Certification for Physical Therapists

Physical therapists may receive specialty certifications.

Physical therapists generally receive a license to legally practice as a physical therapist. Those that are wishing to further their career may apply for a certification as well. These certifications, predominantly offered through the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), give physical therapists the opportunity to specialize in a certain field. The APTA offers physical therapy specialty certifications in cardiovascular and pulmonary, clinical electrophysiology, geriatrics, neurology, orthopaedics, pediatrics, sports and women's health.

Certification Process

According to the APTA, there are two main steps in attaining certification and therefore acquiring the Board Certified Clinical Specialist designation. The first main step is that you fulfill the eligibility requirements of your interested specialty area and submit proof that you have met those requirements. This includes completing an application for the certification. The second step is to take and pass the required certification examination, after you have been approved by the APTA.

Eligibility

To be eligible for any of the APTA’s specialty credentials, you must have physical therapist license. All of the specialties also require at least 2,000 hours of practice in that specialty. The other eligibility requirements are dependent upon the specialty that you choose. If you wish to receive certification in the cardiovascular and pulmonary specialty, you need to be certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Also, you need research experience in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy or you need to complete an APTA-accredited residency in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy.

Examination and Recertification

As one of the final steps in receiving a specialty credential, you must pass the certification examination. As of June 2010, there are approximately 20 questions on the exam, all of which are multiple choice. After being awarded your credential, you must apply for recertification every 10 years to maintain your Board Certified Clinical Specialist status. Recertification allows you to maintain your skills in the field, according to APTA.

Fees

The APTA specialty credentials for physical therapists are not without their fees. If you are a member of the APTA, fees are significantly lower than you if you are not so you may want to consider joining the APTA before applying for a credential. According to the APTA, the application review fee for APTA members is $500 while the examination fee is $800. For non-APTA members, the application review fee is $845 while the examination costs $1,525, as of June 2010.

Multiple Certifications

If you wish, you may receive certification in more than one specialty area. If you decide to do this, you must treat each certification separately. You must pay a fee for each certification and you must also submit an application for each certification, according to the APTA. If you apply for multiple certifications, you are not permitted to use the experience hours in one application for another one. For example, if you apply for both the sports and clinical electrophysiology certifications, you must submit a total of 4,000 practice hours.

References

• American Physical Therapy Association: Eligibility
• American Physical Therapy Association: Overview
• American Physical Therapy Association: Specialty Handbook