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PT Credentials
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PT Credentials - February 13, 2008 12:52:01 PM
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jlharris
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Crevidence made a post a while back regarding why us PT's use so many initials after our names. Well, the blog over at evidence in motion brings a proposal to "De-initialize PT".
Take a look. It adds to the thought provoking discussion that we had here at Rehabedge.
_____________________________
Jason L. Harris, PT, DPT
My PT Blog
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RE: PT Credentials - February 13, 2008 5:10:08 PM
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Kaden
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Jason,
Thanks for the link, I think the previous discussion on this forum was a good one and I am sure will produce a nice debate.
My two cents. It seems that those such as Childs and Flynn who have used the alphabet soup behind their names for years to gain local and national recognition and now stand up and knock others for doing the same is a bit hypocritical. It seems hard to have an open mind about this if one has allready gained all the benefits of using the alphabet soup.
I don't have credentials behind my name yet but when I get them I will list them. Personally I think these intials are more of a communicator b/w PTs and many times have allowed me to look up PT's in another state to help a patient find a PT if they move, go on vacation, etc.
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RE: PT Credentials - February 14, 2008 1:11:30 AM
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jlharris
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From: Nebraska
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The impression I got was that instead of say "Jason Harris, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT" the push would be to be just "Jason Harris, PT" and then add (in mailing, marketing, presentations, etc) the rest. For example:
Jason Harris, PT
Board Certified Orthopaedic Specialist, Fellow American Acedemy of Orthopedic Physical Therapists
As I've argued before, the public barely knows what PT's do, let alone what some of us are good at. Therefore, something more needs to be given to seperate oneself from the rest of the herd.
_____________________________
Jason L. Harris, PT, DPT
My PT Blog
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RE: PT Credentials - February 14, 2008 9:12:18 AM
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Tom Reeves DPT ATC
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For myself, I live in a rural town with a regional hospital about 40 miles away. When I moved to town about 11 years ago an orthopedist saw my name with the ATC after the PT and called me. He was excited that a PT ATC had moved into the area and was a source of referrals for years until he moved. I think that the credentials are a good thing.
The goal should be to get it so that the public knows what the letters mean, not to impress. What exactly does it mean to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapists? The general public doesn't know that we actually went to COLLEGE, we, and our national organization have not done our jobs.
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RE: PT Credentials - February 17, 2008 10:19:12 AM
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ysumpt2006
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From: Youngstown, Ohio
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What's wrong with dressing like professionals? I do one day per week (out of the 4 I work) and have received great feedback from patients.
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RE: PT Credentials - February 17, 2008 2:02:10 PM
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PTupdate.com
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Respect is earned, not forced upon someone. PT's have notoriously been insecure, and tacking on a ton of different initials appears to be a means of "feather fluffing". I never know what half of them mean, nor have I ever cared
As I posted over on EIM, I have used various "made up" initials after my name when giving lectures, and nobody asks what they are either, and that cracks me up. .......can anyone say "sheep"? I have used RSG (Really Swell Guy), CFD (Cool F-ckin' Dude) and others.
With more "schools" coming up with their own levels of "certification", more stuff will be piled onto names....a trend we see with fitness trainers.
So, I am all for just using PT and the specialization credentials. Anything else could be written below the name, which is probably better, as it really informs one as to what the person may have earned
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John M. Duffy, PT
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist
www.PTupdate.com
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RE: PT Credentials - February 17, 2008 6:43:53 PM
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blast7
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Quite contradictory. Search his name through the APTA website:
John D Childs, PT, MPT, MS, MBA, PhD, OCS, CSCS, FAAOMPT
So not that HE has decided to change everyone else should too???
I do feel that it is important to change though. I make it a point to only document as PT. There are not many other professions, especially at the doctoral level, using excessive initials behind their name. It's confusing to me and to everyone else. I'm not sure how I feel about listing credentials earned through the APTA. At least we know there is more regulation and that there is a central site consumers and fellow PT's can use to find these initials and what they mean.
Most patients I've spoken with choose PT clinics based upon location rather than specialty anyways.
< Message edited by blast7 -- February 17, 2008 6:52:15 PM >
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RE: PT Credentials - February 17, 2008 7:25:55 PM
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SJBird55
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blast... maybe he hasn't thought of changing his information at the APTA website. If you head over to Evidence in Motion and check out the "faculty," there isn't a huge contradiction. Also, recent signatures on the Evidence in Motion blog are indicative of no soup.
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RE: PT Credentials - February 17, 2008 8:59:59 PM
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PTupdate.com
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Somewhere in my history I remember being told that "PT" and "specialist" certifications were the only things that were supposed to go after the name....not sure if that was a PPTA memo or elsewhere. But, to be fair, I changed mine as well. And crevedance......did you NOT see the Halloween pic of me? Do I really look like a man that is insecure?
_____________________________
John M. Duffy, PT
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist
www.PTupdate.com
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RE: PT Credentials - February 17, 2008 9:34:25 PM
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Kaden
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SJ,
I don't think blast was againt the decision to de-initialize the profession. But you have to admit there is a sense of contradictary/hypocricy to this statement coming from a PT who for years has listed the "alphabet soup" behind his name, and now he has decided they are no longer needed the rest of us should do away with them as well.
I am not saying he doen't have a point (I don't necesarily agree but see both sides of the argument) but coming from someone who who was an abuser of the alphabet soup makes it a harder pill to swallow.
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RE: PT Credentials - February 17, 2008 10:29:46 PM
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SJBird55
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I disagree, Kaden. Times change... opinions change. Childs doesn't appear to just be talking the talk, but apparently he's stepping up and actually doing what he is advocating. Looks to me like he did swallow the pill. I would personally think that someone like him would have a lot more invested and potentially a lot more to lose by doing what he and Flynn are advocating. In fact, he and Flynn believe it is the right thing to do, and as I mentioned previously, all the faculty on staff with Evidence in Motion are down to very little alphabet soup. If you happened to see the faculty page prior to the de-initializing comment, there were gads of alphabet soup.
Maybe I misread blast... but I was under the impression that blast was commenting that Childs was advocating de-initializing but Childs wasn't de-initializing himself. I don't believe Childs is being a hypocrite because I've seen changes. Childs might have missed the APTA website or maybe blast was looking at old information because there are a lot of different databases out there with old information. Look to the current and the current is representing no alphabet.
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RE: PT Credentials - February 18, 2008 12:12:49 AM
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blast7
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My post could have been clearer but Kaden nicely pointed out what I was trying to illustrate. I am not against de-credentialing...but because HE decided to change he is now expecting everyone else to. I don't think I've seen the APTA come out with a statement on this. That would hold a little more weight in my opinion.
< Message edited by blast7 -- February 18, 2008 1:35:26 AM >
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RE: PT Credentials - February 18, 2008 12:36:42 AM
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Dr.Wagner
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I use only DO...if my opinion matters at all. No other physician I work with use any other initials...only on business cards or when giving speeches.
Too many initials seems a bit...self absorbed and self important.
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Dr. Wagner DO
Moderator of Medical Complexity Forum
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RE: PT Credentials - February 18, 2008 12:37:25 AM
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jlharris
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It's called being a leader. Childs, Cleland, Flynn, and all those over at evidence in motion are trying to give our profession a direction. As such, we decide whether we want to follow or not. But having the courage to step up, say what you think is right, and then doing it is more than many of us say we can do.
Change is important. As my college coach used to say "you are either improving or getting worse!". Status quo for the PT profession is not getting us better. We need true leaders at a national level and the folks at evidence in motion are at least working towards that.
_____________________________
Jason L. Harris, PT, DPT
My PT Blog
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RE: PT Credentials - February 18, 2008 12:40:04 AM
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Kaden
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SJ,
I have to disagree (and agree) with you. What pill does Childs and Flynn need to swallow and how do they have more to lose. They have allready had the benefit of the alphabet soup to improve their local and national recongition. And I supose one could argue that since the public doesn't have any clue what we do that maybe they didn't benefit all that much from the alphabet soup. However, they are well recognized, respected clinicians at the forefront of our profession and so it actually seems to me that it is easier for them to give up the credentials than others. So, I would disagree they have a lot more to lose - how so when everyone under the sun knows who they are, what they do, and how many advanced skills they have.
With that said I do agree with you that times change and opinions change and as I have said previoulsy I do understand and agree with some of the push for de-initializing PT.
However, ones opinion holds less weight, in my eyes, when they have done for years what they are advocating we now all stop doing. It was obviously important to Childs when he started using the initials or he wouldn't have done it and now to take such a strong stance against those doing so seems, as I have said before slightly hypocritical.
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RE: PT Credentials - February 18, 2008 12:46:54 AM
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Kaden
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I just have to add that I agree with Jason's take on the evidence in motion folks being leaders in our profession and trying to give our profession direction. So, I hope my comments (or others who don't fully agree with EIM folks) are not taken as a lack of respect. I love the literature they continue to put out on evidence based practice and in general there outstanding contributions to our profession.
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RE: PT Credentials - February 18, 2008 12:50:39 AM
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jlharris
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From: Nebraska
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There may be some confusion. The call wasn't to give up one's credentials, but to quit listing them after one's name. Look a Duffy's signature. He still lists his credential (Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist), but loses some of the alphabet soup on his name.
Let people know why you are better/different/exceptional compared to others; but consider doing it without all the initials, and in a way the layman and other practitioners can understand.
_____________________________
Jason L. Harris, PT, DPT
My PT Blog
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RE: PT Credentials - February 18, 2008 10:31:42 AM
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PTupdate.com
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Kaden: You state (one of these days I'll figure out the quote function here):
"However, ones opinion holds less weight, in my eyes, when they have done for years what they are advocating we now all stop doing"
Not a good way to think. We should respect those who ARE able to change, to see that perhaps their previous activities were not the best decision. Is not part of our professions problem the complacency where many just continue "doing what they always did"?
I have gone back NUMEROUS times and changed my protocols based on what works, does not work, has been disproven, or no longer makes scientific sense to me. I respect Child's for what he has proposed, and like Jason says, we are not giving up the opportunity to be proud of what we have accomplished, but rather we are changing the ineffective manner that we have used all these years
_____________________________
John M. Duffy, PT
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist
www.PTupdate.com
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RE: PT Credentials - February 18, 2008 11:48:49 AM
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Kaden
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Your opinion Duffy, and its just that an opinion. I could plug in an all familar saying but will spare everyone. However, to imply my opinion is not a good way to think and yours is simply b/c I don't completely agree with Childs is a poor argument
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RE: PT Credentials - February 18, 2008 1:40:53 PM
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jesspt
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From: Illinois
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Childs, Flynn, Whitman, Fritz, etc didn't get recognition from a laundry list of initials after their names - they got it from consisitently putting out high quality research that has clinical utility. And this push to de-initialize PT that was brought up on EIM is the opinion of those who created the blog and networking website over there. We are each responsible for considering the issue and then going forward with what seems most appropriate for our profession.
Egads! You mean Childs had the audacity to analyze the current state of alphabet soup in the PT world, change his stance on the topic, and then blog about it? I agree with what Duffy posted above. Whether or not you agree with Childs' stance on the matter, our profession should embrace those who are open to change when they realize the status quo may not be the best for our profession
Jess Brown, PT
Board Certified in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy
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Jess Brown, PT
Board Certified in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy
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