Specialization In Physical Therapy: Why It Matters And How You Can Best Prepare

By Daniel Elliott, PT, MPT, GCS, CEEAA

Physical Therapist

Earning your board certification can be a helpful way to set yourself apart as a clinician.  Once this distinction has been achieved, a skilled therapist will be included in an elite class of experts within the field.  The medical community can trust and rely on these board-certified specialists for answers to the most influential evidence-based clinical practice and research questions in physical therapy.

Early in my career, I was practicing in the skilled nursing facility setting. I had a realization that in order to help patients to the best of my ability, I would have to pursue opportunities to learn treatment strategies and rehabilitation concepts based on the current literature. These strategies and concepts are found beyond entry-level education and general clinical experience. A strong desire to gain additional knowledge in this ever-growing patient population of geriatrics really interested me. I made it a point to seek as much continuing education as I could in the beginning stages of my career. I sought to exceed state board requirements, to determine a specialty area of physical therapy that met my personal and professional goals and aspirations.

As my early career was developing, various professional experiences and interactions led me in different directions regarding my interest of advancing my skills. It wasn’t, however, until 2011 when I  attended the EXPAAC- Exercise and Physical Activity in Aging Conference that I determined that I must pursue this geriatrics specialization.

I found myself as a new clinician surrounded by some of the most prominent and widely recognized professionals in physical therapy as well as leaders in healthcare policy. Many of whom were trained as doctors of philosophy in physical therapy related areas of study, board-certified clinicians in Geriatric Physical Therapy and Certified Experts in Exercise for Aging Adults, a designation sponsored by the American Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy of American Physical Therapy Association. I was amazed by the knowledge base and experience of many of the attendees to this outstanding conference. I finally determined that I was cultivating a drive and motivation to also be viewed as a professional who was recognized as seeking advanced training past the standard requirements for clinicians in this area of practice. The admiration I felt for these colleagues and their accomplishments significantly influenced me to work toward earning a similar respect by my peers and to instill trust by my patients and their families to ensure that they will receive my best treatment.

This conference proved to be a major crossroads for me. I was introduced to FOX Rehabilitation at this conference, where I learned of the rapidly growing practice and its mission to provide the best evidence-based care for older adults in the home on an outpatient basis.

SIGNIFICANCE OF SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION

The GCS is important because it sets the clinicians best suited to serve older adults apart in this vastly growing field. As of June 2018, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties has certified 2,733 geriatric specialists out of currently greater than 100,000 American of Physical Therapy Association members.

These specialists have demonstrated advanced clinical knowledge and skills in the area of geriatrics to receive this distinction. In fact, FOX clinicians made up about 8 percent of all newly Board Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialists in 2016. Overall, FOX is home to the largest group of consolidated GCSs in a private practice in the United States.

HISTORY OF SPECIALTY CERTIFICATION IN PHYSICAL THERAPY

I gained a greater respect for the process behind the development of this designation after researching the ABPTS further. I feel it is important to learn about the ABPTS mission, history, policies, and statistics before becoming familiar with the minimum eligibility requirements prior to applying for the examination required to earn this certification. This can aid in a better understanding of the significance and recognition behind this clinical specialist certification.

CONCEPTS FOR PREPARATION

An initial step in successful preparation is to identify your best learning strategies, such as participation in a geriatric residency program, group, or independent study. FOX leads a residency program with highly recognized faculty and curriculum administered by Dr. William Dieter, Director of PT Clinical Services and Director of the FOX Geriatric Residency in Physical Therapy. FOX also offers an industry-leading program that helps prepare you and pays for the application and examination in full.

I was fortunate to have access to a wonderful opportunity working alongside a geriatric residency program curriculum by participating in lectures provided by various expect clinicians and physicians once I determined this as a suitable strategy to prepare for my goal. This program was held at an affiliated site in another city nearly 200 miles away, which posed as a minor barrier in my preparation studies. Through careful deliberation and reflection of my professional life, I decided that this was a sacrifice in my early career I felt was necessary to pursue when intending to successfully prepare for my examination to achieve certification. Following the completion of this program and my independent study, I can honestly say that this turned out to be the ideal form of preparation for my career development goals.

Additionally, there are limited residency programs in the nation. Yet this availability is quickly growing as the need builds. In retrospect, I feel that the commute required to participate in a program such as this was well worth my time considering the preparation and experiences I received, which ultimately resulted in the successful completion of the process, earning my board certification as a clinical specialist. The experiences I received participating in some of the opportunities included in this residency program allowed me to gain invaluable insight from many medical and allied health professionals. This included board-certified clinicians who spoke on topics relating to many concepts of this specialty area of physical therapy as based in the current literature. These opportunities were necessary for me to successfully prepare and receive a passing score on the specialists certification examination.

Secondly, a thorough self-assessment throughout this process would be helpful in identifying areas of strength and weakness as your preparation process progresses.  Reflecting on your best learning strategies will be essential when refining your growing knowledge of the content included in this examination. I would also remind you to become familiar with the deadlines for submission of the initial certification application, testing times and locations, and minimum eligibility requirements, which can be reviewed on the ABPTS website.

ADDITIONAL METHODS TO PREPARE FOR YOUR SPECIALIZATION EXAM

Once you’ve completed your initial preparation, here a few tips to ensure success prior to sitting for the actual examination:

• Get a sufficient night’s sleep.
• Trust your knowledge and preparation.
• Consume a well-balanced, nutritious breakfast and prepare a hearty lunch the day of testing.
• Determine any necessary testing accommodations you may require.
• Identify any possible barriers to arriving at the testing center on a timely basis.
• Maintain a level of confidence and optimal self-esteem while awaiting period for results by trusting the resulting knowledge gained from your developed plan of preparation.
• Continue following your passion to provide optimal healthcare with advanced clinical knowledge and skills by seeking out opportunities to refine your craft.

In conclusion, whether you are early in your career or an experienced clinician, there are many ways to advance your professional development skills and determine a path towards excellence. I strongly recommend self-reflecting routinely to help identify what really drives your passion to provide valuable and meaningful healthcare service to your patients by maximizing your professional potential.