Guideline: Delivering quality continuing professional development for physical therapists

This guideline has been developed for the use of WCPT member organisations intent on supporting physical therapists in their endeavours to maintain the currency of their professional education and thus deliver high quality evidence based services to their clients/patients.

While the guideline has been developed for and with input from member organisations of WCPT, the intent is that it may be used as well by countries where

Physical therapy —services for individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. Physical therapy is described more comprehensively in WCPT’s Description of Physical Therapy.

The professional title and term used to describe the profession's practice varies and depends largely on the historical roots of the profession in each country. The most generally used titles and terms are 'physical therapy’, ‘physiotherapy' and ‘physical therapist’, ‘physiotherapist’.

View the full list of glossary terms

associations and education programmes do not currently exist and where the profession is not represented in WCPT.

This guideline is part of a package of resources designed to support physical therapy professional organisations in their efforts to implement the WCPT policy statement: Education, specifically in relation to post qualifying education and lifelong learning.

There are differing levels of entry level education for physical therapists and this guideline relates to the quality of

Continuing professional development (CPD): The process through which individuals undertake learning, through a broad range of activities that maintains, develops, and enhances skills and knowledge in order to improve performance in practice. Physiotherapists should record and track their CPD activities to strengthen their professional profile and ensure continuing competence.

View full list of glossary terms

programmes, not the level offered.

Other policies and

Guidelines (World Physiotherapy): Produced to assist member organisations and others to raise the quality of physical therapy. They may provide guidance on standards, criteria or courses of action in areas relevant to physical therapy education, research, practice or policy. They are not mandatory but designed to assist the implementation of World Physiotherapy’s policies. Guidelines are resources to assist with the implementation of policy and do not require a vote to be taken at a World Physiotherapy General Meeting.

See full list of glossary terms

intended to assist in the delivery of education policy include:

• Policy statement: Education
• Guideline: Standard evaluation process for accreditation/recognition of physical therapist professional entry-level education programmes (PDF)
• Guideline: Physical therapist professional entry level education
• Guideline: Qualifications of faculty for physical therapist professional entry level programmes
• Guideline: Clinical education component of the physical therapist professional entry level programme