Master’s Degree Requirement for Physical Therapists
By Robert I. Reeves
January 22, 2007

AMONG the clients of Reeves and Associates are physical therapists (PTs) who are either immigrating or coming to work in the United States on a temporary basis. Many of them who have not yet received their Visa Screen Certificate are asking about the requirement for a master’s degree. Not all PTs will need a master’s degree. To understand who will need a master’s degree, one must understand the criteria applied by two bodies.

The Visa Screen Certificate is the trademark name of the immigration certification issued by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). This certification is needed before a working visa can be issued to healthcare workers. CGFNS can issue immigration certification not only for registered nurses (RNs) but also for PTs, occupational therapists, medical technologists and speech language pathologists.

One of the purposes of the Visa Screen is to confirm that foreign-educated PTs have a substantial education equivalent to that of an accredited US degree in physical therapy. The CGFNS professional standards committee developed the educational standard based on whom the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) would accredit.

CAPTE stopped accrediting bachelor’s degree programs in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2003. Therefore, accredited US degrees in physical therapy are now only offered at the master’s level.

As a consequence, when CGFNS evaluates the education of a PT, it will first look at what year the education was completed. If it was completed prior to Jan. 1, 2003, the applicant must have the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy. But post 2003 graduates will have to show they have the equivalent of a master’s degree.

The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is an alternative creden-tialing body for the PT immigration certificate. FCCPT uses a Course-work Evaluation Tool (CET) established by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy that has been studied and determined to be a reliable, valid tool. The CET has also been validated against the CAPTE criteria. The CET consists of a course-by-course evaluation to ensure the minimum credits in particular subjects are earned. It is, therefore, possible that PTs with bachelor’s degrees may be found to have a substantially equivalent education based on their extensive course work.

Not all PTs with bachelor’s degrees will meet the CET requirements. The CET draws no distinction as to when the degree was earned. This means that if a PT applicant received a bachelor’s degree prior to 2003, but does not have the requisite courses on the CET, no certification will be issued.

Recent and upcoming PT graduates can visit the FCCPT website and obtain a copy of the coursework checklist. This is a powerful resource that can help current PT students in bachelor’s programs to wisely select courses and electives. For many other PTs, there will be no other alternative than to return to school and obtain the missing classes. For most, this means completing a master’s program.

PTs who intend to immigrate should carefully review their education against the different standards. In some states, only an FCCPT credential evaluation will be accepted for licensure, limiting who among the PTs may apply. A career in physical therapy in the US can be a rewarding one. PTs must be realistic and understand the requirements needed to pursue this career in the US.

http://www.ofwguide.com/article_item.php?articleid=673

Author's Note: The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the individual legal research and personalized representation that is essential to every case.

Atty. Reeves has represented clients innumerous landmark immigration cases that have set new policies regarding INSaction and immigrants' rights. His many successes have been published in Interpreter Releases, Immigration Briefings and AILA Monthly which are nationally recognized immigration periodicals widely read by immigration lawyers, State Department and immigration officials. His cases are also cited in test books as a guide to other immigration practitioners. His offices are located I in Pasadena, SanFrancisco, Beijing and Makati City. Telephone: 759-6777 E-mail:rrphil@rreeves.comWebsite:www.rreeves.com