Physiotherapists on the General Register who have a specialty designation from an approved program may use the title “Specialist” if authorized by the Registrar. The specialty designation must be used in conjunction with and follow the protected titles (Physiotherapist, Physical Therapist or PT), for example: name, PT, specialty designation.
Approved programs
- Physiotherapy Specialty Certification Board of Canada (an initiative of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association)
- American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties
The College of Physiotherapists of Alberta has taken a national approach to the process of recognizing specialty certification programs and accepts recommendations of the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators' (CAPR) Specialty Certification Recognition Committee. If you have a specialty certification from a program that is not on the approved list, you can ask CAPR to review the specialty program. Contact CAPR for information about how to proceed.
How to Apply
- Ensure you have a clear PDF copy of your certificate to upload.
- Complete and submit the online application.
What to expect after you apply
- Registration documents and emails from all applicants and members are placed in a queue and dealt with in the order they are received. We try to deal with them in six business days, however, processing time does take longer when there is a high volume.
- We will send you an email when your application is approved or if further information is required.
