Continuing to grow and improve your skills as a PT takes time and dedication. Of course, you’ll learn a lot from your physical therapy jobs; but you’ll also want to attend as many physical therapy seminars as possible, to stay up on the latest trends in healthcare.
Luckily, The American Physical Therapy Association is a great resource for physical therapists. The association’s events calendar is jam-packed with interesting and informative activities, including the annual conference, as well as physical therapy seminars in everything from pediatrics, to geriatrics, to specific parts of the body (e.g., shoulders and feet).
Here’s a sampling of the physical therapy events on the 2010 events calendar, listed chronologically:
Pharmacology for Physical Therapists
- May 22-23
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Description: Study the effect of drug actions on the major body systems, problems of drug interaction, and variables that modify their effects.
Annual Conference
- June 16-19
- Boston, MA
- Description: This annual gathering for the Physical Therapy Association has everything the practicing physical therapist could wish: seminars, networking, discussions, and, of course, socializing with your fellow PTs.
Screening for Medical Referral: The Pediatric Client Birth to Six Years
- July 10-11
- Valhalla, NY
- Description: Course emphasizes taking a history for the pediatric patient and using evidence to screen and review the cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, urogenital, and integumentary systems for infants, toddlers through the use of case studies.
Biomechanics, Examination, and Selected Interventions for Foot Disorders
- July 17-18
- Portland, OR
- Description: The biomechanics of the foot and ankle with normal and abnormal motion during walking will be evaluated especially in relation to lower extremity dysfunction and the physical examination of the foot.
Women’s Health-Men’s Health: What All PTs Need to Know
- Sept. 11-12
- Burlington, NC
- Description: Gender and sex differences are presented using an evidence-based, body systems approach that illustrates how the unique characteristics associated with sex/gender matter across physical therapy practice settings.
Evidence-Based Assessment, Examination & Rehabilitation Interventions in the Medically Complex Older Adult
- Sept. 25-26
- Somerville, NJ
Examination and Selected Interventions: Lower Extremity: Hip, Knee, and Ankle
- Nov. 6-7
- Jacksonville, FL
- Description: Course is designed to integrate a comprehensive clinical examination with selected manual therapy interventions for the hip, knee, and ankle.
In addition, there are several physical therapy seminars and conferences for specific disciplines scheduled around the country, such as:
The American Society of Hand Therapists Annual Meeting
- June 23
- Orlando, Florida
- Description: Meeting theme “Best Practice in Hand Therapy.”
Aquatic Section Summit
- Oct. 6-8
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Description: Conference of the APTA’s Aquatic Physical Therapy Section will coincide with World Aquatic Health Conference. Note: e-seminars will be available at this event.
Gait Analysis Seminars
- June 5-6, Tempe, AZ
- Nov. 6-7, New York, NY
- Description: For gait and foot-function specialists: Learn how in-shoe pressure mapping technology is used to analyze foot function and gait by revealing what the eye cannot see.
These are just a few of the numerous choices for physical therapy seminars and PT events around. With physical therapy jobs from American Traveler Allied, you may very well find yourself on assignment in an area that is featuring one or more of these physical therapy seminars and conferences. In which case, you’ll certainly be in the right place at the right time!
