Nowadays it seems like every health care profession has specialties and physical therapy is no different! Most people are familiar with physician specialties like dermatology or podiatry, but many do not realize PTs can specialize too.

So you may be asking yourself, “why specialize?” New job opportunities, increased responsibility, a higher level of respect and prestige in both the PT and medical communities, and often greater opportunity for promotion are just a few of the benefits of specializing.

Residencies? Fellowships? What’s the difference?

In March of 2000, the APTA Board of Directors approved the following definitions in an attempt to clarify the different clinical experiences available to physical therapists:

• Residency: A planned program of postprofessional clinical and didactic education that is designed to advance significantly the physical therapist’s preparation as a provider of patient care services in a defined area of clinical practice.
• Fellowship: A postprofessional, funded, and planned learning experience in a focused area of physical therapist clinical practice, education, or research (not infrequently post-doctoral, post-residency prepared, or board-certified physical therapists).

There are many areas of clinical specializations in physical therapy, click here for a list of the APTA credentialed clinical residency and fellowship programs.

Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, CCS

This is an aspect of physical therapy that focuses on the treatment of cardio respiratory disease and dysfunction. Conditions such as COPD, post operative heart disease, or CHF are examples of conditions seen frequently when working in this area of expertise. This specialty in PT appears to be on the way out since the emergence of respiratory therapy. Respiratory therapists exclusively treat patients with these types of conditions. PTs that obtain this specialty are still movement specialists; however, they have additional post graduate education in cardiopulmonary conditions.

Geriatric, GCS

This area of study focuses on the elderly population. A higher level of comorbidity knowledge is needed for this specialty in conditions such as: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and COPD to name a few. PTs in this specialty develop treatment plans that must take into consideration comorbidities, medications, and contraindications associative with some of the elderly patients when determining treatment intensity and dosage. Many companies specializing in skilled nursing care are forming residency programs giving new graduates the opportunity to increase their knowledge and skill base in this area.

For the latest information and requirements on geriatric residencies and fellowships click here

Clinical Electrophysiology, ECS

This area of specialty deals mainly with research. Using this certification, PTs can conduct intramuscular stimulation or nerve conduction studies using needle like probes inserted directly into the muscle belly. Positions in research are limited so be careful in choosing what specialties to focus on.

Neurology, NCS

PTs in this area receive further education on pathologies such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, and mental retardation just to name a few. These pathologies are treated differently than a general orthopedic condition. Interventions generally focus on function and returning patients to personal and community activities. Many of these patients have orthopedic or even cardiopulmonary problems so PT’s in this field must enjoy a good challenge and have experience in multiple areas of rehabilitation.

For the latest information and requirements on neruo residencies and fellowships click here

Women’s Health, WCS

This is a fairly new specialty area in physical therapy. PTs will treat conditions related to the genital area of women. Conditions that effect this area range from inflamed vaginal musculature, weak vaginal musculature, incontinence, extreme pain, painful menstruation, recovery from surgery, and many other conditions all effecting the genital area. Female patients in this area tend to feel more comfortable with female therapists since most of the treatment interventions are focused internally, but male therapists are still able to specialize in this area. Many female PTs have found this area a wonderful opportunity to treat conditions that were thought to be untreatable without pharmacological interventions or surgeries. Since certification in this field of study is rare, pay and job availability can be a serious bonus to think about.

For the latest information and requirements on women’s health residencies and fellowships click here

Pediatric, PCS

Pediatric specialists receive further education on conditions ranging from congenital orthopedic pathologies to neurological pathologies and everything in between that affects children of all ages. Many children receiving care from these PTs will require therapy on and off for many years. A therapist in this specialty must understand how the condition will affect the child’s development and be able to design treatment plans that engage the child while working toward therapy goals at the same time.

For the latest information and requirements on pediatric residencies and fellowships click here

Orthopedic, OCS

Orthopedics is one of the most well known areas to specialize in. This specialty focuses on musculoskeletal conditions with an emphasis on restoring proper joint functioning and muscular balance. Imbalance or dysfunction can be caused by injuries, birth defects, deconditioning, overuse, and surgeries. Therapists in orthopedics use biomechanics and kinesiology to determine the cause of the dysfunctions, as well as, develop treatment plans that restore the patient’s normal arthrokinematics and return the patient to his activities of daily life.

For the latest information and requirements on orthopedic residencies and fellowships click here

Sports, SCS

Usually, PTs in this area work for a sports team such as a college or professional team. Some PTs open clinics specifically focused on the treatment and prevention of sports related injuries in athletes. PTs in this field will compete with athletic trainers for jobs. Some PTs return to school and become licensed athletic trainers to broaden their practice area so they are readily available on and off the field.

For the latest information and requirements on sports residencies and fellowships click here

For more information on Specialty Certifications click here