Two students. One lobby day. A meaningful impact that reached the state legislature. 

In this episode, discover how DPT students Ally Clark and Brian Pham turned preparation into opportunity — earning an invitation to testify after APTA Virginia’s Lobby Day. Joined by VCU faculty members Alicia Flach, PT, DPT, EdD, and Katie Shaab, PT, DPT, PhD, along with APTA Virginia President Emily Hawkins, PT, DPT, PhD, this episode unpacks how students are trained for advocacy, what makes a lobby day successful, and why your voice matters. 

Tune in to learn practical strategies for organizing and participating in a state lobby day, guidance for getting started in advocacy, and why engaging at every stage of your career is critical. 

Ready to get involved in advocacy? Check out the following APTA resources to get started. 

• Download the APTA Advocacy App. 
• Start a discussion in the APTA Community.  
• Join the APTA Advocacy Network and read all the latest advocacy news. 
• Participate in the APTA Student Advocacy Challenge. 

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, editorial board member Christopher Bise, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, talks with Katie O’Bright, PT, DPT, OCS, Evan Kelley, PT, DPT, and Micah Wong, PT, DPT, about the 2025 primary care physical therapy consensus definition from the APTA Federal Primary Care Special Interest Group. The authors discuss primary care physical therapy as an emerging area of practice and explain why the definition will support consistent knowledge translation and address key challenges in the current healthcare landscape.  

For more information on the consensus definition and the 2026 Primary Care Summit and Think Tank, visit the APTA Federal Primary Care SIG resources page.  

O’Bright, Kelley, and Wong are co-authors of the article “Primary Care Physical Therapy: 2025 Consensus Definition.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.   

Kelly Roberts Lane, PT, DPT, APTA Minnesota’s lead representative for the Special Olympics USA Games, and Drew Contreras, PT, DPT, APTA vice president of strategic affairs, dive into APTA’s partnership with the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota. From how the partnership came together and will bring national awareness to the profession, to the many ways you can volunteer and make an impact, learn how APTA members are making a difference.  

Visit the Special Olympics USA Games to learn more about volunteer opportunities available to both clinicians and non-clinicians.  

Ash James, director of practice and development at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in the United Kingdom, joins APTA Vice President of Strategic Affairs Drew Contreras, PT, DPT, for a conversation on how artificial intelligence is shaping physical therapist practice — and how it could continue to evolve in the future. James shares lessons learned from the creation of CSP’s AI principles, as well as tips for clinicians trying to navigate AI, whether they are new or experienced users.  

• Read APTA’s practice advisory on ambient scribes: “Emerging Technology: AI-Enabled Ambient Scribe Technology in Physical Therapy Documentation.” 
•  Continue the conversation about AI and emerging technologies by joining the new APTA AI Network on the APTA Community. (Member login is required to access the APTA Community.) 
• Learn more about AI through one of the APTA Learning Center’s many courses, including  “AI in Physical Therapy,” “Implementing Technology in PT Practice,” and “Ethical Considerations and Application of Artificial Intelligence in Physical Therapy: Navigating the Intersection of Technology and Ethics.” 
• Discover APTA Magazine’s coverage on the topic, with “What’s the Impact of AI on Physical Therapy” and “AI as an ‘Intelligent Assistant.’” 

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Sandy Willett, PT, PhD, Elena Donoso Brown, OT/L, and Regina Harbourne, PT, PhD, FAPTA, define intervention fidelity, discuss its importance in bridging the gap between research and clinical practice, and highlight what clinicians and researchers can do in the future to make fidelity feel practical.  

Willett, Donoso Brown, and Harbourne are co-authors of the article “Intervention Fidelity: A Common Language for Clinicians and Researchers.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.   

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Sandy Willett, PT, PhD, Elena Donoso Brown, OT/L, and Regina Harbourne, PT, PhD, FAPTA, define intervention fidelity, discuss its importance in bridging the gap between research and clinical practice, and highlight what clinicians and researchers can do in the future to make fidelity feel practical.  

Willett, Donoso Brown, and Harbourne are co-authors of the article “Intervention Fidelity: A Common Language for Clinicians and Researchers.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.   

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Sandy Willett, PT, PhD, Elena Donoso Brown, OT/L, and Regina Harbourne, PT, PhD, FAPTA, define intervention fidelity, discuss its importance in bridging the gap between research and clinical practice, and highlight what clinicians and researchers can do in the future to make fidelity feel practical.  

Willett, Donoso Brown, and Harbourne are co-authors of the article “Intervention Fidelity: A Common Language for Clinicians and Researchers.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.   

In this APTA Podcast episode, Vice President of Strategic Affairs Drew Contreras, PT, DPT, and Senior Director of Brand Strategy Alicia Hosmer discuss the partnership between APTA and the National Strength and Conditioning Association with NSCA Board members Jaynie Bjornaraa, PT, PhD, and Antonio Squillante, PhD. The partnership was announced at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in Anaheim, California, in February.  

Together, they discuss the associations' missions and the overlap between physical therapists and certified strength and conditioning specialists in promoting health and well-being through evidence-based practices for athletes and patients alike. The discussion also covers how collaboration between these two professions helps improve patient performance and outcomes. 

Listeners can also get a preview of what to expect at the upcoming joint conference at APTA Centennial Center on Sept. 25-26. 

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Madeline Ratoza, PT, DPT, PhD, Rupal Patel, PT, PhD, and Julia Chevan, PT, DPT, PhD, who used a cross-sectional geographic information systems approach across census tracts and licensure records to look at rehabilitation provider availability in Texas. Their study found that availability varies dramatically and is often much lower in communities with higher disability prevalence and poverty rates, and with larger proportions of Hispanic and non-white residents. The authors discuss what inspired the research question, how they defined access as a metric, and the follow-up actions they recommend from the study.  

Ratoza, Patel, and Chevan are co-authors of the article “Geographic Disparities in Rehabilitation Provider Availability and Community Demographics in Texas: A Cross-Sectional Geographic Information Systems Study.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.   

APTA President Kyle Covington, PT, DPT, PhD, is joined by three fellow members of the APTA Board of Directors to discuss APTA’s Strategic Framework for 2030. They share details on the three interconnected priorities that APTA believes will shape the next generation of physical therapy: advancing our payment, empowering our members, and evolving our practice.