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Process for Becoming a Credentialed Clinical Trainer

Course Description and Expectations

Process

Individuals who elect to submit applications are reviewed by the CIEB based on established criteria.  Applicants are invited to attend a Train-the-Trainer Course based on satisfactorily meeting the established criteria.  Participants are awarded 2.25 CEUs for this course from APTA. 

Following the completion of this course, all participants are reviewed by the CIEB to determine credentialed trainer status based on assessments of their performance.  Credentialed Trainers who successfully complete the course are able to independently provide the CI Education and Credentialing Program for academic programs, consortia's, clinical sites, or other sponsors on request.  Coordination, planning, and scheduling of these programs are negotiated directly with the Credentialed Trainer. A national database tracks all people who are Credentialed Trainers and Credentialed CIs. 

Materials used to develop the Trainer Course and the CI Education and Credentialing Program were based on a grant provided by APTA under the direction of principal investigator Michael Emery, and with co-investigators Nancy Peatman and Lynn Foord-May and with the support of the New England Consortium of Academic Coordinators of Clinical Education.  This grant was completed with a final report submitted to the APTA Board of Directors in February 1996. 

Eligibility Criteria

This course is by invitation only. To determine whether you are eligible to apply for this invitational course and your willingness to accept the responsibilities associated with being a Credentialed Clinical Trainer, carefully review the eligibility criteria and Credentialed Clinical Trainer responsibilities below. 

Regardless of the applicant's current position or title, she/he must demonstrate evidence of the following: 

• Status as a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant as evidenced by current documentation that meets state regulations to provide  physical therapy services as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant (eg, licensure, certification, registration), if applicable  
• Current membership in APTA.  
• Minimum of 2 years as a CCCE, or 2 years as an ACCE, or 3 years combined experience as a CCCE and ACCE.   
• Experience as a CI for students.   
• APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor status.   
• Teaching experience including different levels of learners and class size.   
• Commitment and willingness to provide ongoing training of clinical educators for a minimum of 3 years.     
• Access to a viable mechanism for providing APTA CI Education and Credentialing Programs.   
• Completion of application materials by the stated deadline to include ALL of the following (see Appendix D):
  • 6-page applicant dossier, including a reference from the applicant's direct supervisor.        
  • Self-assessment form completed by the applicant.    
  • Reference form completed by a student/learner that the applicant has supervised or taught (must be submitted in a sealed envelope).        
  • Reference form completed by a colleague/peer who has observed the applicant's performance as a clinical or academic teacher (must be  submitted in a sealed envelope).

Credentialed Clinical Trainer Responsibilities

• Willing to make a minimum of a 3-year commitment to providing the APTA CI Education and Credentialing Program. 
• Provide, independently or team-teach, a minimum of three voluntary APTA CI Education and Credentialing Programs to a minimum of 30 persons within the 3 years of initial credentialing or re-credentialing.   
• Independently teach all six sections of the CI Education didactic curriculum and coordinate and manage the Assessment Center (eg, providing participant directions, answering questions, ensuring participants move through the stations, assisting participants with the review of their scoring) within a three-year time period.    
• Maintain membership in APTA.   
• Maintain access to a viable mechanism of support (eg, consortia, academic institution, employer/clinical facility, AAHEC, other) to provide CI Education and Credentialing Programs.   
• Complete the portfolio documentation in year 3 following the awarding of the Credentialed Clinical Trainer status.   
• Commitment to give evidence that renewal criteria have been successfully met. 
• Completion of all administrative functions within specified time limits including:  a) providing APTA with name, address, phone, fax and contact name for the co-sponsoring organization and maximum number of participants allowed; b) typed list indicating payment of participant fees to APTA, Trainer costs associated with providing the course, ordering Clinical Instructor Manuals from APTA prior to the course, duplicating all materials required to conduct the education program and the Assessment Center, and managing and coordinating the Assessment Center; c) providing a summary of participants' course evaluations for each course conducted, and d) completing the CI Education and Credentialing Program Aggregate Participant Summary Form. 

Credentialed Clinical Trainer Benefits

The benefits to the individual, his/her employer, and the profession by becoming a Credentialed Clinical Trainer include:

• Support for career enhancement in areas such as promotion, tenure, educational advancement, and career ladder advancement.    
• National recognition as both a Credentialed Clinical Trainers and Credentialed Clinical Instructors.   
• Listing in a national database of approved Credentialed Clinical Trainers to provide the voluntary APTA CI Education and Credentialing Program.   
• Access to the password protected Credentialed Trainer e-communities for networking, documents, and updates.   
• Support from APTA's Department of  Education to assist Credentialed Clinical Trainers in finding partners, where feasible, to co-teach the APTA CI Education and Credentialing Program.    
• Opportunities to network with other Credentialed Clinical Trainers through an annual Credentialed Clinical Trainer Forum and Update at Combined Sections Meeting. 
• Opportunity, if desired, to receive honoraria for services (in addition to travel, hotel and food expenses, if applicable), of a maximum of $600 per individual trainer or a maximum of $1,200 per program with multiple trainers teaching the Program.  Honoraria provide sufficient funds for the Credentialed Trainer to annually maintain APTA national, chapter, and education section dues to maintain status as a Credentialed Clinical Trainer.

For questions about this process, contact APTA's Department of Physical Therapy Education at 800/999-2782, ext 8528, or e-mail kristinestoneley@apta.org or jodygandy@apta.org.