NPTE Studybuddy, Founder | Ankit Shahi

I enjoy talking to PT entrepreneurs. There is always so much to learn from them. Working on this spotlight has truly been inspirational as I explored the journey of a self-made Indian PT entrepreneur here in the USA. This week’s spotlight features Ankit Shahi, who is a Founder of NPTE Studybuddy.

Ankit started his journey with just 2 students. Fast forward 8 years, he is now conducting a class of about 200 students, preparing them to clear various license exams in 4 different countries across 3 continents. Read this spotlight if you want to know more about his venture NPTE Studybuddy. 

What is your name, job title & workplace?

Ankit Shahi, Founder NPTE Studybuddy

Physical Therapist, Christiana Care

What is your educational background? 

Indore Institute of Medical Sciences, BPTh, graduation year: 2011

Mississippi State University, MS in Kinesiology & Exercise Science, graduation year: 2014

Touro University, DPT, Graduation Year: 2017

Tell us more about your education in the USA. 

I first got an admit to Texas A&M University. Soon after spending a few months there, I was offered a scholarship by Mississippi State University. My master’s was completely funded including my living expenses hence I moved there. 

I always wanted to come to the USA and it was one of the reasons why I chose physiotherapy as a profession. That’s why, when I was in India I was constantly looking for colleges in the USA. During that time, I got an opportunity to speak with a professor at Mississippi State University. I stayed in touch with him. Eventually, he offered me the scholarship.

I can proudly say that my Master’s in the USA was cheaper than Master’s in India. Often I tell my students that I know pursuing post graduation in the USA is expensive but you can find ways to cut the costs at least partially. I cleared my license exam in 2015. 

How did you transition to teaching students for the license exam? 

Back when I was completing my Master’s, I started working for coaching classes for NPTE. Over there, I was offered an opportunity to teach a class. I taught Trendelenburg Gait and students loved it. For the very first time, I felt that I could teach. 

After that students started reaching out to me wanting to learn various topics such as Pharmacology, ECG, Shoulder conditions, etc. Every time I taught them they started feeling confident about the subject. Consequently, I became more and more confident about my ability to teach. Initially, I was teaching at no cost to students. 

Honestly, I never wanted to be a teacher. However, sometimes you don’t realize what you are good at until other people bring that to your notice. 

Tell us more about your journey as a Founder of NPTE Studybuddy.

Eventually, a girl from Nigeria and another girl from Ireland contacted me asking if I can teach them musculoskeletal sciences. I told them that I had limited time since I was working full-time as a physiotherapist. But they were quite adamant about wanting to learn from me. 

In the beginning, I never thought this could be another avenue for income. I agreed to teach because I genuinely wanted to help them. However, all the students are connected to each other on Whatsapp groups, and Facebook so the word spread out too fast.

For my first class, I only had 2 students. Within a week, I was teaching a class of 40 students. I started enjoying my work. We covered various musculoskeletal topics including the pelvis, shoulder, gait, etc. 

My first batch was in August and I had about 40 students. The 2nd batch in November had 30 students and suddenly, the 3rd batch in February had about 150 students. Once students started trusting me, many of them joined me in my classes.

We expanded our operations in Canada, helping students clear the PCE exam. We now help students in Dubai to clear their license exams. When I started, I was the only one teaching students but now we have a team of physiotherapists. 

It’s been seven years now, and I am still teaching students. We have about 70-80 students in our NPTE classroom and about 120-130 students in the PCE classroom. Recently, we started taking classes for the Australian license exam. Our average first-time passing rate is 80% and almost 100% for the second attempt for both NPTE and PCE. 

Why do you think Indian students need separate coaching for the license exam from NPTE Studybuddy? 

We are good at writing comprehensive answers. As undergraduate students in India, we wrote pages and pages of answers. However, most of the license exams are in MCQ format. Questions asked are often clinical and not theoretical. 

Indian students are not used to this format of the exam and these types of questions. Hence, I believe they need to prepare for license exams differently. Therefore, along with the syllabus, I take strategy classes for students. I give them specific strategies when answering these questions. Such as looking for keywords or eliminating wrong answers. 

How does NPTE studybuddy help students prepare for the license exam?

We cover all the subjects, MSK, Neuro, Cardiopulmonary, and non-systems. Students have access to the 3D basic anatomy videos we created in addition to the PowerPoint presentations. We recommend students go through the relevant online material prior to attending our live online class. Our classes go on for 2-3 hours. We also provide them with notes. At the end of the week, we conduct a quiz on the topics covered. 

Once the whole cohort is over, we give them the practice exam schedule. We recommend that they take at least 6-8 practice exams. Every time they take the test, they send me scores. We analyze the test results and conduct strategy classes based on their results. So before they take the next practice test, we go over the strategies. So there are about 6-8 strategy classes that we conduct with each cohort. 

We give access to our materials for one whole year. But I recommend joining us as early as you can. If you can not join 1 year in advance, at least give yourself 6 months to prepare. Because you will spend the first 3 months attending classes and the next 3 months practicing. 

What do you like about your work as a founder of NPTE Studybuddy?

When I teach, I help students connect the dots. Take plantar fasciitis, for example, I may attribute that to genu valgus which can be caused by weak Gluteus Medius. Gluteus medius weakness could also lead to pelvic drop on the opposite side. So when I make such connections, joining a foot pathology to deficits in the pelvis and ultimately to the spine, students get a new perspective. Many times students restrict themselves just to foot when thinking about plantar fasciitis. I teach them to look beyond. 

Another big satisfying factor for me is seeing my students pass the exam. It is an extreme joy to help someone fulfill their dream. That is what keeps me going. 

What is a typical day of work for you?

I also work as a Physiotherapist in a Hospital. So I start my day treating patients. All of what I study, I apply in my clinical practice. I spend a lot of time educating patients about their condition, which I feel is the most important aspect of physiotherapy treatment. My patients are delighted when I am able to answer their questions. 

I come home and spend some time with my daughter. Before the class, I study for a couple of hours. I start my classes at about 8 pm and go on till about 10:30. After that, I have my dinner and work on the computer. I spend a couple of hours every night doing administrative tasks. I usually sleep late at night, about 12:30 – 1 am.

What are the challenges you face?

Being an entrepreneur came with many challenges from the beginning. Currently, my biggest challenge is making time for all that I have to do. Since I work full time, I can spare only limited time for the NPTE Studybuddy. We want to offer many more things, but I struggle with finding more time.

What books, courses, and workshops helped you in your journey? 

I never thought of myself as a business owner. In the beginning, Idea was to help students. I was not ready for 100-150 students. Honestly, I never had to work too hard to get those 150 students. This was never planned and everything happened too suddenly. Gradually, I picked up on things.

When I meet students from different backgrounds, I learn from them. For example, I never had anxiety issues, yet I see some of my students having anxiety before the exams. My job is to create an environment for my students to thrive. It is not just about teaching, it is also about providing support and empathy when they need it the most. 

I have made mistakes in the past but I learned from my mistakes. I do not read books much but my experience has been the greatest teacher. 

What is your advice for someone who wants to be a PT entrepreneur?

The plan is very important. Think about your goals. Have a vision for yourself. Get clear on what you want to achieve. So when you take an action, you know that it is in line with your goals. Entrepreneurship is never easy, but having a plan makes things a lot better.  

Where can people reach you? 

Email: ankit@nptestudybuddy.com

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