Skip to main content

Continued Competency Requirements

Physical Therapists must complete no fewer than 30 hours of continued competency each biennium. A minimum of 18 hours of continued competency must be in Category 1. Physical Therapists may submit a maximum of 10 hours continued competency in Category 2. All credential holders must also complete the 2-hour Jurisprudence Exam on the Board’s website.

Physical Therapist Assistants are required to complete no fewer than 20 hours of continued competency each biennium. A minimum of 10 hours of continued competency must be in Category 1. Physical Therapist Assistants may submit a maximum of 8 hours of continued competency in Category 2. All credential holders must also complete the 2-hour Jurisprudence Exam on the Board’s website.

Recent PT and PTA graduates (i.e., those who have completed their academic and clinical requirements for their degrees within the current biennium) have met the continued competency requirements for that biennium, per 201 KAR 22:045 Section 2(c). Accordingly, no additional contact hours for this biennium are required in order to renew a PT license or a PTA certificate during the renewal cycle. Recent PT and PTA graduates must still renew their credentials during the fixed date renewal cycle. All credential holders must also complete the 2-hour Jurisprudence Exam between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2023. If taken during your academic program, ensure you verify the completion date is within the required timeframe.

WHAT COUNTS FOR CATEGORY 1 CREDIT?

  • Completion of courses, seminars, workshops, symposia, or home study courses consisting of at least three contact hours that have been approved by the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy, the Board’s designee (i.e., APTA KY), FSBPT, APTA or its components, or another physical therapy licensing agency. Contact hours shall be awarded equal to contact hours awarded to a participant. (Provide appropriate certificate of completion.)
  • Completion of courses, seminars, workshops, symposia, or home study courses produced and developed by APTA or its components, even if consisting of fewer than three hours. Contact hours shall be awarded equal to contact hours awarded to a participant. (Provide appropriate certificate of completion.)
  • Completion or auditing of an accredited postsecondary educational institution credit course. Twelve (12) contact hours shall be awarded for each semester credit hour completed; and eight (8) contact hours shall be awarded for each quarter credit hour completed. (Provide copy of transcript.)
  • Presentation of a continued competency course, workshop, seminar, or symposium that has been approved by approved by the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy, the Board’s designee (i.e., APTA KY), FSBPT, APTA or its components, or another physical therapy licensing agency. Contact hours shall be awarded equal to contact hours awarded to a participant, with a maximum of two events of the same course per biennium.
  • Authorship of a research article, manuscript or scientific paper, published within the biennium and related to physical therapy. Fifteen (15) contact hours per event shall be awarded, with a maximum of two events per biennium. (Provide a copy of the article. Must be in a peer reviewed publication and show published date and author’s name.)
  • A presented, peer reviewed scientific poster or scientific platform presentation related to physical therapy. Ten (10) contact hours shall be awarded per event, with a maximum of two events per biennium. (Provide proof of event attendance and listing as a presenter.)
  • Teaching part of a physical therapy or physical therapist assistant credit course, if that teaching is not the primary employment of the credential holder. Twenty (20) contact hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide a letter from the institution verifying hours and that teaching is not the primary employment of the PT/PTA.)
  • ABPTS certification or recertification – Twenty-eight (28) hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide appropriate certificate of completion.)
  • Completion of the APTA’s PTA Advanced Proficiency Pathways Program (APP). A maximum of ten (10) contact hours shall be awarded in the biennium during which the certification or recertification of the APP is granted; or
  • Engaging in the practice of physical therapy at least 1,000 hours per biennium. Five (5) contact hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide letter from employer on company letterhead with signature, pay check stubs for biennium showing hours worked per pay period, or copy of W-2. If providing W-2, submit hourly pay rate.)
  • Engaging in the instruction of a CAPTE- accredited physical therapy or physical therapist assistant program at least 1,000 hours per biennium. Five (5) contact hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide letter from the institution on letterhead with Program Director’s signature.)
  • Completion of a clinical residency program or clinical fellowship program. Not more than five (5) contact hours shall be awarded for each week of residency for a maximum of 28 contact hours per biennium. (Provide official copy of transcript.)
  • Member of the APTA. One (1) contact hour shall be awarded per year and a maximum of two (2) contact hours per biennium.

See this link for additional Category 1 credits.

WHAT COUNTS FOR CATEGORY 2 CREDIT?

  • Self-instruction from reading professional literature. One (1) contact hour per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide copy of first page of article.)
  • Attendance at a scientific poster session, lecture, panel or symposium. One (1) contact hour for each hour of activity, with a maximum of two (2) hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide a copy of the meeting/conference agenda and proof of attendance, i.e., a sign in sheet or an attendance list including the date.)
  • Clinical instructor for a CAPTE-approved education program or an APTA credentialed residency or fellowship program. One (1) contact hour per 16 hours of student supervision shall be awarded. (Provide a letter from the educational institution on letterhead with a signature from the Program Director or Director of Clinical Education.)
  • Participation in a physical therapy in-service or study group consisting of two or more physical therapists or physical therapist assistants. Two (2) contact hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide sign in sheet showing name of study group and date attended.)
  • Completion of other healthcare related courses (CPR, Bloodborne pathogens, etc.). One (1) contact hour for each hour of credit for a maximum of three (3) hours per course shall be awarded. (Provide appropriate certificate of completion, showing length of time for each course.)
  • Participation in community service healthcare. One (1) contact hour for each hour of participation, for a maximum of two (2) hours per biennium. (Provide letter from coordinator of event.)

See this link for additional Category 2 credits.

JURISPRUDENCE EXAMINATION

All credential holders are required to complete Kentucky’s Jurisprudence Examination for the current biennium prior to the end of the renewal cycle, or the 31st day of March in odd numbered years. You may take this exam online at http://pt.ky.gov.

You will receive two (2) hours per biennium for successful completion of the Jurisprudence Examination. These hours will not meet Category 1 requirements, but will count towards your total hours. Be sure to print your completion certificate for your records.

APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION

At the end of each renewal cycle, ten (10) percent of all licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants will be selected for an audit of their continued competency. In the event that a credential holder is selected for audit, the Board will require submission of proof for all items listed on the Continued Competency Tracking Form. As such, all credential holders should maintain copies of their continued competency documentation for three (3) years.

Certificates of completion should contain the following information: Name of the PT/PTA, title and date of the course, and hours awarded. Certificates of completion for courses listed under Category 1, must also confirm that the course was approved by an appropriate entity, and the course approval code. (NOTE: It is not the Board’s responsibility to verify that courses listed on the Continued Competency Tracking Form are approved. The responsibility for completing this task lies with the credential holder.)

Courses without valid approval codes may be submitted to the Kentucky chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association for approval for Category 1 credit. Visit their website for more information. Allow a minimum of six weeks for approval of courses submitted for review.