Have you been thinking about whether to join the APTA but need to decide if it’s right for you?
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is one of the nation’s most prominent physical therapy organizations. They offer valuable resources to help therapists excel in their field. Members can access professional resources, discounts, continuing education courses, and more. But is it right for you?
Let’s find out.
Advocating for the Profession
The APTA’s core mission is “Building a community that advances the profession of physical therapy to improve the health of society.” This includes fighting for legislative, regulatory, and payment reform through lobbying and grassroots efforts.
"What we do the most of is advocacy. And that's both at the federal and in collaboration with our state chapters at the state level."
As Justin explains in a recent episode of the Therapy Matters podcast, the number one policy priority is creating a stable payment environment for PT clinics by increasing Medicare rates, with a long-term goal of replacing annual physician fee schedule cuts with economic inflationary index legislation. APTA advocates also focus on reducing the administrative burden of prior authorizations.
The organization also supports advances in digital health technologies and virtual tools that help therapists deliver the best possible patient care. Members have access to the APTA Digital Health App Formulary, powered by ORCHA, “a single source for choosing among quality-assured digital health tools to use and recommend to your patients and clients.”
APTA’s efforts have earned much national recognition through the years. Most recently, the American Society of Association Executives honored them with the 2023 Power of Associations Silver Award.
Members of APTA can help create positive change by connecting with advocacy efforts including:
- Joining a council or state chapter.
- Volunteering via APTA Engage.
- Engaging with the House of Delegates.
- Connecting with the APTA Advocacy Network.
- Donating to PTPAC and the PT fund.
Maximize the Value of Membership: Discounts and Special Offers
When you make sure to take advantage of all the savings and special offers available to APTA members, membership dues can provide a lot of value in return. In fact, new grad and early-career PTs and PTAs get the most bang for their buck with an APTA membership. The Early Career Dues Discount offers student members a 50% discount on dues post-graduation. They can also access free financial coaching and student loan help through FitBUX.
APTA membership benefits include promotions for:
- Continuing Education Unit (CEU) courses
- APTA Learning Center
- Combined Section Meetings
- Specialist Certification
- Products in the APTA store
Members also save on national brands such as:
- MedBridge
- Saucony
- New Balance
- ODP Business Solutions
- Dell Technology Solutions
- GE Appliances
Professional Development and Continued Education
Members get abundant professional resources to keep up-to-date on the latest field research, including full access to the EBSCO host, the Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal, and the Rehabilitation Reference Center. In addition to discounted CEUs, the APTA Learning Center provides free classes for physical therapy education and career advancement.
APTA also strives to help members advance in their careers. Access job opportunities at the career center and create a profile on the Find a PT directory to drive traffic to your practice. PTs can get board certification in ten specialty areas, such as orthopedics, women’s health, and sports. They also have Advanced Proficiency Pathways for PTA and a Fellowship in Education Leadership for educators.
With these benefits, savings, and continued education opportunities, an APTA membership can really pay off.
Alternatives to Joining the APTA
Nevertheless, membership fees can be a financial barrier (student loans are no joke). So, what do you do when you still want to get involved in the future of the profession?
Being a member of nationwide professional organizations is a great way to network with peers and effect change in the industry. Still, there are other ways to stay on top of the latest conversations in the profession.
- Donate directly to PTPAC and the PT Fund.
- Seek out mentorship opportunities in the industry.
- Connect with your alma mater or local universities.
- Open your practice to students.
- Attend physical therapy and rehabilitation events like TherapyCon.
- Monitor and comment on legislation at the Patient Action Center.
- Join state-based physical therapy organizations.
Some may feel like a drop in the bucket of a large, national organization like APTA. For those who want to do more than join APTA and add a line to their resume, consider focusing your involvement in one of the many active local chapters. You can find PT associations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This is a great way to amplify your voice and contributions.
Find Your State's Physical Therapy Association
- Alabama Physical Therapy Association
- Arizona Physical Therapy Association
- Alaska Physical Therapy Association
- Arkansas Physical Therapy Association
- California Physical Therapy Association
- Colorado Physical Therapy Association
- Connecticut Physical Therapy Association
- Delaware Physical Therapy Association
- District of Columbia Therapy Association
- Florida Physical Therapy Association
- Georgia Physical Therapy Association
- Hawaii Physical Therapy Association
- Idaho Physical Therapy Association
- Illinois Physical Therapy Association
- Indiana Physical Therapy Association
- Iowa Physical Therapy Association
- Kansas Physical Therapy Association
- Kentucky Physical Therapy Association
- Louisiana Physical Therapy Association
- Maine Physical Therapy Association
- Maryland Physical Therapy Association
- Massachusetts Physical Therapy Association
- Michigan Physical Therapy Association
- Minnesota Physical Therapy Association
- Mississippi Physical Therapy Association
- Missouri Physical Therapy Association
- Montana Physical Therapy Association
- Nebraska Physical Therapy Association
- Nevada Physical Therapy Association
- New Hampshire Physical Therapy Association
- New Jersey Physical Therapy Association
- New Mexico Physical Therapy Association
- New York Physical Therapy Association
- North Carolina Physical Therapy Association
- North Dakota Physical Therapy Association
- Ohio Physical Therapy Association
- Oklahoma Physical Therapy Association
- Oregon Physical Therapy Association
- Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association
- Rhode Island Physical Therapy Association
- South Carolina Physical Therapy Association
- South Dakota Physical Therapy Association
- Tennessee Physical Therapy Association
- Texas Physical Therapy Association
- Utah Physical Therapy Association
- Vermont Physical Therapy Association
- Virginia Physical Therapy Association
- Washington Physical Therapy Association
- West Virginia Physical Therapy Association
- Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association
- Wyoming Physical Therapy Association
To Join or Not to Join the APTA
Physical therapy organizations like the APTA have definite benefits that can enhance your PT career. Not only are you helping to drive real change in the legislation regulating our industry, but you also get opportunities for physical therapy professional development to better PT and better serve your patients.
Key benefits of joining the APTA include:
- Advocacy for positive change
- Industry-specific offers and discounts
- Professional development
- Continuing education courses
Ultimately, the decision is up to you. But just understand that the benefits often more than outweigh the membership costs. As Justin Moore said, “If you’re not a member, consider joining this community. People who are involved will tell you: You get more out of it the more you put in it.”
Hear more insight from Justin on Therapy Matters podcast Episode 8: The Biggest Issues Facing Physical Therapy Practices Today.