Clinical Assessment Guide (APEP)

Complete guide to the APEP clinical assessment - online Capability Assessment and in-person Clinical Workshop

Clinical Assessment Overview (APEP)

The Clinical Assessment is the final stage of the APC pathway. Under APEP, it has two components: an online Capability Assessment delivered by video call, and a one-day, in-person Clinical Workshop at the APC's Melbourne office.

Two-part assessment
Capability Assessment (online oral exam via video call) and Clinical Workshop (one day, in person at the APC's Melbourne office).
2 Components
Capability + Workshop
Online
Capability Assessment
Melbourne
Clinical Workshop

Two Assessment Components

1. Capability Assessment (Online)

An oral examination conducted via video call. You can take this from your home country - no travel to Australia required for this component.

Format
  • • 3 short cases and 1 long case
  • • About 2 hours in total, with 1.5 hours of exam time
  • • One experienced Australian physiotherapist assessor
  • • Live video call — an oral exam, offered online only
Requirements
  • • Stable internet connection
  • • Webcam and microphone
  • • Quiet, private environment
  • • Valid ID for verification
Reading time and resources
No reading time is given for the short cases. The long case has 15 minutes of reading time, and APC allows Google and books during that reading time only — not while you are answering. Practise the short cases cold.

2. Clinical Workshop (In-Person)

A one-day workshop at the APC's Melbourne office, with a morning and an afternoon session. You must travel to Australia for this component.

Australian Physiotherapy Council, Level 4, 302 Burwood Road, Hawthorn VIC
Confirm the address on your APC booking confirmation before travelling.
Hands-on skills and simulated cases
Across the morning and afternoon sessions
Led by an Australian physiotherapist
One experienced facilitator for the day
Professional indemnity insurance is required
Before the workshop you must give APC a Certificate of Currency for professional indemnity insurance covering a minimum of $5 million. Free associate membership of the Australian Physiotherapy Association includes complimentary cover, if you do not already hold a policy.

Clinical Areas Assessed

Both the Capability Assessment and Clinical Workshop will assess your competency across the core areas of physiotherapy practice.

Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

Assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions including joint, muscle, and soft tissue disorders.

Assessment Skills
  • • Subjective assessment
  • • Objective examination
  • • Special tests
  • • Clinical reasoning
Treatment Skills
  • • Manual therapy techniques
  • • Exercise prescription
  • • Patient education
  • • Treatment progression

Neurological Physiotherapy

Assessment and treatment of neurological conditions affecting movement, balance, and function.

Assessment Skills
  • • Neurological examination
  • • Movement analysis
  • • Balance assessment
  • • Functional evaluation
Treatment Skills
  • • Neurorehabilitation techniques
  • • Balance training
  • • Gait re-education
  • • Functional training

Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy

Assessment and treatment of cardiorespiratory conditions including breathing disorders and cardiovascular rehabilitation.

Assessment Skills
  • • Respiratory assessment
  • • Auscultation skills
  • • Exercise tolerance testing
  • • Oxygen saturation monitoring
Treatment Skills
  • • Breathing exercises
  • • Airway clearance techniques
  • • Exercise prescription
  • • Patient positioning

Assessment Criteria

Assessors evaluate your performance based on Australia's entry-level competencies. APC's APEP candidate materials — the Clinical Workshop Booklet and the Capability Assessment material, both in the Candidate Portal — describe these competencies and related domains.

Clinical Competencies

  • Clinical reasoning and decision-making
  • Assessment techniques and skills
  • Treatment planning and implementation
  • Evidence-based practice

Professional Competencies

  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Professional behaviour and ethics
  • Safety and risk management
  • Documentation and record keeping

Preparation Requirements

Essential Requirements

Professional indemnity insurance
APC requires candidates to hold appropriate professional indemnity cover. Confirm the current minimum and accepted providers with APC before booking.
APEP candidate materials (Candidate Portal)
Sign in to the APC Candidate Portal for the Clinical Workshop Booklet and the Capability Assessment material — these are the current APEP documents.
Pre-reading materials
APC makes pre-reading available on the Candidate Portal's Clinical Workshop dashboard once you have booked your workshop.

Special circumstances

Talk to APC if your circumstances may affect the assessment
APC publishes special-circumstances policies covering pregnancy, illness, disability, and other situations that may need accommodation or medical clearance. Contact APC directly for the current requirements before booking — we don't reproduce their policy text here so we never quote out-of-date rules.

Preparation Tips

Clinical Skills Practice

  • Practice assessment techniques on colleagues
  • Review special tests for each area
  • Practice explaining procedures to patients
  • Work on time management during assessments

Professional Development

  • Gain supervised practice experience
  • Attend clinical reasoning workshops
  • Review Australian physiotherapy guidelines
  • Practice cultural safety in clinical scenarios

Important Links

Capability Assessment (APC)
Online oral exam information
Clinical Workshop (APC)
In-person assessment information

Prepare for Your Clinical Assessment

Build confidence with our clinical scenarios and practice materials built for the Capability Assessment oral exam

Try the APEP demoRead APC's official APEP guide

Sample Questions

Practice with real exam-style questions and get immediate feedback