Physical Therapy Certification

A career in physical therapy requires you to undergo certification first before you are allowed to practice anywhere in the United States. This means that you need to graduate from a PT program that is approved by the American Physical Therapy Association's Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.

There are currently more than 200 accredited programs in the country that offer PT certification in either a two-year master's degree program or a three-year doctoral degree program. Students must apply for and complete either one of these programs to qualify for certification.

Some of the coursework you need to master include biology, human growth and development, chemistry and other specialized courses that are part of the Physical Therapy program. In addition, students are required to volunteer in the Physical Therapy department of a hospital or clinic for a specified length of time before they become eligible for certification.

After completion of these programs and requirements, students are now eligible to sit for the national and state licensure exams. You need to pass these exams first before you can gain employment as a physical therapist in any setting, whether it be in a hospital, a private clinic, a school, nursing home, corporate facilities, etc.

The National Physical Therapist Examination (NPTE) was developed by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and all 50 states in the United States plus three additional jurisdictions use the NPTE as a factor for certification of both physical therapists and physical therapy assistants. The NPTE is computer-based and candidates for physical therapy are given five hours to write it while candidates for physical therapy assistants are given four hours to write it.

This exam can be taken in any of the 300 testing centers in the United States, US territories, and Canada. You need to pass the exam. After passing the exam, you now need to complete any other requirements your state licensing board may have before you are allowed to practice in that state.

Finally, when you have met all their requirements, you will then be given the designation of physical therapist and you are now officially qualified to help accident victims and other people suffering from head traumas, back pain, cerebral palsy and other debilitating diseases recover and help restore and maintain mobility in their bodies. You can now also measure a patient's range of motion, strength, motor function and muscle capacity, which will then be the basis for your preparation of the appropriate treatment protocol for the patients in question.

Physical therapists are certified to use ultrasound equipment, traction, electrical stimulation and cold and hot compresses. They can also instruct patients how to move independently of their wheelchairs and crutches through basic and complex exercise movements that strengthen, balance and help patients stay coordinated on their own.

Certification in PT need not be a complicated process. Just follow these guidelines and you will be well on your way to a rewarding career as a certified physical therapist.