Last Updated Jul 2011
As a physical therapist, I think most of us are looking for ways to improve our clinical skills so that we can help our patients return to full function faster. There are a multitude of continuing education courses to choose from that may help, but in the end these courses are not regulated, so who knows what you may be paying for. An even better option would be to prepare for and sit for specialist certification in your particular area of practice, which is regulated by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). As of 2009, there are currently 9,409 certified specialists across all specialty areas, which is a relatively small number when one considers the total number of practicing physical therapists in the United States. The PT who possesses the evidence-based knowledge to pass such an exam would automatically join an elite level of providers and feel confident that he or she is delivering the best care to all patients.
So, you may be asking how exactly one goes about becoming a clinical specialist. Listed below are the steps to follow in order to achieve board certification as a clinical specialist, which will help ensure that you are up-to-date in current evidence-based practice and providing the most effective services to your patients.
1.) Check the ABPTS to find out when the deadline is to submit your application and what is required in order to qualify to sit for the exam. Check: (http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Certification2&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=206&ContentID=60265) to find your specialty area and more details on requirements.
2.) If you have completed a residency or the minimum numbers of hours and any other requirements that are listed, then fill out your application and send it in along with the necessary payment before the written deadline.
3.) Next, wait to see if your application is approved. If so, you will receive an email letting you know of your approval to sit for the upcoming exam time period.
4.) Study, study, study and then study some more! Specialty exams are no joke and the time you need to prepare will depend on your experience and knowledge base. Study times vary from 1 year to only a couple of months, but being that the exams are quite costly, studying more can only be helpful. Plus, the point is to learn and retain information in order to provide your patients with the best care possible; not just pass an exam and add credentials to your name. The American Physical Therapy Association often publishes study materials that are intended to provide the information necessary to pass the exam. Also, a quick online search will often reveal other study materials that previous test takers found helpful.
5.) Pay for the rest of the exam and schedule your test date at one of the approved testing centers. If you are an APTA member, you will receive a large discount on the exam, so consider joining.
6.) Pass the exam!
7.) You can now use the clinical specialist credentials for your area of practice and feel confident that you are providing your patients with the highest level of care!
Read more about author Tom Walters