The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has awarded specialist certification to 835 PTs this year. Since 1985, more than 8,400 PTs have achieved board certification.

Those who were recognized recently completed the requirements to become board-certified specialists in one or more of the following specialty areas: cardiovascular and pulmonary, clinical electrophysiology, geriatrics, neurology, orthopaedics, pediatrics, and sports.

To obtain board certification, candidates must submit evidence of required clinical practice in a specialty area and they must successfully complete a rigorous written examination, demonstrating specialized knowledge and advanced clinical proficiency in a specialty area of PT practice.

The APTA House of Delegates established specialist certification as a mechanism to formally recognize PTs who have demonstrated advanced clinical knowledge and skills. Since the program’s inception there has been a steady and substantial increase in the number of PTs who pursue specialist certification each year.

ABPTS was established by APTA as the governing body that awards certification to PTs who meet approved requirements. ABPTS oversees the PT clinical specialist certification and recertification program and awards certificates to PTs meeting approved requirements.

[Source: APTA]