Physiotherapy specialities

Physiotherapists' specialization aims to improve the quality standards of physical therapy practice and to promote continuous professional evolution.

The following are considered essential as a reference guidelines of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) on this issue, namely the following assumptions:

• Physiotherapy specialisation are areas of study and practice in a specific area, within the scope of practice recognized as physical therapy, which allows physical therapists to acquire and demonstrate additional in-depth clinical knowledge and skills, in relation to those necessary for access to the profession and professional title.
• There should be a fully documented formal process for specialization, acknowledging the skills, especially clinical.
• Specialization shouldn’t be considered a practice limitation. The field of activity recognized as physical therapy will remain open to all appropriately qualified physical therapists.
• A specialist physical therapist is expected to practice and/or teach in his clinical specialization area of practice, and also to contribute to education and evaluation of professional practice, with a view to improve the services provided. They are also expected to conduct research projects and contribute to the development and dissemination of knowledge in the respective area.

In essence, three substantial elements should be considered in specialization process:

• Possession of an advanced graduate course, with academic recognition;
• The demonstration of competences (skills) clinical and proven experience, in the area of specialisation;
• The development of competences in the area of research (critical analysis of published research, as a support to a practice based on scientific evidence, with a published contribution to the development of knowledge in the area of specialisation).

The Board of the Order of Physiotherapists considers that the profile of the specialist fits clearly within the descriptors of the master's academic degree, this being a potential route, but not the only one, in the formal process of recognition of specialist status.

The granting of specialist status assumes that his holder regularly demonstrates that he continues to deserve this status, through a formal process of renewing his clinical knowledge and skills.

It is considered prudent to recognise only a small number of fields of specialization, in line with international practice or countries of reference, if possible. Whenever there’s no justification for an autonomous field of specialisation, an alternative skills certification system should be created.