In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Matthew Schumacher, PT, DPT, DSc, Kyle Cottone, PT, DPT, DSc, and Laura Siviter, PT, DPT, DSc, about their recently published study, which identified six themes related to barriers to clinical practice guideline implementation for low back pain. The authors discuss why they chose a mixed-methods approach, why clinician training and confidence may be a barrier to clinical practice guideline usage, and how clinicians can use clinical practice guidelines to build therapeutic alliances with patients.

Schumacher, Cottone, and Siviter are co-authors of the article "Understanding Barriers to the Use of a Low Back Pain Clinical Practice Guideline in Physical Therapist Practice: A Mixed-Methods Approach.” Read the article on the PTJ website, and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.  

In this episode, Colleen Ward, PT, DPT, board-certified clinical specialist in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy, chats with three fellow APTA members about their experiences becoming board-certified clinical specialists. They share how earning certification has transformed their careers and the different paths they took to achieve it. Additionally, they offer advice for anyone considering certification.  

Since February 1985, when podcast panelist Meryl Cohen, PT, DPT, MS, FAPTA, and her peers, Linda Crane, PT, and Scot Irwin, PT, DPT, became the first physical therapists to achieve advanced specialist certification, this credential has been opening doors for thousands of professionals in the field. 

After listening to the episode, visit these resources to learn more:

·                     APTA Specialist Certification Governed by ABPTS website and its “Become an ABPTS-Certified Specialist” page 

·                     APTA Report: "A Physical Therapy Profile: Wages for the Profession, 2021-22" 

·                     A Brief History: The First Specialist Certification Exams Held  

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

Annabelle Hu, SPT, a first-year student at University of Southern California Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, interviews Stephanie Woelfel, PT, DPT, president of APTA Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology & Wound Management at APTA CSM in Houston. Learn more about these two clinical specialties that both reward curiosity and problem-solving.

Visit the APTA Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology & Wound Management website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

In this episode, Rachel Miller, MPH, APTA health policy and payment specialist, shares key updates on the organization's advocacy efforts over the past few months. Discover how APTA is working to reduce administrative burdens in physical therapy, address inefficiencies in Medicare and Medicaid policy, and tackle commercial payer issues. 

This episode also features insights from APTA's Harker Intern, Alvin Osorio Flores, SPT, who shares his journey and experiences within the advocacy team. Don't miss this informative discussion on the importance of advocacy in the physical therapy profession. 

• Join the APTA Advocacy Network and read all the latest advocacy news.  
• Read articles on APTA's efforts to reduce administrative burdens and address TRICARE payment issues.  
• Register for the free APTA Regulatory, Legislative, and Payment Updates Series (2025) for expert insights.  
• Explore internship opportunities available at APTA.  

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

Britton Farnum, PT, DPT, interviews Mary Jane Rapport, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, president of APTA Pediatrics. Learn what Rapport says about the skills, settings, and steps to thrive in this specialty.

Visit the APTA Pediatrics website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

In this podcast, APTA Ethics and Judicial Committee member Rebecca Edgeworth Ditwiler, PT, DPT, PhD, asks three experts about the most pressing ethical issues related to artificial intelligence, one of the most rapidly evolving frontiers in health care. They provide insights about data privacy, bias, informed consent, and more.  

The EJC recently wrote two columns in APTA Magazine related to AI ethics: one on unveiling and shaping AI technologies and another on exploring AI ethics within the five roles of physical therapy.  



Read more about common and emerging ethical issues facing PTs, PTAs, and students in APTA Magazine's “Ethics in Practice” series. 

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Sally Mastwyk, PT, MPhysio, and Casey Peiris, PT, PhD, about their recently published study, in which 230 participants received a 30-minute health screen in physical therapy private practices in Australia to determine the feasibility of physical therapists conducting client health screening with point-of-care testing. The authors discuss how they implemented the study in a network of private practice clinics, why they chose the three outcomes of acceptability, demand, and practicality, and how they can determine effectiveness in future research.

Mastwyk and Peiris are co-authors of the article, "Metabolic Health Screening in Physical Therapy Private Practice in Australia: A Feasibility Study.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.  

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

Conner Murphy, SPT, interviewed APTA Pelvic Health President Darla Cathcart, PT, DPT, PhD, at APTA CSM in Boston. Learn what a day in the life of a pelvic health physical therapist looks like and advice for exploring this specialty.

Visit the APTA Pelvic Health website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

Elizabeth Pimentel, PT, MA, recalls a memorable patient and her struggles to make peace with the patient’s untimely death. Access the article on the APTA Magazine webpage for photos and to learn more about this episode’s speaker.

In March, the American Physical Therapy Association published a workforce forecast in PTJ that used original survey data to project shortages in physical therapists through 2037. Listen as Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with authors Timothy Dall, MS, and Tara Manal, PT, DPT, FAPTA, about the different data sources used for the report, what a microsimulation is as an approach, and some strategic interventions that could help address the projected shortfall.

Dall and Manal are co-authors of the article "Current and Projected Future Supply and Demand for Physical Therapists From 2022 to 2037: A New Approach Using Microsimulation.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.  

To learn more, sign up now for an APTA Live event, “Understanding the APTA Workforce Forecast Model: Insights and Discussion with Authors,” on May 1 at 10:30 a.m. ET, in person (limited availability) or online.