How to apply to CPA’s Clinical Specialty Program

LEARN – GROW – SPECIALIZE

Clinical Specialty Program:
Setting the Standard for the Profession
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 Program Background
• Clinical Specialist Definition
• Program Goals
• Who can Apply?
• Four Program Requirements
• Nine Program Competencies
• Candidate Submission Process
• Program Application Process
• Why apply?
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 A Clinical Specialist in Physiotherapy
“practices at an advanced clinical level within
a recognized physiotherapy specialty area.
Formal recognition as a clinical specialist is
accomplished through meeting the
requirements of the CPA Clinical Specialty
Program.”

Joint Advisory Committee for the Recognition of

Clinical Specialties in Canada Report, Jan. 2007

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 Feasible, credible, suitable

• Program requirements can be met

regardless of location or practice setting
• Competency based
• Self directed: You determine the pace

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 Program Goals
1. Meet the professional development needs of
physiotherapists in a specific practice area;
2. Provide a vehicle for formal recognition of a
clinical specialty;
3. Provide the public with a means of identifying
clinicians that have successfully met the clinical
specialty program requirements in their practice
area.

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 Who can Apply?
Applicants must meet the four
Program Requirements

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 Program Requirement 1
• 5 years in clinical practice

• 3 of the last 5 years in specialty

area
Advanced
Clinical • 300 clinical contact hours annually
Competence
• Advanced clinical
reasoning/judgement, knowledge
& skills
*1 year FTE=1800 hours
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 Program Requirement 2
Examples of Leadership:

• Mentoring

Professional • Participation in clinical education

Leadership • Involvement in associations,
• public & community education

• Volunteer activities

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 Program Requirement 3
Examples may include:

• Academic courses
Professional • Clinical practicum
Development
Activities • Clinical supervision of students

• Conferences & Symposia

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 Program Requirement 4
• Uses research to inform &
guide practice

• Applies research principles

involvement and findings in practice
in Research
• Able to contribute to the
design & execution of a
research project

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 9 Competency Areas
• Program Applicants submission documents
must provide evidence of experience in 9
competency areas
• 9 competency areas: Research, Leadership,
Advanced Knowledge, Advanced Clinical
Reasoning & Advanced Clinical Skills,
Innovation, Communication & Collaboration,
Teaching & Mentoring, PD & Lifelong
Learning
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 ADVANCED CLINICAL PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL
RESEARCH COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP

Research Leadership

Advanced Knowledge

Communication/Collaboration

Advanced Clinical Reasoning

Teaching/Mentoring

Advanced Clinical Skills

PD/Lifelong Learning

Innovation
 CANDIDATE SUBMISSION PROCESS
2-Stage Process: Candidate has up to 3 years to complete

Candidate’s experience information must provide evidence of 4

Program Requirements and 9 Clinical Competencies

Candidate’s responsibility to link their own experience with the

program requirements and competencies

Applicant: Pay the $500 application fee, no

documents submitted.
Candidate: Provides the pre-submission
documents and the stage 1 documents to
declare program candidacy

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 PRE-SUBMISSION DOCUMENTS

• MSF Contact List: List of patients/clients, PT Peers, IP Peers, Mentor/

Supervisors, Mentor/Students who will fill out the Survey
• Conflict of Interest Form: Identifies potential conflicts with assessors
you may be/have been working with

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 Stage I: Candidate Portfolio
• Candidate Documentation & CV
• Multisource Feedback Tool (MSF)
• Clinical Reflections
1. Practice Generated Knowledge
2. Research into practice
3. Theory into practice

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Stage II: Case Based Discussion
• 3 written clinical cases
• 90 minute discussion with assessor panel
via teleconference
• Allows assessor panel to delve into
candidate’s clinical reasoning and
elaborate on patient care
• Discussion may include Stage I submission

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 Who are the Assessors?
• 3 assessors (who are Specialists) assigned
per candidate
– 2 from specialty area, 1 from outside area
• Each competency met at least 1x per stage
– Rated at “Does not meet”, “Meets” and
“Exceeds” or “Absent”
• 4 program requirements must be met

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 Program Process

Stage I Stage II
Application Assessment Assessment

Stage I Stage II Final Board

Submission Submission Review
& live CBD

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 Why Should PT’s apply?
• Recognition from your professional peers
• Capacity to better articulate self-reflection clinical skills
• Can help increase the number of opportunities to
carryout presentations to health care providers, patient
support groups and other health groups.
• The designation of clinical specialist could increase the
number of patients looking for a specialist
• Opportunity to take stock of one’s professional and
personal developments.
• The Clinical Specialty designation is transportable and
can go anywhere in Canada

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 Questions?
Specialization@physiotherapy.ca

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