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Residency Practice Areas
ABPTRFE currently accredits physical therapist residency programs in Acute Care, Cardiovascular & Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Faculty, Geriatrics, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopaedics, Pediatrics, Sports, Women's Health, and Wound Management.
Fellowship Practice Areas
ABPTRFE currently accredits physical therapist fellowship programs in Critical Care, Hand Therapy, Higher Education Leadership, Neonatology, Neurologic Movement Disorders, Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy, Performing Arts, Spine, Sports Division 1, and Upper Extremity Athlete.
Establishing A New Practice Area
ABPTRFE has outlined procedures to establish a new area of physical therapist residency or fellowship practice.
Accreditation Timeline and Overview
ABPTRFE meets three times annually to make initial accreditation decisions in January, May, and September based on the initial accreditation tracks (e.g., Track One, Track Two, Track Three), as outlined within the ABPTRFE Processes and Procedures.
Developing programs are encouraged to begin by reviewing ABPTRFE's Initial Accreditation Timelines and consult with ABPTRFE staff for planning purposes.
Interested programs should begin preparing for the application process by reviewing the Self-Evaluation Report and Exhibits a minimum of nine to 12 months prior to submitting the Application for Candidacy.
- Residency/Fellowship Education HUB
- Courses
- Tutorials
- Recorded Webinars
- ABPTRFE 2023 Webinar Series
Please join ABPTRFE for the following webinars scheduled in 2023. All webinars will be recorded and posted to the ABPTRFE website for those who are unable to attend.
- April 20, 1-2 p.m. ET – ABPTRFE member
Substantive Changes
ABPTRFE is hosting a presentation on its substantive change policies and the process to submit changes. Best practices as well as common errors when completing the substantive change applications will be highlighted. The presentation concludes with a Q&A session. Register in advance for this webinar.
Please email questions to ABPTRFE in advance of the webinar.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. - Aug. 17, 7-8 p.m. ET – ABPTRFE member
Guest Speaker: RF-PTCAS
ABPTRFE is hosting a guest speaker from RF-PTCAS who will review the system and features available to programs to assist in their admissions process. Register in advance for this webinar.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.Please email questions to ABPTRFE in advance of the webinar.
- Nov. 9, 1-2 p.m. ET – Matt
Faculty Qualifications
ABPTRFE is hosting a presentation on the quality standards specific to faculty qualifications. Tips to prepare Exhibit 9 (Clinical) / Exhibit 8 (Non-Clinical): Faculty Qualifications Chart submitted as part of the program’s self-evaluation report, substantive change report, and ACIR will be reviewed. The presentation concludes with a Q&A session. Register in advance for this webinar.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.Please email questions to ABPTRFE in advance of the webinar.
- April 20, 1-2 p.m. ET – ABPTRFE member
- Reference Documents
Descriptions of Residency Practice
DRPs are used by programs to reduced unwarranted curriculum variability; provide residents minimum consistency in learning experiences for that area of practice; and streamline the accreditation process for reporting.
Descriptions of Fellowship Practice
DFPs are used to reduce unwarranted curriculum variability; provide fellows-in-training minimum consistency in learning experiences for that area of practice; and streamline the accreditation process for reporting
