FAQs

To update your profile, click on "My Profile" in the member portal menu on the left hand side. Review your information, make changes as necessary, and click on the "Save Changes" button to update your profile. 
Please note: All "required" fields must be filled out prior to updating your profile otherwise changes will not be saved.

In order to add your member profile to appear in the online member directory, please use the following steps:

• Login to your member account
• Click on "My Directory Options" in the member portal menu on the left hand side.
• Click to select the "VPTA Member" category from the "Directory Categories" section if not already selected
• Please Note: In order for your profile to appear in the online member directory the "VPTA Member" directory category must be selected
• Under the "Directory Display Options" section, click to select each contact information field you wish to have displayed in the online member directory
• Click on the "Save Changes" button at the bottom of the page when finished

In order to remove your profile from appearing in the online member directory, please use the following steps:

• Login to your member account
• Click on "My Directory Options" in the member portal menu on the left hand side.
• Please hold the "control (ctrl)" key on windows or "command" key on a mac and click to unselect the "VPTA Member" category from the "Directory Categories" section if already selected
• Click on the "Save Changes" button at the bottom of the page when finished

You can renew your membership with VPTA by selecting "Renew Membership" in the member portal menu on the left hand side.

If you are a current member of VPTA you can retrieve your username and a temporary password via email by clicking here and entering the email address that was used to sign up for your account.

If you attempt to retrieve your credentials and your email does not match what we have on file please contact the VPTA office by submitting your question to us here.

Please proceed to the login page and type in your username and temporary password.

We recommend that you type the username and password that was provided via email. If you copy and paste the selection into the username and password fields, sometimes you are copying and pasting an extra "space" which the system will not recognize. 

You can retrieve your username and a temporary password as many times as you wish but the system will send you additional emails. Note that the most recent email you've received will contain the temporary password that will allow you to access your account.

For each physical therapist and physical therapist assistant license renewal is biennial meaning it happens every two years.

• Renewal must happen by December 31 in each even- numbered year, for example the next renewal will be December 31, 2018.
• The need for continuing education hours start at the beginning of the new cycle, for example, January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2018.
• ONLY EXCEPTION: For the first biennial renewal for persons newly licensed by exam (new graduates only), the continuing education requirement is waived (you are not required to have any continuing education hours for the current cycle).
• Effective July 17, 2013, the continuing education requirements are: Physical Therapists must complete at least 30 hours total - a minimum of 20 contact hours must be type 1 and no more than 10 contact hours can be type 2; and Physical Therapist Assistants must complete 30 hours total - a minimum of 15 contact hours must be type 1 and no more than 15 contact hours can be type 2.
• Professionals can manually track their credits by using the Virginia Board of Physical Therapy Continued Competency Activity and Assessment Form to keep your information.
• Alternatively, Virginia physical therapists and physical therapist assistants may use the CEU Locker system, provided as a service of the VPTA.

Type 1 continuing education courses are any organized program of study, classroom experience or similar experience such as online coursework, webinars, podcasts, face to face workshop etc.

• Type 1 course MUST relate directly to your clinical practice of physical therapy such as: the need to promote ethical practice, (ii) an appropriate standard of care, (iii) patient safety, (iv) application of new medical technology, (v) appropriate communication with patients, and (vi) knowledge of the changing health care system.
• Type 1 courses have been approved or provided by one of the following organizations or its component: The Virginia Physical Therapy Association, The American Physical Therapy Association, local, state, or federal government agencies, regionally accredited colleges or universities, health care organizations accredited by a national accrediting organization granted authority by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to assure compliance with Medicare conditions of participation.
• The American Medical Association- Category 1 Continuing Medical Education course, The National Athletic Trainers Association, The Federal of State Boards for Physical Therapy (FSBPT).

  Note:

• The components of the American Physical Therapy Association are the individual states and individual sections. This means that if you take a course approved by any state section of the APTA (i.e. North Carolina) then it will count for Type I in Virginia. It is not necessary that every course carry the approval of the Virginia Physical Therapy Association to allow you to claim it as Type I.
• You want to find good quality courses to meet this requirement. Always look for (1) learner objectives and (2) up to date references including research studies used as evidence for the coursework offered.

Course or activities which may or may not be offered by an approved organization, but relate to clinical practice such as in-service presentations. May include but not be limited to consultation with colleagues, independent study, and research or writing on subjects related to practice.

IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER A COURSE IS QUALIFIED AS TYPE 1 OR 2 THE VIRGINIA BOARD OF PHYSICAL THERAPY HAS THE FINAL SAY IF YOU ARE AUDITED.

APTA Virgina does NOT approve type 2 education.

For each two year period PTs and PTAs must have a total of 30 continuing education contact hours. PTs must have a minimum of 20 Type I hours and PTAs must have a minimum of 15 Type I hours. All required hours may be Type I.

Type 1 continuing education courses are any organized program of study, classroom experience or similar experience such as online coursework, webinars, podcasts, face to face workshop etc.

Type 1 course MUST relate directly to your clinical practice of physical therapy such as (i) the need to promote ethical practice, (ii) an appropriate standard of care, (iii) patient safety, (iv) application of new medical technology, (v) appropriate communication with patients, and (vi) knowledge of the changing health care system.

Type 2 continuing education may include but not be limited to consultation with colleagues, independent study, and research or writing on subjects related to practice.

Courses approved by any of the following organizations will be accepted:

• The Virginia Physical Therapy Association
• The American Physical Therapy Association and any of its components (Chapters, Sections, and Academies)
• Local, state or federal government agencies
• Regionally accredited colleges or universities
• Health care organizations accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
• The American Medical Association- Category 1 Continuing Medical Education course
• The National Athletic Trainers Association
• The Federation of State Boards for Physical Therapy (FSBPT)

  Note:

• The components of the American Physical Therapy Association are the individual states and individual sections. This are courses or activities which may or may not be offered by an approved organization, but relate to clinical practice such as in-service presentations.
• This means that if you take a course approved by any state section of the APTA (i.e. North Carolina) then it will count for Type I in Virginia. It is not necessary that every course carry the approval of the Virginia Physical Therapy Association to allow you to claim it as Type I.

You must record your courses and keep the certificates of completion for courses attended.

The APTA Virginia is a 501c6 and operates because of the countless hours that its members give of themselves. More often than not there is an opportunity for you to get engaged with the chapter. The Virginia Chapter believes that volunteering should be fun, engaging, a networking opportunity, fit within your time constraints, and use your unique skillset. If you are interested in serving the chapter, please reach out to Marie Stravlo, the Chapter’s Executive Director.