The evolution of Physical
Therapy educational continues. The
profession had long been governed by a Bachelors degree standard until the late
1990s when universities raised their first degree to a master’s degree. State licensing boards and the FCCPT followed
and by the early 2000s the minimum entry degree into the profession was officially
a master’s degree. In the early part of
the decade the minimum educational standard evolved again. It is now a Doctorate of Physical Therapy
(DPT).
In concert with the
evolution, FCCPT is also evolving their Course Work Tool to their sixth updated
version (CWT-6). The CWT-6 is the tool
by which educational evaluators equate foreign-educated Physical Therapists.
The FSBPT
Coursework Tool is used by credential review agencies to determine if a
non-CAPTE educated PT’s education is substantially equivalent to a
CAPTE-educated PT. The CWT was revised to reflect the new CAPTE standards for
PT and PTA programs taking effect January 1, 2017. Changes in the CWT 6 include
an increase in total credits required from 150 to 170 credits and an increase
in clinical hours from a minimum of 800 to 900 hours.
Post-graduate work
will be considered in the evaluation.
Again from their May 2016 News Brief:
Based on the
Framework, the CWT 6 Guidelines for Interpretation will be revised to allow
credential review agencies to consider clinical, direct patient care, work
experience that meets certain criteria towards the CWT 6 required 900 clinical
education hours. There are a number of parameters and limitations included in
the Framework to ensure that the practice experience meets a minimal level of
quality. Post-graduate clinical experience hours requirements for physical
therapists:
1. Completed an
average of at least 20 hours per week for a minimum of 1,000 hours.
2. Completed 1,000
hours in direct patient care.
3. Completed the
hours within the most recent three years preceding the application.
4. Completed the
hours within a hospital, rehabilitation center, or other facility that employed
a minimum staff of at least three (including the applicant) practicing PTs
during the applicant’s clinical experience hours. Federation of State Boards of
Physical Therapy Page 3
5. PTs employed at
the facility with the applicant must have been available for consultation.
6. At least one of
the PTs employed at the facility with the applicant must have at least two
years experience practicing as a PT.
7. Verification
that the applicant was eligible to practice in the country in which the
experience was completed.
8. Verification
that the applicant has had no disciplinary action against any professional
license held for at least two years.
9. Notarized
verification of the work experience provided by a supervisor such as the department
head of the physical therapy practice or the director/head of the facility
Additionally, any
university externship conducted under the supervision of a university PT
program, credentialed residency or fellowship would be an acceptable option to
meet a deficit of clinical education hours. These are rarely available,
especially outside of the US, but are an acceptable option. Typically, within
the US, a participant in a residency/fellowship must be licensed and due to the
licensure requirement, a US residency/fellowship would most likely be
unavailable.
