Clearing an Australian Physiotherapy Entry Pathway (APEP) can feel quite overwhelming, especially when the syllabus is extensive and the questions demand more than textbook knowledge. Dr. Gauri Tike's journey shows us how structured preparation, clinical reasoning, mock tests, and the right mindset can make a significant difference.
A BPT and MPT graduate from Mumbai with almost nine years of clinical experience, Dr. Gauri had always planned to build her career in Australia. Her journey was never completely straightforward and easy. Regardless of many hurdles in her journey, she still sat for exam with the utmost courage and succeeded with flying colours.
In this success story, we take inspiration from her journey, the challenges she faced, how she overcame her mistakes from first attempt, and the techniques that helped her succeed. Let us inspire ourselves from her experience.
APEP Exam September 2026 Success Journey of Dr. Gauri (PT) at a Glance
| Milestone | Dr. Gauri Tike's Journey |
| Education | BPT and MPT from Mumbai, India |
| When did she dream of Australia? | Considered moving to Australia for Postgraduate studies after completing her graduation in 2017 |
| Why was there a sudden change of plans? | COVID-19 situation changed her plans and she eventually decided to complete post graduation in Mumbai. |
| Did she lose her dream of Australia? | No, instead the Australian Healthcare Environment attracted her more. |
| Preparation start | Freelancing along with study. Prepared for almost 6 months. She stopped working for one month to focus entirely on exam. |
| Study Hours | Six to Eight hours a day |
| Attempts | First attempt- appeared in May- missed by 5 marks Second attempt- appeared in September- Succeeded. |
| What changes she made for the second attempt? | Practised strategically with mock tests from Academically. |
Why Choose Australia as a Physiotherapy Career Destination?
Australia had always been part of Dr. Gauri's career plans for several years.
She initially considered moving to Australia for postgraduate studies after completing her graduation in 2017. She had even secured admission and a scholarship. However, there came the sad part of her journey- COVID-19 situation changed her plans, and she and her family eventually decided to complete her master's degree in Mumbai itself.
However, her interest in Australia did not disappear.
She had some conversations with her seniors working in the country and that gave her more insight into the Australian Healthcare Environment. She was particularly attracted to the concept of ethical, patient-centered, and evidence-based practice.
Dr. Gauri highlighted that although the core physiotherapy concepts remain similar, the way clinical knowledge is applied, patient communication is handled, and treatment decisions are made can differ across healthcare systems.
The focus on current research and evidence-based practice was another factor that encouraged her to pursue the Australian pathway.
Dr. Akram Ahmad says that unlike other examinations where one can be asked completely different subjects, this exam focuses on what you have already studied and practised as a physiotherapist. The guidelines can be different because every country has its own guidelines. Ethics and professional standards can also be different. But you need not worry, you just need to think from the perspective that, " I am a physiotherapist practising in Australia." This approach will help you a lot.
Why Choose Academically for APEP Preparation?
Dr. Gauri discovered Academically Global after attending one of its preliminary webinars.
At that stage, she already knew she wanted to explore the Australian pathway, but the extensive syllabus made it difficult for her to decide where to begin.
The questions running through her mind were quite similar to those many candidates have:
- What should you study first?
- Which topics carry more weightage?
- How much of the syllabus needs to be covered?
- Which resources should you use?
- How should you approach clinical case scenarios?
This webinar helped her understand the Australian Physiotherapy Entry Pathway more clearly, and she also found that faculty members of Academically had already gone through the Australian Physiotherapy Pathway themselves and were already working in Australia. So she decided to continue her preparation with Academically because what is better than learning from experienced one themselves!
APEP Exam Preparation Expert Tips
Dr. Gauri prepared for approximately six months. For most of the period, she continued working while studying. She used freelancing to create more flexibility around her preparation. During the final month before the examination, she stopped working so she could focus entirely on her studies.
Her intensive preparation involved approximately six to eight hours of study each day. However, she says that it doesn't matter how many hours of study you do daily, what matters is that you study smartly.
Dr. Gauri worked on concepts, clinical reasoning, mock tests, revision, Australian guidelines and question-solving strategies rather than simply trying to read entire syllabus.
Three Resources that can help you the most for APEP Exam
Dr. Gauri identified three major components that supported her preparation.
Live Lectures
Live lectures from Academically gave her an opportunity to interact with faculty members and clarify doubts. Rather than passively reading material, she used to ask questions and discuss clinical situations. These interactions helped strengthen her understanding of difficult topics.
Mock Tests
Mock tests curated by faculty members of Academically helped Dr. Gauri develop a practical strategy for approaching the examination. She learned how to eliminate options, compare closely related answers and think through clinical scenarios.
Her experience is particularly useful for candidates who believe they should complete all their studies before attempting mocks.
Her first attempt showed why that approach can be limiting.
Australian Guidelines and Resources
Dr. Gauri also referred to Australian websites, research resources and professional guidelines. That helped her understand how physiotherapy knowledge should be applied within the Australian healthcare context.
Familiarising yourself with relevant Australian resources can help you understand the local clinical and professional framework.
Why Mock Tests Are Important
Dr. Gauri attempted her first attempt in May and it did not go as she had planned. She missed the passing marks by five marks only.
Instead of simply studying more content after the result, she looked closely at how she had prepared. She identified one major weakness: mock-test practice.
During her first preparation cycle, she had completed relatively few mock tests because she believed that understanding the concepts would be enough.
That assumption became an important lesson.
When Dr. Gauri prepared for her second attempt, she changed the way she practised questions. She began using mock tests much more seriously.
Mock tests for APEP exam by Academically helped her understand how to approach closely matched options, eliminate inappropriate answers and identify the most suitable response. They also helped build confidence.
For Dr. Gauri, this became one of the most important differences between her first and second attempts.
What is the Hardest Part of the examination
According to Dr. Gauri, one of the hardest part of examination was not the amount of content alone but rather it was deciding how to approach and reason the answer choices.
Dr. Gauri says that we might know the underlying clinical concept very well as it was taught to us in our college but we might still struggle when two options appear equally appropriate. That is where clinical reasoning becomes important.
Dr. Gauri says that the examination can test whether a candidate can move beyond recalling information and determine what is most appropriate for a specific patient. This is an important distinction between simply studying a syllabus and preparing for an applied clinical examination.
One of the biggest piece of advice that Dr. Gauri received from a faculty member was: whenever you see a question, ask yourself," If I were in this position and I were seeing this patient, what would I do in Australia?"
This perspective helped her a lot.
What was an Unexpected Topic in September APEP Examination
One question that surprised Dr. Gauri was the presence of questions related to cancer in her September attempt. She noted that cancer was not given that much priority in previous examination she attempted.
Fortunately, she had completed a cancer-related posting during her master's education. That clinical exposure allowed her to connect her previous experience with the examination questions.
Her experience tells us the importance of understanding concepts across different clinical situations rather than depending entirely on previous question patterns.
Expert Advice to Candidates Preparing for APEP Exam
Dr. Gauri's message to aspiring candidates appearing for APEP examination is to begin with right mindset.
She says that a large syllabus can easily make you feel that they have too much to learn and too little time. She believes maintaining a positive and disciplined approach is essential.
Her key advice is to:
| Stay consistent | A large syllabus becomes more manageable when divided into smaller sections and studied systematically. |
| Time Management | Dr. Gauri says that if you have decided to take this exam, you need to dedicate the required amount of time to the subject and the preparation.If your exam is at 5 o'clock in the morning, you cannot expect to wake up at 7 o’clock every day and start studying. You need to train your brain to wake up at 5 o’clock and work during that time. |
| Practise clinical reasoning | Do not limit preparation to memorisation. Learn how to apply concepts to patient scenarios. |
| Take mock tests seriously | Mocks can help develop question-solving strategies, improve confidence, and highlight knowledge gaps. |
| Prepare your own notes | Creating concise revision material makes repeated review easier. |
| Ask questions | Clarifying doubts with experienced faculty can strengthen understanding. |
| Think like a physiotherapist practising in Australia. | Australian guidelines, ethics, professional standards, and clinical approaches should be considered when analysing questions. |
To conclude with....
Dr. Gauri Tike's Australian physiotherapy exam success story offers a practical insight for physiotherapists considering an international career. Her journey involved almost six months of preparation, intensive study, clinical reasoning practice, Australian guideline-based learning, and a stronger focus on mock tests after her first attempt.
Most importantly, her experience shows that preparation is not only about covering the syllabus. It is about learning how to think through clinical situations, understand professional expectations, manage time, and select the most appropriate answer.
Physiotherapists planning to pursue opportunities in Australia can use such real-world experiences to understand the commitment better, discipline, and clinical reasoning required along the journey.