Dr. Kelly is Double Board Certified!

Dr. Kelly is DOUBLE Board Certified!

Woot, woot! As of June, 2022, Dr. Kelly is one of only 72 Doctors of Physical Therapy who are DOUBLE Board Certified in Orthopedics AND Pelvic Health!!!

BAM!

That’s awesome, Dr. K! But what does it mean?

What is Board Certification?

When a Physical Therapist wants to take their career, and treatment skills, to the next level, they will often consider pursuing a Board Certified Specialization in their chosen field.

It’s a way to learn as much as possible about current, evidence-based treatments, about a given topic, thereby ensuring that our patients are receiving the best care possible at all times.

The Four Steps to Board Certified Specialization

1. Apply for the Privilege to Take The Test

The Board Certification Process STARTS with a significant application verifying your academic background, work background (you have to have worked in the field at least 5 years, and have a certain number of direct treatment hours in your area of desired expertise, or completed a residency program), AND complete a professional portfolio of a current client, demonstrating how you have used evidence-based medicine decisions in your current work, as an example of your ‘specialist level’ practice.

And that’s just the application! Now you’re ready to study!!

2. Study As Much As You Can!!

I prepared for each of my Board Certified Specializations a bit differently. I will offer my expertise here:

For my Orthopedic Specialization (OCS), which I received in 2012, I studied with a single study partner, and we met weekly for 16 weeks, using the Orthopedic Section’s “Current Concepts in Orthopedic Physical Therapy” Modules.

I was a new mom, working, and passed…but didn’t feel amazing about it at the time.

For my Pelvic Health Specialization (WCS, ‘technically’ Women’s Health, however there are lots of questions about Penises on the exam, so we think the change to Pelvic Health is coming soon), I had a group of 6 amazing ladies, from around the country, who met nearly once a week for 5 months. We also used the Section on Women’s Health Recommended Study Guide (which has recently been updated).

BUT, we ALSO, had an online shared document, where after we studied key articles or chapters, that we wrote sample test questions. Then we had another document, where we shared the answers. This was game changing. This ensures that you not only know which is the ‘right’ answer, but that you also know why the others are ‘wrong’ or, even, ‘less right.’

I felt much more confident about that test, and if I even do another one, that is how I’ll prepare again.

…where were we….Oh yes..we are STUDYING!! Use the above methods, or also consider:
-The Book “Orthopedic Physical Therapy Secrets” By Placzek and Boyce. This is considered by many to be “the Bible” of the OCS test. It’s good.

-The Book “The Pelvic Girdle” by Diane Lee and “Evidence Based Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy” by Kari Bo. Both are incredible.

You could also do a residency, or try any of a number of online practice tests (here for OCS is one that an old co-worker of mine made, Hi, Carol!!), and Beth Shelley also has WCS course prep available. Who knows, maybe Dr. Kelly will have her own prep courses some day 🙂 🙂 🙂

3. Sit for the Exam

It’s go time. Your Board Certifications are 6-8 hour long, 250 question exams.

They are conducted in secure, usually Prometric, test sites that take your honesty and identity seriously.

You have a certain number of blocks of tests, and a certain number of rest breaks that you can take. But you’re also not forced to take them.

I think I took nearly the whole time with my OCS…and with my WCS, I think I was done in 4 hours. I didn’t rush, I just knew that I had made my best answers and that further reviewing wasn’t going to lead to fruitful changes.

4. Then You Wait…

…and wait and WAIT. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities (ABPTS), takes a good solid 3 months to assess the exam results, ensure they are valid, research any funny business.

And finally, at the end of June, 3 months after you took the test, you get an email with a link to tell you if you passed or failed.

I Passed!!

And I joined the exclusive ranks of the 72 Double Board Certified PTs in Orthopedics and Pelvic Health. That’s kind of a big deal, and I am pretty dang proud.

I did it for me, but I also did it for you.

So that you can be confident that you have access to THE best care, most effective treatments in my online programs.

And guess what? Once you buy the course, if new evidence comes up that affects that course, not only do I update the course, but I also send you an email letting you know about the new science!! That’s pretty exciting, I think.

It’s what I would want for my pelvis, and therefore what I want for you and yours 🙂

Thanks for Reading!

Not everybody is going to be a Board Certified Specialist, but everybody has a Pelvis, so please share this with someone you love! Bonus points if you mention it on social media! Tag me so I can reciprocate the love!

My AMAZING blog posts are filled with practical tips for improving your pelvic (and overall) health prenatally, postpartum and beyond! There’s stuff for penises, too, in for those that have them, those that love them, and everyone in between!

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