Board-Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist

Certification Pathways and Resources

Raise the Bar Higher

The specialist certification program was established in 1978 by the American Physical Therapy Association. The purpose of the program is to identify physical therapists with advanced clinical knowledge and experience. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) coordinates and oversees the specialist certification process.

Are you considering taking the exam? Complete APTA’s Self-Assessment.

Resource List

The APTA Geriatrics resource list is free to download for members and nonmembers. We encourage anyone taking the Board Certification in Geriatric Physical Therapy exam to join APTA Geriatrics and further enhance your career in geriatric physical therapy.

How to Become a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy

  1. Review the eligibility and application information on the ABPTS website
  1. You must complete one of the following two paths to Certification before applying for the exam:
    • Create a portfolio as outlined by ABPTS. Portfolios encompass independent completion of all requirements (including 2,000 hours of direct patient care in geriatric physical therapy) needed to become a board-certified clinical specialist. More detailed information and steps to complete Geriatric Specialty Certification via Portfolio can be found at www.abpts.org.
    • Complete an APTA-accredited post-professional clinical residency. A residency program is a post-professional planned learning experience that prepares physical therapists with the required knowledge and skills needed to become board-certified clinical specialists through structured mentored experiences. Please visit www.abptrfe.org for more information about APTA accredited residency programs in Geriatrics
  2. Start your preparation early!
  3. Complete the exam application from the ABPTS website
  4. Once approved by the ABPTS to sit for the exam, you will receive a letter (usually by January 1st) with instructions to schedule the exam at a local testing center (usually February and March).
  5. Prepare to take the Exam!
  6. Take the exam. Pass/fail notification usually arrives late June.
  7. All newly certified specialists will be recognized at the Combined Sections Meeting (held each year in February).

 

Geriatric Accredited Residencies and Fellowships

A geriatric clinical residency is a unique opportunity for you to develop skills and take courses in a mentored environment, to significantly advance your provision of geriatric PT and prepare you for Board Certification. The currently credentialed residency programs in geriatric physical therapy are listed on the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship webpage.

Application forms and information are available at https://specialization.apta.org. For more information, contact the Specialist Certification Program at 800-999-2782, ext 8520 or spec-cert@apta.org.

 

 

Congratulations to the Class of 2024!

  • Samantha Adkins, PT, DPT
  • Jason Adour, PT, DPT
  • Matthew J Allen, PT, DPT
  • Angela Anderson, PT
  • Peter Anderson, PT
  • Lindsay Anderson, PT, DPT
  • Emily Aoki, PT, DPT
  • Taylor Amedee, PT, DPT
  • Andrew Bacha, PT, DPT
  • Lauren Baier, PT, DPT
  • Swathi Balantrapu, PT
  • Chelsea Barron, PT, DPT
  • Eva Barth, PT
  • Molly Baughman, PT, DPT
  • Jason Bednarski, PT, DPT
  • Stefani Birkenmeier, PT
  • Elise Bixenstine PT, DPT
  • Susan Blouin, PT, DPT
  • Krista Issler, PT
  • Faye Bronstein, PT, DPT
  • Cassidy Brown, PT, DPT
  • Nicholas Bucci, PT, DPT
  • Jordana Burstein, PT, DPT
  • Ashley Marie Butler, PT, DPT
  • Lita C Byerly, PT
  • Michael Campman, PT, DPT
  • Sean Carlucci, PT, DPT
  • Lindsey Castle, PT, DPT
  • Jaime Caulley, PT, DPT
  • Susan Cha, DPT
  • Tamara Chairez, PT
  • Nazneen G. Changi, PT
  • Megan Chapman, PT, DPT
  • Rachel Claussen, PT, DPT
  • Mei-En Cheng, PT, DPT
  • Chi-Lun Chiao, PT, DPT
  • Torie Clark, PT, DPT
  • Trey Clauser, PT, DPT
  • Michael Cleek, PT, DPT
  • Emalee Colvin, PT, DPT
  • Stephanie Cooper, PT, DPT
  • Kristina M Cosley, PT, DPT
  • Erin Dail, PT, DPT
  • Kimberly De los Santos, PT, DPT
  • Meghan de Schepper, PT, DPT
  • Kaci DeWitt-Rickards, DPT
  • Ryan Diloreti, PT
  • Grayson Doar, PT
  • Melissa Donaldson
  • Megan Downey, PT, DPT
  • Sierra Downum-Meyers, PT, DPT
  • Courtney Doyon, PT, DPT
  • Jason Dring, PT, DPT
  • Sarah Droge, PT, DPT
  • Parker Drumm, PT
  • Heather Buerman, PT, DPT
  • Ashlee Eastman, PT, DPT
  • Lauryn Edmonds, PT, DPT
  • David M. Edson, PT
  • Kelsey Edwards, PT, DPT
  • Lauren Ellefritz, PT
  • Richard Ellsworth, PT, DPT
  • Robin Evans, PT, DPT
  • Allison Feeney
  • Julia Feng, PT, DPT
  • Deanna Ferrone, PT, DPT
  • Matthew FitzPatrick, PT, DPT
  • Franceska Fleischhacker, PT, DPT
  • Lorraine Folsom, PT, DPT
  • Jakob Friedges, PT, DPT
  • Allison Gibson
  • Rachel Glaser Cherewaty, PT, MSPT
  • Aubrey Goodwin, PT, DPT
  • Gina Gordon, PT, DPT
  • Matthew Daniel Gordon, PT
  • Hannah Gradle, PT, DPT
  • Joseph Graves, PT, DPT
  • Kelly Grimes, PT, DPT
  • Sidney Gutierrez-Whitmire, PT, DPT
  • Kadi Hamer PT, DPT
  • Grace Hanna, PT, DPT
  • Jie Hao, PT, DPT
  • Anna Harkins, PT, DPT
  • Elizabeth Harper, PT, DPT
  • Julia Harrison-Sketo, PT, DPT
  • Stephanie Hausle, PT, DPT
  • Melony Cheray Haverland, PT, DPT
  • Amanda Himelfarb, PT
  • Emma Hintz, PT, DPT
  • Eric Hobby, PT, DPT
  • Justin Hong, PT, DPT
  • Ethan Hunt, PT
  • Tanya Rudder Hyatt, PT, DPT
  • Kaitlin Jeanis, PT, DPT
  • Julianna Jenks, PT, DPT
  • Namita Kantawala, PT, DPT, MSPT
  • Matthew Kattell, PT, DPT
  • Steven Kerbs, PT
  • Adam Kiepert, PT
  • Seanpatrick Kilker, PT, DPT
  • Gabriella King, PT, DPT
  • Rachel Klatt, PT
  • Katie Krile, PT, DPT
  • Crystal Kritikos, PT, DPT
  • Jason Kundek, PT, DPT
  • Reyn Kurihara, PT, DPT
  • Christopher Lawhon, PT, DPT
  • Justin Lessley, PT, DPT
  • Joyce-Marie Librando, PT
  • Alex Lin, PT, DPT
  • Bethany Lowry, PT
  • Jarrod Lummis, PT
  • Mallory MacKenzie, PT, DPT
  • Olivia Mann, PT
  • Gregory Manner, PT, DPT
  • Emily Mauser, PT, DPT
  • Alex McDuffie, PT, DPT
  • Kathleen McGuire, PT, DPT
  • Amy McIntosh, PT, DPT
  • Mary Meadows, PT, DPT
  • Molly Mechler, PT, DPT
  • Jonathon Mendola, PT, DPT
  • Elliott Metheny, PT, DPT
  • Christopher Milano, PT, DPT
  • Jaclyn Miller, PT
  • Kristen Milone, PT, DPT
  • Ryan Molinaro, PT, DPT
  • Katie Montgomery, PT, DPT
  • Melissa Moore, PT
  • Maria Murphy, PT, MS
  • Samuel Murphy, PT, DPT
  • Kristine Mussell, PT, DPT
  • Haley Naegeli, PT, DPT
  • Gabriel Ezechukwu Ndukwu, PT, BSPT
  • Benjamin Nolte, PT, DPT
  • Jessica Norton, PT
  • Carly Ost, PT, DPT
  • Jennifer Grace Pachol, PT
  • Kelly Parkhurst
  • Justin Pelczarski, PT
  • Emma Peters, PT, DPT,
  • Karen Pohl, PT, DPT
  • Kevin Porter, PT, DPT
  • Jessica Poston, PT, DPT
  • Katie Pritchard, PT, DPT
  • Kira Pushart, PT, DPT
  • Ryan Queen, PT, DPT, CSCS
  • Lisa Reedich, PT
  • Debra Reilly, PT, DPT
  • Kathleen Reisinger, PT, MPT
  • Allison Reynolds PT, DPT, OTR/L, MOT
  • Jane Rha
  • Zachary Riley, PT
  • Jessica Rodriguez, PT, DPT
  • Abigail Rolinger, PT, DPT
  • Karissa D. Rowley, PT, DPT
  • Hannah Runez, PT, DPT
  • Kathleen Ryan, PT, DPT
  • Brian Sawyer, PT DPT
  • Connor Schmitt, PT, DPT
  • Melanie Schultz, PT, DPT
  • Tania Shay, PT
  • Paula Shulthiess, PT, DPT
  • Jaimee Silber, PT, DPT
  • Karen Sinclair, PT
  • John Singleton, PT, DPT
  • Madison Sirpilla, PT, DPT
  • Kelsey Smith, PT, DPT
  • Karissa Smola, PT, DPT
  • Aimee Steinacker, PT, DPT
  • Rebecca Sternig, PT, DPT
  • Ryan Stetson, PT, DPT
  • Sarah Stingley, PT, DPT
  • Rachel Strickland, PT, DPT
  • Stephanie Strong, PT, DPT
  • Doubara Stucki, PT, DPT
  • Kelly Stueber
  • Mary Tammen, PT, DPT
  • Pius Tawiah, PT DPT
  • Stephen Thornhill
  • Carolyn Ticker, PT, DPT, MPH
  • Stacy Trebing, PT, BSPT
  • Jennifer Troth, PT, DPT
  • Danny Truong, PT
  • Jennifer Turner PT, DPT
  • Hannah Uhlenkott, PT
  • Sheila Marie Venus, PT, DPT
  • Robinson Villaroya, PT, DPT
  • Miguel Villero, PT
  • Seth Von Almay, PT, DPT
  • Traci Walters
  • Jennifer Walton, PT
  • Amanda Ward, PT, DPT
  • Emma Watson, PT, DPT
  • Megan Wilcox, PT, DPT
  • Caroline Florence Williams, PT, DPT, MS
  • Sara Wolf, PT, DPT, NCS
  • Eli Wolff, PT
  • Ashley Wright, PT, DPT
  • Hannah Yoo, PT, DPT
  • Laura Hughes Zahner, PT
  • Courtney Zech, PT
  • Sarah Zemek, PT, DPT
  • Dawn Zhao, PT, DPT

Certification Qs

Chair of the Geriatric Specialty Council of ABPTS

Chair, Geriatric Specialist Certification and Advanced Proficiency Pathways for PTAs Committee

  • Rachael Walton-Mouw, PT, DPT, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy
    Contact Rachael

 

Certification Deadlines

  • Reapplication Deadline – August 31
  • Application Deadline – July 31

Please note: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the application and payment deadlines have been extended by three months, automatically, without prior approval. Applications are reviewed in order of submission; potential applicants are encouraged to apply prior to the deadline to expedite the review process. An option for an initial partial payment of the application fee will also be available (excluding reapplicants).

See the ABPTS website for more information.

  • Initial Certification Exam Fee Deadline – November 30
  • Scheduling Permits will be issued – January 16
  • 2024 Exam Dates – February 28 – March 20, 2024