at the same time. In SLRC the students are encouraged to give so much effort to study. The recommended materials were all "legal" (from text books to the notes from the lectures). Besides, did you have any any proof to accuse everyone coming from SLRC as being benefactors of those so called "illegal materials"? You should watch what you are saying because that is being biased. and PT's are not like that if you really are a therapist
well since 2006 I have heard a lot of POSITIVE comments from those PT who have reviewed from SLRC because almost all of them PASSED.. Isn't that great? believable? Convincing? I have asked if it's really that good and reliable? They said it is because they passed.I think maybe when it's time for me to review I might choose them. How bad that could be? Now, I'm eligible and have not set foot at SLRC or have set eyes on any of that alleged test question reproductions. I am included in the suspension. Maybe, I'm lucky compared to those PT who are already there in US to sit for the exam considering the expenses but still I am FURIOUS because we have done nothing WE HAVE NOT BENIFITED FROM THOSE ALLEGED QUESTIONS YET WE ARE THE ONE SUFFERING AND PAYING FOR THE DEEDS OF THOSE PEOPLE WELL I DON'T WANT TO MENTION. BUT SLRC HAVE TO PAY! You might think I'm insensitive and tactless but somebody has to pay but as always S*#T happens to good and honest people while the guilty walks free and wealthy...
We dare everybody who is saying that SLRC is giving out recalled questions to set foot and see for yourself what we are learning. The review is for 5-6 months long, if we were just doing recalled questions, that would only take 5 days! When the raid was conducted in 2007, charges were raised, however due to insufficient evidence the case was dropped. There was no order from any governing body to stop the review. And SLRC continued to produce boardpassers legally.
Actually FSBPT has every right to imposed ban on any group of people it suspected to be involved in cheating . Don't get me wrong for i am affected too. But what am I going to do? Waste my time crying because of their decision? I want o point out that we are asking them a favor to hire us to allow us to work to US. We don't have any right to tell them what to do. If I were you I would just study harder and prepare for the NPTE yrly instead of complaining. Stop being like a mexican who burn american flags in american soil and telling them that they have a right to stay in the US. It is unbecomming for all of us to say that it is discriminatory or unamerican gosh- we should be courting them, as much as possible lets kiss their ass. We should be humble enough to beg for their consideration to lift this ban. To my colleague pls don't be a pathetic loser. let us just respect their decision.
> ANONYMOUS: Actually FSBPT has every right to imposed ban on any group of people it suspected to be involved in cheating.
Yes, they do this to individuals, but schools and groups in America have also cheated. They don't ban entire regions or schools or America's graduates.
> ANONYMOUS: Don't get me wrong for i am affected too. But what am I going to do? Waste my time crying because of their decision? I want o point out that we are asking them a favor to hire us to allow us to work to US.
I think you should probably attempt to increase your comprehension of these issues. FSBPT doesn't hire. Physical therapy companies and health agencies do. Is there a difference? Yes, because U.S. companies still want to hire and need professionals. There's not enough American graduates. We need foreign-trained professionals to make our country better. FSBPT should not have a monopoly on supply.
> ANONYMOUS: "We don't have any right to tell them what to do."
The public and the professionals have every right to shape public policy.
> ANONYMOUS: "If I were you I would just study harder and prepare for the NPTE yrly instead of complaining."
You aren't me. I'm not a physical therapist. I'm a American concerned for my fellow Filipinos.
> ANONYMOUS: Stop being like a mexican who burn american flags in american soil and telling them that they have a right to stay in the US."
Not sure why Mexicans are brought into this. This somewhat racist statement is rather concerning. I truly hope you are not as ignorant as you sound.
> ANONYMOUS: "It is unbecomming for all of us to say that it is discriminatory or unamerican gosh- we should be courting them, as much as possible lets kiss their ass. We should be humble enough to beg for their consideration to lift this ban. To my colleague pls don't be a pathetic loser. let us just respect their decision."
Sorry, but you have no foundation here. The principles of my country is grounded in the Constitution that states " all men are created equal" -- it does not discriminate foreigners from this equality. My country is in need of medical professionals to better its health system and to make it affordable. Without an ample supply of professionals, health care will be more expensive in the United States. It should not be foreigners "begging" to address a need. American companies are the ones sending recruiters across the globe. We simply don't have enough graduates in America.
Please put a skeleton on, with a little bit of understanding that you are a human being, and then actually understand the issues.
Thanks, -Don
to publisher. thanks for that comment on anonymous. I would like to point out all the stupidity in his statements but it would just be a waste of time. He is not our enemy but the ban and the people who approved it. I thank you as well for this post. I am hoping this gets resolved right away.
to anonymous: you can start kissing as many american asses now please.
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