Join Our Team
The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties offers certifications in various specialty areas of physical therapy. Clinical specialization in physical therapy responds to a specific area of patient need and requires knowledge, skill, and experience exceeding that of the physical therapist at entry to the profession and unique to the specialized area of practice. The specialist certification program was established to provide formal recognition for physical therapists with advanced clinical knowledge, experience, and skills in a special area of practice and to assist consumers and the health care community in identifying these physical therapists.
The credentials of Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), Pediatric Clinical Specialist (PCS), and Geriatric Clinical Specialist (GCS) are designated to those individuals who have successfully become board-certified clinical specialists in the areas of orthopedics, pediatrics, and geriatrics, respectively. At a minimum, therapists who receive these clinical distinctions have completed 2,000 hours of direct patient care in the area of orthopedics, pediatrics, or geriatrics, and have successfully completed a rigorous written examination.