PT Reviewer

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"The truth defies simplicity"

Thoughts = my own

Official page for http://www.ptreviewer.com/ which provides reviews and updates on current research and clinical practice, from a physical therapist's perspective.

“I find your lack of sunscreen…disturbing!”Got to combine two of my favorite things, Star Wars and Hawaii to create my f...
27/03/2026

“I find your lack of sunscreen…disturbing!”

Got to combine two of my favorite things, Star Wars and Hawaii to create my first cosplay character, “Surf Vader!”

Had a great time attending C2E2 2026 and cosplaying for the first time! Thanks to everyone who asked for pictures and those who agreed to take pictures with me. Great costumes, great exhibits, and overall great convention!

Call me crazy but I think we can do much better than whatever we’re doing now.
24/03/2026

Call me crazy but I think we can do much better than whatever we’re doing now.

Another outstanding Combined Sections Meeting in the books! Grateful for the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and en...
15/02/2026

Another outstanding Combined Sections Meeting in the books!

Grateful for the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and engage with colleagues from across the profession. I had the privilege of presenting alongside an incredible team as we explored the barriers and facilitators influencing physical therapists’ pursuit of academic doctoral degrees. We were especially encouraged by the strong Saturday morning attendance and the thoughtful discussion that followed. Looking forward to publishing the series of papers from this research project.

It was also energizing to see so many students and alumni in attendance. The future of our profession is bright. Congratulations to Dakota, Natalie, and Firas on excellent poster presentations representing the Phillips EXERT Lab.

Already looking ahead to in my hometown Philadelphia!

If this clear and reprehensible violation of constitutional rights is not addressed and punished appropriately, then our...
25/01/2026

If this clear and reprehensible violation of constitutional rights is not addressed and punished appropriately, then our country has failed to uphold the foundations of what it stands for at its core: freedom, liberty and justice for ALL.

Normally, I don’t delve into topics other than my areas of expertise (healthcare and science) on this page. However, I just couldn’t stay silent on what I saw yesterday and the precedent that this could set if not addressed. As someone who grew up in Philadelphia, I’ve always strongly identified with the spirit of the founding of this country, freedom, liberty and justice for all. Seeing what transpired yesterday has shaken me to my core. It was so wrong and should have never happened.

We can absolutely provide more load-sensitive work schedules without sacrificing the financial side of practice. I’ve sp...
03/01/2026

We can absolutely provide more load-sensitive work schedules without sacrificing the financial side of practice. I’ve spoken with numerous clinicians and practice owners across the country who have successfully implemented workload-sensitive scheduling models. It’s possible and already being done. The challenge is that, as a profession, we’ve haven’t considered adopting alternatives to the standard work schedule at scale.

Perhaps it’s time to change that.

Most clinical schedules are built around the default U.S. labor model: 5 days, 8 hours, back to back, every week. But cl...
31/12/2025

Most clinical schedules are built around the default U.S. labor model: 5 days, 8 hours, back to back, every week.

But clinical work isn’t typical work.

What’s interesting is that many other cognitively demanding or safety-critical professions already do not rely on a five-day, uninterrupted, high-load workweek. Many fields like medicine, nursing, aviation, emergency services, and even law and tech often use cyclical or intensity-managed schedules; longer days clustered together, lighter days built in or longer protected recovery time. Those models exist because sustained decision-making has limits.

Physical therapy clinical care has more in common with those fields than with a traditional 9–5 job; yet our schedules are more consistent with a 9-5 job.

So if the work itself is different, why is the work schedule more or less the same?

The schedule shown here is one example of how the same total work hours could be organized differently by cycling intensity, building in recovery, and acknowledging that not all workdays (or all hours) are equal. The goal isn’t to work less or reduce access it’s to work more strategically, in a way that might be more sustainable over a 20–30 year career.

This isn’t meant to be the answer. It’s meant to start the conversation that I don’t think has ever really happened in our profession.

I’d genuinely love to hear:
-Alternative scheduling models you’ve seen work
-Innovative strategies your clinic has tried
-Ideas that better match the realities of clinical care

If we keep looking at this problem only through the lens of the “standard” workweek, we may miss opportunities to design something better for clinicians and patients.

Curious to hear your thoughts.

There have been many discussions recently about burnout and long-term workforce sustainability in the physical therapy p...
30/12/2025

There have been many discussions recently about burnout and long-term workforce sustainability in the physical therapy profession. An area that I think doesn’t get as much consideration is the reality of a “standard” work week for a clinician.

A standard full-time work week is 40 hours, or 8 hours per day. In most fields, only about 2–3 hours of a typical workday are spent on sustained, cognitively demanding tasks. There is evidence suggesting that people can realistically sustain only about 4–6 hours of this type of work per day, usually broken into intervals with breaks in between. That is not the reality of clinical practice.

Perhaps a contributor to burn out in our profession is that we have applied a work schedule to a field where it might not fit?

A nice surprise to greet me when I landed back in Chicago, an APTA Challenge coin!For those unfamiliar, challenge coins ...
03/12/2025

A nice surprise to greet me when I landed back in Chicago, an APTA Challenge coin!

For those unfamiliar, challenge coins are tokens of appreciation for special achievement and dedicated service. These coins originate from the military dating back to Ancient Rome. Due to our strong connection to the military, even at the civilian program, I have a few from my time at Baylor University. The APTA started issuing them this year, and I am honored to receive one. I guess it’s time to create a challenge coin display!

Though I consider service to my profession a duty, it’s nice to know that my contributions to it have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

Thank you so much to Kelley Kubota and the rest of the APTA board for this recognition! It’s an incredibly humbling honor that I greatly appreciate!

If we want meaningful change, we must direct our efforts to the correct place.There’s a widespread misconception in our ...
23/11/2025

If we want meaningful change, we must direct our efforts to the correct place.

There’s a widespread misconception in our profession that CAPTE is responsible for the rapid increase in DPT programs.

In reality, CAPTE has no legal authority to limit how many programs are created.

1. CAPTE’s role is educational/curricular quality assurance and not market regulation.

2. Universities have the legal right to propose new programs.

3. The state is the real gatekeeper for program creation.

4. If you’re concerned about program expansion, here’s the avenue for action (swipe through to see tips)

23/11/2025

There’s a widespread misconception in our profession that CAPTE is responsible for the rapid increase in DPT programs. In reality, CAPTE has no legal authority to limit how many programs are created.

1. CAPTE’s role is educational/curricular quality assurance and not market regulation.

Under federal law, accrediting bodies must evaluate programs solely on whether they meet their accreditation standards.

They cannot consider:
-whether there are “too many” programs
-job-market saturation
-geographic proximity or competition
-whether existing programs might be harmed

If a program meets CAPTE’s Standards and Required Elements and maintains compliance, CAPTE is legally obligated to grant approval. CAPTE must follow its DOE approved criteria and publicly disclosed due process for review. Denying accreditation for reasons outside of those criteria or process (market demands) would violate federal rules and expose CAPTE to antitrust and legal challenges. It would also possibly result in CAPTE losing federal recognition by the DOE as an approved accrediting agency.

2. Universities have the legal right to propose new programs.

Institutions (public and private) can pursue any academic program they want. As long as they meet requirements, the accreditor cannot block them simply because the profession feels saturated.

This is why blaming CAPTE for program growth is misplaced. They are not the mechanism that controls program numbers.

3. The state is the real gatekeeper for program creation.

Before a DPT program ever attains accreditation by CAPTE, it must be approved by a state higher-education authority. In some states, that approval process includes:
-evaluating unnecessary duplication
-considering workforce needs
-assessing impact on other institutions

This is exactly what happened recently in Maryland, where the state Higher Education Commission blocked Johns Hopkins from starting a DPT program (a program that probably should have been approved) even though CAPTE would likely have accredited it. The objection did not come from CAPTE; it came through state review.

4. If you’re concerned about program expansion, here’s the correct avenue for action:

-Engage with your state Higher Education Board or Commission
-Work with your APTA state chapter on regulatory or legislative solutions
-Raise concerns during public comment periods in states that allow objections to new programs (not available in all states)
-Encourage your state to adopt review criteria that consider duplication and workforce need

If we want meaningful change, we must direct our efforts to the correct place.

Student loan reform was needed but the new federal borrowing limits create a major access problem for DPT programs; and ...
22/11/2025

Student loan reform was needed but the new federal borrowing limits create a major access problem for DPT programs; and almost every other healthcare educational program.

Even historically affordable programs (now exceed what students can borrow with federal loans, forcing many into higher-risk private loans or out of the profession entirely.

Reform shouldn’t make affordable pathways unaffordable. More to come on this topic.

I am very excited to announce that I have been appointed to the APTA Public Policy and Advocacy Committee (PPAC)! This c...
06/11/2025

I am very excited to announce that I have been appointed to the APTA Public Policy and Advocacy Committee (PPAC)!

This committee guides the association’s public policy positions, policy priorities, and advocacy strategy to advance the profession’s influence in the legislative and regulatory arenas. A great transition from my role as a member of APTA S**C and utilization of my experience as chief delegate/advocacy committee chair for APTACVP, and expertise with PR/strategic communication!

Very excited to begin this new role in service to the profession!

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Official page for http://www.ptreviewer.com/ which provides reviews and updates on current research and clinical practice, from a physical therapist's perspective.