Developing a passion for a specific patient population can grow from many different experiences in the clinic, but all of them lead down the same path – a desire to learn more about the population, find the research to guide evidence-based practice and implement better treatments for those patients. Maybe you see high numbers of low back patients who also suffer from incontinence. Perhaps you have chronic pain patients who are obese. You become familiar with aging athletes who come through your clinic and end treatment prior to getting back to their sport. Struggling to make gains with these patients can be frustrating.

Your next step to feel empowered rather than discouraged, may be a certification that focuses on a specific patient population and moves you closer toward helping your patients recover.

Certifications go beyond CE classes by allowing you to take a deep dive into all aspects of caring for specific populations. You get specialist level knowledge and a comprehensive toolbox to provide better care. Not only are you learning specialized and comprehensive knowledge about a specific topic area, you are also joining a community of practitioners with similar interests. EIM certifications and residencies have rolling cohort start dates which allow you to work through your program alongside a group of your peers.

What are the benefits of specialized certifications?

Reach more patients.

You can expand your patient-base and reach more patients when you specialize.  If you are seeing the same issues over and over among your patients, now may be the time to put those pieces together. Earning a certification will provide evidence-based education around the why and the how.

Be recognized as a leader in your specialty area.

Physical therapists with specialized certifications, including board certification, are recognized leaders. They are among a top tier of clinicians that are striving to push for the best outcomes for their patients with evidence-based clinical reasoning and excellent clinical skills.

Get more referrals.

Specialized education builds a clinicians’ reputation and garners trust with primary and other health care providers. The result is more referrals, benefiting more of the patients you see and growing your client base.

Certifications to serve specific patient populations

Patients with chronic conditions

• Certification in Lifestyle Medicine – A 9-month certification for clinicians looking to inspire and promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in their clients.
• Integrative Behavioral Health Certification for Rehab Providers – A 7-month certification for clinicians looking to help their patients with Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, etc.
• Therapeutic Pain Specialist Certification – A 6-month certification to give clinicians the tools to help their patients with persistent and chronic pain conditions.

Patients with musculoskeletal conditions

• Orthopaedic Certification – A 12-month certification that prepares physical therapists to be an independent practitioner for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.
• Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency – A 12-18 month residency that provides physical therapists with foundational knowledge and guided mentorship in orthopaedic practice and clinical decision-making.
• Manual Physical Therapy Certification – A 15-month certification designed to enhance physical therapists’ critical thinking and psychomotor skills in manual therapy techniques.
• Functional Dry Needling Specialist Certification – A 6-12-month certification designed to give clinicians an advanced clinical competency built off of our Functional Dry Needling series.
• Sports Physical Therapy Certification – A 12-month certification that focuses on the treatment and prevention, evaluation, and rehabilitation of athletes across the spectrum of age and expertise.

Geriatric patients

• Geriatric Certification – A 12-month certification built to advance clinicians’ clinical skills and competency in the areas of prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation for the aging population.

 Athletes

• Manual Physical Therapy Certification – A 15-month certification designed to enhance physical therapists’ critical thinking and psychomotor skills in manual therapy techniques.
• Functional Dry Needling Specialist Certification – A 6-12-month certification designed to give clinicians an advanced clinical competency built off of our Functional Dry Needling series.
• Sports Physical Therapy Certification – A 12-month certification that focuses on the treatment and prevention, evaluation, and rehabilitation of athletes across the spectrum of age and expertise.
• Orthopaedic Certification – A 12-month certification that prepares physical therapists to be an independent practitioner for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.

Ready to level up through a specialty certification?

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