Criteria for establishment of a new specialty area are established by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties and guide the development of all new specialty areas. The APTA House of Delegates approves all new specialty areas.
Any individual or group of individuals may petition ABPTS to recognize an area of physical therapist practice as a specialty.
The Petitioner's Guide for Specialty Recognition provides information on requirements, costs, and processes. Individuals and groups should also reference the Glossary of Terms Related to Certification and Assessment. These definitions have been developed to delineate the terms used to describe certification, related activities, and impacted individuals.
If you are interested in establishing a new specialty board certification, you are also encouraged to contact spec-cert@apta.org for additional guidance and to address any questions related to process and expectations detailed within the Petitioner's Guide.