Credentials and Certifications

Occupational therapists help people improve their ability to perform tasks in living and working environments.

Occupational therapists work with individuals of all ages who have conditions that are mentally, physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabling. They help individuals to develop, recover, or maintain daily living and working skills. Occupational therapists not only help individuals to improve basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also compensate for permanent loss of function.

The goal of an occupational therapy practitioner is to help individuals have independent, productive, and satisfying lives. This can be a Baccalaureate or Masters degree.

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat people of all ages who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives.

PTs must have a graduate degree from an accredited physical therapy program before taking the national licensure examination. The minimum educational requirement is a master's degree, yet most educational programs now offer the doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree.

Physical therapists practice in hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, homes, education or research centers, schools, hospices, corporate or industrial health centers, athletic facilities, and other settings.

The PTA practices under the supervision of a physical therapist. To become a PTA as student must graduate with their associate degree from an accredited PTA program. The state of Utah requires PTA’s to be licensed to practice physical therapy and maintain continuing education hours.

The American Physical Therapy Association recognizes clinicians who have gone to the highest level recognized in their profession by creating a board certification in one of seven specialty areas. The OCS certification is a formal recognition of physical therapists with advanced clinical knowledge, experience, and skills in area of orthopedics. This certification can assist consumers and the health care community in identifying these highly skilled orthopedic physical therapists. As of 2010 there are 45 physical therapists out of 1,578 physical therapists in the state of Utah with this certification.

Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCSs) are professionals who apply scientific knowledge to train athletes for the primary goal of improving athletic performance. They conduct sport-specific testing sessions, design and implement safe and effective strength training and conditioning programs and provide guidance regarding nutrition and injury prevention. Recognizing that their area of expertise is separate and distinct, CSCSs consult with and refer athletes to other professionals when appropriate.

The Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) program was created in 1985 to identify individuals who possess the knowledge and skills to design and implement safe and effective strength and conditioning programs for athletes in a team setting. The credentialing program encourages a higher level of competence among practitioners and raises the quality of strength training and conditioning programs provided by those who are CSCS certified.

In 2010 there are only 31 therapists out of 1,578 physical therapists in the state of Utah with this certification.

Hand therapy is the art and science of rehabilitation of the upper limb, which includes the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder girdle. By combining their comprehensive knowledge of the structure of the upper limb and the function of activities, the hand therapist has specialized knowledge and skills to help individuals prevent dysfunction, restore function, and aide in the healing of the upper extremity. With this comprehensive knowledge and advanced skills the hand therapists assists individuals in their return to the activities of daily life.

Additional skills unique to hand therapists are both their expertise in wound care techniques and their skill in creating custom splinting for preventive and therapeutic treatments of the hand and upper extremity.

A Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) is an occupational therapist or physical therapist who has a minimum of five years of clinical experience, including 4,000 hours or more in direct practice in hand therapy. In addition, the Certified Hand Therapist has successfully passed a comprehensive test of advanced clinical skills and theory in upper quarter rehabilitation. Because of changes in the profession, every CHT is required to demonstrate continued professional development and competency by recertifying every five years.

The Certified Athletic Trainer is a highly educated and skilled professional specializing in athletic health care. In cooperation with physicians and other allied health personnel, the athletic trainer functions as an integral member of the athletic health care team in secondary schools, colleges and universities, sports medicine clinics, professional sports programs and other athletic health care settings.

To become certified athletic trainer, a student must graduate with bachelors or masters degree from an accredited professional athletic training education program, pass comprehensive ATC test, and maintain continuing education hours.

A Certified Lymphedemia Therapists must first have a clinical professional degree, completing the LANA continuing education course, and , pass the LANA examination. The CLT treats lymphedema and other chronic swelling through decongestive therapy including manual lymph drainage, bandaging and compression therapy, self-care technique education, and assessment and fitting for compression garments.

A therapist is educated and certified to use the ASTYM system through Performance Dynamics. The ASTYM system stimulates the body’s regenerative process to heal muscle, tendon, and ligament and gets rid of scar tissue problems form old injuries.

Therapists who have attended the course and completed the test for accreditation through KTAI.