Clinical Specialist Program - Canadian Physiotherapy Association

Please note that the CPA Clinical Specialty Program is currently on hold until further notice

The CPA Clinical Specialty Program certifies physiotherapists who have focused their careers and can demonstrate advanced clinical competence, leadership, continuing professional development, and involvement in research in a specific area of practice.

This self-directed program consists of a written portfolio submission and an oral presentation that is assessed by a panel of peers. The components of the program allow candidates to demonstrate their professional competencies and development as a clinical specialist.

The program is targeted to candidates who have a minimum of five years of full-time applied clinical experience and a minimum of 300 clinical contact hours per year for the past five years in the clinical specialty area.

Application Process

About the Program

Meet the Specialists

1) Why become a Clinical Specialist?

Professional growth

Improve your clinical skills and advanced clinical reasoning in a chosen practice area
Documentation and evidence of quality of the candidate’s submission in the form of an exhaustive evaluation report which can help the candidate identify areas of strength and areas of improvement

Recognition

Recognition from professional peers and the public which could increase the number of opportunities to carryout presentations to health care providers, patient support groups and other health groups

Patient care

National recognition of your commitment to excellence that is transportable to every province.
A positive public image and validation of your work and accomplishments
Increased credibility with funding agencies/organizations
An opportunity for staff and management to be thoughtful about their practice

Benefits of the Self-Directed Process

Set your own pace of involvement in the specialization process
Affords you a chance to step back, take stock, and look at the “big picture”
A tool for benchmarking your skill set against the program’s current thresholds identified in the four program requirements and the nine program competency areas

2) Why should your organization have a Clinical Specialist on staff?

Companies benefit from both the status and being involved in the process of specialization since it increases knowledge level within a specialty area
Increasingly savvy public is becoming more demanding of specialists
Governing authorities better educated about the scope of practice standards
Increased level of professionalism

Leverage and Support

A valuable tool in lobbying all levels of government
Improved relationships with other like-minded organizations, both private and public

Benefits of the Peer Review process

An outside perspective on the candidate’s area of strengths and areas of improvement
Motivation for improvements and addressing neglected areas

The self-regulatory process of specialization works. It helps to create a higher learning system in the Association that is diverse with quality, yet accessible to all organizations.

Self-regulation assures self-responsibility, builds pride and a skilled workforce.