TheOncoPT Podcast

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327

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Aug 2026

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Welcome to TheOncoPT Podcast, where you'll learn how to be a confident, competent oncology physical therapist from oncology experts, practitioners, & patients.

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August 13, 202623 min

Her Path to Board Certification, Part 1: Nickie Brooks on Specializing and Writing Her Case Report

Send us Fan Mail This week, I'm joined by Dr. Nickie Brooks, a board-certified oncology specialist treating oncology and pelvic floor patients outside Philadelphia. This is a full, extended conversation, and it's the first of two parts. Nickie's path into oncology PT wasn't a straight line. She started in outpatient ortho, got burnt out within months, found her way into lymphedema and oncology largely without built-in mentorship, and at one point left her job to walk 500 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago before deciding what came next. Eventually, she landed at a hospital-based practice with a full oncology rehab team... and decided it was time to pursue her specialization. In this episode, we talk about: What it's actually like to specialize in oncology PT without a built-in support system nearby The moment she decided to commit to specialization, and what motivated her to follow through How she chose the patient case she ultimately wrote her case report on The hardest part of the case report writing process, and what changed once she got real support What she wishes she'd known about the ABPTS application portal before she started How she ended up submitting a case report that required zero edits... with results back in just 3 days This conversation ends on a bit of a cliffhanger - Part 2 is coming later this fall, when it's time to talk exam prep. Trust me, you won't want to miss it. Resources mentioned: Case Report Writing Workshop: https://TheOncoPT.com/workshop Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyZDqo4_tC0 New episodes for oncology physical therapists every Tuesday - subscribe so you don't miss one. 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.

August 11, 2026Episode 4049 min

How Her Case Report Got Published in a Journal — Her Process, Step by Step

Send us Fan Mail My client Nickie joined the Case Report Writing Workshop because she knew she needed to write a case report for her oncology specialization application — and she wanted real guidance and feedback to get through it. She wrote it, submitted it, got accepted with zero required edits, and passed her exam. AND THEN a peer-reviewed journal, Oncology Rehab and Practice, accepted her case report for publication! In this episode, Nickie joins me to walk through her process from start to finish, in her own words — including where she started (spoiler: "I don't think I want to do this"), the mistake she almost made with her introduction, what the ABPTS application portal actually looks like, and the formatting habit that made all the difference. We cover: Why Nickie, who doesn't consider herself a writer, almost didn't want to start this process at all The common mistake of starting with your introduction, and why it should actually come near the end What candidates aren't told about the ABPTS application portal — and how that changes how you should outline your case report The specific formatting habits that got her accepted in 3 days with zero required edits Why multiple readers, including people outside of oncology, made her final draft stronger What it took to adapt her case report for journal submission after her ABPTS acceptance This isn't a promise that everyone who goes through the workshop gets published — that's not the standard, and it's an exciting first for us. But Nickie's story is a real example of what's possible with the right process and support behind you. Resources mentioned: Case Report Writing Workshop: https://TheOncoPT.com/workshop Full video version of this episode (watch Nickie tell her story): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY_uboY-AgM New episodes for oncology physical therapists every Tuesday — subscribe so you don't miss one. 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.

August 4, 2026Episode 40318 min

Blank Page to Submission-Ready: My Exact Case Report Writing Process

Send us Fan Mail If you've ever sat down to start your ABPTS case report and just stared at the screen... ...You're not behind, and you're not missing some innate writing talent. You're missing a process. In this episode, I walk you through the exact 4-phase system I use with my oncology PT specialization coaching clients to take a case report from a blank page to submission-ready, WITHOUT the last-minute panic. We cover: Why the ambiguity of "what does done even look like" is what actually causes case report paralysis - not a lack of writing skill Phase 1: Foundation -- how to pick a case that's genuinely worth writing up, and why a quick literature review early on can save you weeks of wasted effort Phase 2: Drafting -- the outline structure that makes the blank page disappear, and the counterintuitive order I recommend drafting your sections in (hint: your case presentation comes first, not your introduction) Phase 3: Polish -- why you need outside reviewers, and why your abstract, title, and references should always be the very last things you write Phase 4: Submission -- the final steps to get your case report out the door and off your plate for good Whether you're just starting to think about your case report or you're mid-draft and stuck, this episode gives you a clear, repeatable path forward. Resources mentioned: Free Case Report Idea Generator: https://TheOncoPT.com/generator Case Report Writing Workshop: https://TheOncoPT.com/workshop Full video version of this episode (with visual walkthrough): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6u7qPWzouw Coming up next week: the story of a Case Report Writing Workshop client who used this exact process to get her case report accepted by ABPTS and published in a peer-reviewed journal. New episodes for oncology physical therapists every Tuesday - subscribe so you don't miss one. 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.

July 28, 2026Episode 40222 min

Use This Strategy For IMPOSSIBLE Exam Questions

Send us Fan Mail You're cruising through your oncology board exam — then one question stops you cold. Your heart races, your mind goes blank, and suddenly ten minutes vanish while you stare at answer choices that all look right. This video gives you the exact 3-step strategy top-scoring oncology specialists use to reset, outsmart impossible questions, and salvage points when your expertise hits a wall. The oncology specialty exam isn't just testing your knowledge — it's testing whether you can think under pressure. Here's how to pass that test. ⚡ In this episode, you'll learn: That moment when an impossible question freezes your brain (and why it happens) The nervous system hijack: why "thinking harder" makes it worse Why conscious disengagement is a power move, not giving up The Strategic Retreat — the "Mark It and Move On" protocol The math: why 10 minutes on one question is a catastrophic time-management failure Why fresh eyes on a second pass unlock answers you missed the first time The Cover-Up technique: why hiding the answer choices is the smartest move you'll make Real clinical scenario walkthrough: dissecting a case question clue by clue Eliminate, interrogate, and the "two contenders" educated guess When all else fails: why guessing beats leaving it blank every time 📋 Free Resource: Audit your oncology knowledge with my free Oncology Specialist Exam Readiness Audit→ https://TheOncoPT.com/audit 🎓 FREE TRAINING FOR ONCOLOGY PTs From Confused to Confident: How to SCAN, Decode, and Answer Any Question on the Oncology Specialist Exam In under 60 minutes, I'll walk you through a repeatable framework for approaching clinical scenario questions on the specialist exam — using real published practice questions. → Register free: https://TheOncoPT.com/SCAN 📚 PRACTICE FOR THE ONCOLOGY SPECIALIST EXAM Want more reps with real exam-style questions? The Practice Exam Bundle gives you hundreds of oncology specialist exam-style questions with full rationales — structured to mirror the real exam's domain breakdown. → Get the Practice Exam Bundle: https://TheOncoPT.com/practiceexambundle Ready for the complete system? The Oncology Specialist Package includes the full Practice Exam Bundle — plus content mastery, case report writing support, and your MOSC pathway, all in one place. → Explore the Oncology Specialist Package: https://TheOncoPT.com/specialist About TheOncoPT: I help oncology physical therapists stop second-guessing and build the clarity and confidence they need to become strong oncology specialists. If you're preparing for board certification or leveling up your cancer rehab skills, hit subscribe. 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.

July 21, 2026Episode 40120 min

The Real Challenge of Your Oncology Specialty Exam: It's Not What You Think

Send us Fan Mail You've spent months mastering oncology content — but on exam day, just knowing the material isn't enough. The ABPTS Oncology Specialty Exam is a six-hour endurance event, and without a pacing strategy, smart break habits, and a system for beating distractors, even the most prepared PTs lose easy points. This episode gives you the exact test-day tactics to turn your knowledge into a passing score. The content lives in your brain. Now let's make sure it survives the exam room. ⚡ In this episode, you'll learn: The Endurance Mindset — why exam day is a marathon, not a knowledge quiHow to break a 6-hour exam into four 90-minute "mini-battles" you can actually win The 100-Second Rule — your pacing strategy for every single question Why flagging and moving on is the difference-maker for banking easy points The "Cover Your Answers" technique — beat distractors before they beat you How to formulate your answer BEFORE you ever see the choices The Break Protocol — why skipping your breaks is self-sabotage, and what to actually do during them Fueling for six hours — what to eat the night before, morning of, and during Hydration strategy — sip, don't chug The full exam-day timeline, from arrival to final click 📋 Free Resource: Audit your oncology knowledge with my free Oncology Specialist Exam Readiness Audit → https://TheOncoPT.com/audit 🎓 FREE TRAINING FOR ONCOLOGY PTs From Confused to Confident: How to SCAN, Decode, and Answer Any Question on the Oncology Specialist Exam In under 60 minutes, I'll walk you through a repeatable framework for approaching clinical scenario questions on the specialist exam — using real published practice questions. → Register free: https://TheOncoPT.com/SCAN 📚 PRACTICE FOR THE ONCOLOGY SPECIALIST EXAM Want more reps with real exam-style questions? The Practice Exam Bundle gives you hundreds of oncology specialist exam-style questions with full rationales — structured to mirror the real exam's domain breakdown. → Get the Practice Exam Bundle: https://TheOncoPT.com/practiceexambundle READY FOR THE COMPLETE SYSTEM? The Oncology Specialist Package includes the full Practice Exam Bundle — plus content mastery, case report writing support, and your MOSC pathway, all in one place. → Explore the Oncology Specialist Package: https://TheOncoPT.com/specialist About TheOncoPT: I help oncology physical therapists stop second-guessing and build the clarity and confidence they need to become strong oncology specialists. If you're preparing for board certification or leveling up your cancer rehab skills, hit subscribe/follow. #ABPTS #OncologySpecialtyExam #TestDayStrategy #ExamTips #BoardCertification #OncologyPhysicalTherapy #CancerRehab #PhysicalTherapist #OncoPT 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.

July 14, 2026Episode 40028 min

Study SMARTER For Your Oncology Specialty Exam

Send us Fan Mail You've been told to "study hard" for the oncology boards — but hard work without strategy is just burnout with extra steps. This video gives you a 5-step framework that replaces overwhelm with a focused, evidence-backed approach so you walk into exam day with real confidence and your sanity intact. You don't need to be the smartest PT in the room. You need a system that works. Here it is. Mentioned in this episode: Audit your oncology knowledge with my free Oncology Specialist Exam Readiness Audit→ https://TheOncoPT.com/audit From Confused to Confident: How to SCAN, Decode, and Answer Any Question on the Oncology Specialist Exam → Register free: https://TheOncoPT.com/SCAN 📚 PRACTICE FOR THE ONCOLOGY SPECIALIST EXAM → Get the Practice Exam Bundle: https://TheOncoPT.com/practiceexambundle READY FOR THE COMPLETE SPECIALIST PREP SYSTEM? → Explore the Oncology Specialist Package: https://TheOncoPT.com/specialist RESOURCES MENTIONED: • Oncology Rehabilitation: A Comprehensive Guidebook for Clinicians: https://amzn.to/4gMeqC7 • A Focused Review of Safety Considerations in Cancer Rehabilitation by Maltser et al., 2017: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5627359/ • APTA Oncology EDGE Task Force Annotated Bibliography: https://oncologypt.org/page/edgeannotatedbibliography • Lymphedema Management: The Comprehensive Guide for Practitioners: https://amzn.to/4vVH6x6 Please note: We are proud affiliates for some of these resources & products, meaning that we may earn a commission if you click the link & subsequently make a purchase. All of these recommendations are based on our clinical experience & what we use in our practice – because we believe that they are the best out there. We recommend these resources because they are helpful & useful for OncoPTs & patients. ⚡ In this video, you'll learn: 0:00 — Why "study harder" is terrible advice (and what to do instead) 2:05 — Target High-Yield Topics — how to use the ABPTS blueprint as your map 4:49 — Find What Learning Strategy Actually Works for YOUR Brain 7:57 — Master Active Learning — active recall, the Feynman Method, and why highlighting is a trap 10:53 — The forgetting curve and how spaced repetition beats it 12:00 — Strategic Resource Management — the 2-layer stack: Q-bank + core reference 16:30 — Time Management & Burnout Prevention — the hard stop, the day off, and why sleep is study time 18:45 — Trust the process: training + self-care = exam day confidence 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 🎄 Christmas in July: Get the Complete Oncology Specialist Package (Bootcamp + Case Report Writing Workshop + MOSC course) at our lowest price of the year — through July 31st. Join now and get the MOSC course free at launch: https://TheOncoPT.com/SPECIALIST 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.

July 7, 2026Episode 39932 min

The Real Reason PTs Fail Their Oncology Specialist Exam

Send us Fan Mail Most PTs don't fail their specialization exam because the oncology content is too hard — most of the time, it's because they treat a 6-to-12-month endurance event like a weekend cram session. This episode gives you the exact study framework to build a sustainable plan, prioritize high-yield content, and arrive on exam day sharp, rested, and ready. Specialization prep is a marathon. If you sprint, you burn out — every single time. Here's how to train for it correctly. In this video, you'll learn: Why "just study harder" is destroying your chances The Mindset Shift: marathon, not sprint — what that actually looks like Your 6-to-12-month macro roadmap (which timeline fits your life) What to do when life hijacks your study schedule Stop studying everything and focus on what scores 📋 FREE RESOURCE: CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE BEFORE YOU STUDY Audit your oncology knowledge with my free Oncology Specialist Exam Readiness Audit→ https://TheOncoPT.com/audit 🎓 FREE TRAINING FOR ONCOLOGY PTs From Confused to Confident: How to SCAN, Decode, and Answer Any Question on the Oncology Specialist Exam In under 60 minutes, I'll walk you through a repeatable framework for approaching clinical scenario questions on the specialist exam — using real published practice questions. → Register free: https://TheOncoPT.com/SCAN 📚 PRACTICE FOR THE ONCOLOGY SPECIALIST EXAM Want more reps with real exam-style questions? The Practice Exam Bundle gives you hundreds of oncology specialist exam-style questions with full rationales — structured to mirror the real exam's domain breakdown. → Get the Practice Exam Bundle: https://TheOncoPT.com/practiceexambundle READY FOR THE COMPLETE SPECIALIST PREP SYSTEM? The Oncology Specialist Package includes the full Practice Exam Bundle — plus content mastery, case report writing support, and your MOSC pathway, all in one place. → Explore the Oncology Specialist Package: https://TheOncoPT.com/specialist About TheOncoPT: I help oncology physical therapists stop second-guessing and build the clarity and confidence they need to become strong oncology specialists. If you're preparing for board certification or leveling up your cancer rehab skills, hit subscribe. 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 🎄 Christmas in July: Get the Complete Oncology Specialist Package (Bootcamp + Case Report Writing Workshop + MOSC course) at our lowest price of the year — through July 31st. Join now and get the MOSC course free at launch: https://TheOncoPT.com/SPECIALIST 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.

June 2, 2026Episode 39830 min

Should YOU Pursue Specialization?

Send us Fan Mail Oncology specialization is not the right path for everyone. So how do you actually decide if it's right for you? This episode is for OncoPTs who are weighing whether ABPTS oncology board certification is worth your time, energy, and commitment... and want an honest framework for making that call. In this episode, we cover: · Why going into specialization for the wrong reasons leads to a lot of work for very little return · Who oncology specialization is NOT for - and why that clarity matters · Who it IS for - and how to recognize yourself in that picture · The one question to ask yourself instead of "will this increase my salary?" · Why specialization isn't the easiest path... but is the most direct one if you're serious about how you practice 🎓 Free Training - How to Specialize in Oncology Rehab (Without the Stress & Overwhelm!): https://TheOncoPT.com/masterclass 📚 Oncology Specialist Bootcamp: https://TheOncoPT.com/bootcamp 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 🎄 Christmas in July: Get the Complete Oncology Specialist Package (Bootcamp + Case Report Writing Workshop + MOSC course) at our lowest price of the year — through July 31st. Join now and get the MOSC course free at launch: https://TheOncoPT.com/SPECIALIST 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.

May 26, 2026Episode 39728 min

What Actually Changes When You Specialize

Send us Fan Mail Do you remember your early oncology evals? How long they took, how much you were scrambling, how you were lucky to get to treatment before the session was over? That was most of us. And it stayed that way... until specialization changed everything. In this episode I'm getting real about what actually shifted in my clinical practice when I went through the ABPTS oncology specialization process. Not the salary. Not the letters after my name. The way I think through what's in front of me - and how that changed everything from my evals to my patient relationships. In this episode: · Why oncology evals shine the brightest spotlight on the gaps in your practice · How specialization collapsed the time I spent in evaluations — and why that happened · The shift from patchwork knowledge to structured, connected thinking · What pattern recognition actually looks like in practice (and why it's a game changer) · Why specialization is the fast forward button — not the easy button 🎓 Free Training — How to Specialize in Oncology Rehab Without the Stress & Overwhelm: https://TheOncoPT.com/masterclass 📚 Oncology Specialist Bootcamp: https://TheOncoPT.com/bootcamp 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 🎄 Christmas in July: Get the Complete Oncology Specialist Package (Bootcamp + Case Report Writing Workshop + MOSC course) at our lowest price of the year — through July 31st. Join now and get the MOSC course free at launch: https://TheOncoPT.com/SPECIALIST 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.

May 19, 2026Episode 39622 min

The Specialization Conversation No One Wants to Have...

Send us Fan Mail Even after understanding the financial reality of specialization, many oncology PTs still feel stuck trying to decide whether specialization is worth it. In this episode, we go deeper into the internal conflict behind this decision...and why you may still feel torn between continuing to “figure it out as they go” versus choosing a more structured path. In this episode, we cover: - Why this decision feels emotionally difficult - The hidden cost of staying where you are clinically - The tension between certainty and growth - Why learning “as you go” often feels slower than expected - The real tradeoff specialization presents 🎓 Free Training: How to Specialize in Oncology Rehab (Without the Stress & Overwhelm!) https://TheOncoPT.com/masterclass 📚 Oncology Specialist Bootcamp https://TheOncoPT.com/bootcamp 🎓 FREE TRAINING: From Confused to Confident — a 4-step framework (SCAN) for decoding any question on your oncology specialist exam. Free at https://TheOncoPT.com/scan 📝 The Practice Exam Bundle is here year-round — no deadline on this one. 150 original case-based questions across 3 timed exams, with full rationales. $249 for all three. Follow TheOncoPT on Instagram. Follow TheOncoPT on LinkedIn.