Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) Examination study plan
CHT · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Pathophysiology
Diagram the bony, ligamentous, and retinacular anatomy of the wrist, hand, and digits from memory, then correct errors against a reference text.
State origin, insertion, action, and innervation for every intrinsic and extrinsic muscle of the hand and forearm.
Trace the median, ulnar, and radial nerve courses and predict the sensory and motor deficit produced by a lesion at three different levels of each.
Map the flexor and extensor tendon compartments, the carpal tunnel, and Guyon canal, naming the contents of each.
Your checkpoint
A closed-book blank-diagram labeling quiz covering hand/wrist muscles, nerves, ligaments, and compartments, scored at 90% or higher.
Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Pathophysiology & Evaluation and Assessment
Explain the biomechanics of the wrist, CMC, MCP, PIP, and DIP joints, including the arcs of motion and the contribution of intrinsics versus extrinsics.
Compare the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and typical impairment profile of five upper-quarter conditions (carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, De Quervain tenosynovitis, lateral epicondylalgia, Dupuytren contracture).
Differentiate inflammatory, osteoarthritic, and post-traumatic arthritides by joint-involvement pattern and characteristic deformity.
Relate common tendon-repair and fracture management timelines to the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases of tissue healing.
Your checkpoint
A one-page pathophysiology comparison table covering 10 diagnoses with mechanism, expected deficits, and healing timeline.
Evaluation and Assessment & Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Pathophysiology
Select and justify a standardized assessment for each of five evaluation scenarios spanning ROM, strength, sensibility, dexterity, and edema.
Demonstrate goniometry and manual muscle testing procedures for the wrist, digits, and thumb, stating landmarks and normal values.
Interpret Semmes-Weinstein monofilament, two-point discrimination, and Tinel test results against published normative thresholds.
Calculate and interpret grip and pinch strength as a percentage of the uninvolved side and against normative data.
Your checkpoint
A written mock evaluation (subjective, objective, assessment, plan) for one simulated case, self-scored against an item checklist with 85% or more of required elements present.
Evaluation and Assessment & Treatment and Intervention
Convert evaluation findings into a prioritized problem list and measurable short- and long-term goals for three case vignettes.
Match treatment interventions to specific impairment findings and state the rationale, precautions, and contraindications for each.
Identify red flags and conditions requiring referral or modification of the plan of care.
Complete 60 timed mixed-domain practice questions and log every incorrect item with its underlying knowledge gap.
Your checkpoint
Three written plans of care with goals expressed in measurable, time-bound terms, verified against a criteria checklist.
Treatment and Intervention
Describe indications, parameters, and precautions for thermal, electrical, ultrasound, and light-based modalities used in hand therapy.
Outline fabrication principles and wearing schedules for static, dynamic, and static-progressive orthoses for three common diagnoses.
Apply flexor tendon and extensor tendon rehabilitation protocols, listing phase-specific ROM and load limits.
Describe wound care, edema control, scar management, and desensitization techniques, including compression dosing.
Your checkpoint
A protocol summary card covering flexor tendon, extensor tendon, and nerve repair rehabilitation phases with explicit ROM and load limits.
Treatment and Intervention & Professional Practice, Research, and Evidence
Appraise the evidence for two competing treatment approaches (e.g., early versus delayed motion after repair) and rank the strength of that evidence.
Distinguish levels of evidence and identify the design features of randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case series.
Apply sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and number needed to treat to a screening test and an intervention in hand therapy.
Complete a 100-question timed full-length simulation under exam conditions.
Your checkpoint
A completed full-length timed practice exam plus an item-by-item error analysis spreadsheet categorized by domain and knowledge gap.
Professional Practice, Research, and Evidence
State ethical and legal obligations relevant to practice, including scope of practice, informed consent, and documentation standards.
Interpret reimbursement and coding concepts such as CPT, ICD-10, medical necessity, and authorization requirements.
Critically appraise three primary research articles using a structured worksheet covering design, sampling, bias, and applicability.
Describe how to translate evidence into practice using clinical practice guidelines and outcome measures for quality improvement.
Your checkpoint
Three completed critical appraisal worksheets plus a one-page summary of practice implications.
Evaluation and Assessment & Treatment and Intervention & Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Pathophysiology & Professional Practice, Research, and Evidence
Re-test every item missed across prior weeks' error logs and confirm mastery at 90% or higher.
Complete two 50-question timed mixed-domain sets with a score of 80% or higher on each.
Condense the highest-yield facts for each of the four domains into a two-page review sheet.
Simulate exam-day logistics, including pacing, question-flagging strategy, and breaks.
Your checkpoint
A final timed 100-question practice exam scored at 80% or higher, accompanied by a remediation log showing every previously missed item resolved.
Milestones
Week 2: Recall the origin, insertion, action, and innervation of all hand and forearm muscles with 90% or higher accuracy on a self-quiz, and correctly predict the deficit for 3 lesion levels per major nerve.
Week 4: Score 70% or higher on a 60-question timed set covering domains 1 and 3, with a logged remediation action for every missed item.
Week 6: Score 72% or higher on the 100-question full-length simulation, with no more than 8 unanswered items and errors distributed across all four domains.
Week 8: Score 80% or higher on the final timed 100-question exam, with zero unresolved items from any prior error log.