ABOUT OPTS

The Orthopedic Physical Therapy Specialization Study Group was born in the summer of 2022, just weeks after I received the results of my OCS exam. I passed the test, and while I was certainly proud of that accomplishment, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the preparation process had been far more difficult than it needed to be.

Like many aspiring orthopedic specialists, I initially felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of study resources available and the lack of clear guidance on where to begin. Very few materials were formally recommended, and the “best” study path often depended entirely on who you asked. As someone who tends to overprepare, I responded by studying everything I could find: practice exams, clinical practice guidelines, journal articles, prep courses, flashcards, cheat sheets, and folders full of supplemental materials. In hindsight, the approach was effective, but it was undeniably a “work harder, not smarter” strategy. Altogether, I spent nearly seven months preparing for the OCS board examination.

What frustrated me most, however, was the quality of many of the available study materials at the time. Despite strong reviews and personal recommendations, I repeatedly encountered resources riddled with grammatical errors, outdated terminology, unnecessarily convoluted questions, contradictory evidence, and major imbalances in topic emphasis that did not align with the Description of Specialty Practice.

That experience ultimately inspired me to create my own practice examination — one that would be current, meticulously reviewed for accuracy and clarity, and held to a higher standard than many of the options that were available at the time. The OPTS I exam debuted in the fall of 2022 and has since undergone annual updates and revisions.

The exam was first shared through the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Study Group Facebook page, which has since grown to nearly 1,400 members. Since its launch, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and the community continues to grow as clinicians share study resources, testing strategies, and practical insights to help support one another through the specialization process.

We hope you can find our group useful to your pursuit of orthopedic board certification!

- Dr. Alaric T. Keller, PT, DPT, OCS

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