APTA seeks to limit the use of abbreviated designations after a physical therapist's or physical therapist assistant's name to decrease consumer confusion. This guidance is based on requirements set by the APTA House of Delegates.

Order of Acceptable Designations by Category

APTA supports five categories of abbreviated designations, listed in the order below. Within the table are acceptable designations within each category. For categories three and four, these are examples only, not complete listings of eligible designations. There are too many eligible state-regulated occupations (category three) and academic degrees (category four) to include all of them in the table.

Note that only the first designation of either PT or PTA is mandatory. All others are optional, but if you choose to include them they must be according to the requirements of the APTA position. (If someone lacks a designation in any category or chooses not to include it as an abbreviation after their name, the next designation, if any, moves up a space. The order remains the same.)

Guidance for Practical Use

APTA is complying with the requirements of the APTA House of Delegates position in its association-generated materials wherever possible and offers guidance below for components and individual members to comply.

ABPTS Clinical Certifications

Only physical therapists who hold current certification as clinical specialists by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties may designate this certification by use of the initials "CS" (certified specialist) immediately following the initial or initials of their specialty area. Following are the specialty initials approved by the ABPTS.

• CCS - Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Certified Specialist
• ECS - Clinical Electrophysiologic Certified Specialist
• GCS - Geriatric Certified Specialist
• NCS - Neurologic Certified Specialist
• OnCS – Oncologic Certified Specialist
• OCS - Orthopaedic Certified Specialist
• PCS - Pediatric Certified Specialist
• PWCS – Pelvic and Women's Health Certified Specialist
• PCCS – Primary Care Certified Specialist
• SCS - Sports Certified Specialist
• WMCS – Wound Management Certified Specialist

The specialty initials should always immediately follow other earned academic degree(s) from an accredited college or university degree program to show the distinction of a certified specialist in an area of physical therapy. Following are some appropriate examples.

• John L. Echternach, PT, EdD, ECS
• Karen C. Ensley, PT, OCS
• Lori A. Thein, PT, MS, ATC, SCS

To promote clarity for patients, consumers, and the general public, ABPTS board-certified clinical specialists are encouraged to also spell out the name of the credential whenever space allows, such as in:

• Email signatures
• Business cards
• Clinic websites
• Professional profiles
• Educational or presentation materials

When spelling out the credential, it is done in one of these formats: "Board-Certified [Specialty] Clinical Specialist" or "Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in [Specialty] Physical Therapy."

Example (preferred when space allows):
Karen C. Ensley, PT, OCS
Board‑Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy

Example (when space is limited):
Karen C. Ensley, PT, OCS

This approach maintains compliance with APTA policy while also enhancing public understanding of clinical specialty credentials.

Non-APTA Certifications and Honors

APTA spells out non-APTA certifications and honors in its materials and publications only when they are contextually relevant and space is available. The House position does not provide for abbreviating non-APTA certifications and honors after someone's name. (Members can spell out such certifications within their My APTA profile by opening My Profile in the top right corner of the APTA website homepage, clicking Name and Designations under My Account, and spelling out the certification in the Non-APTA Certifications field at the bottom. To add multiple non-APTA designations, separate with commas or start each designation on a new line within the field block.)

Examples

Brief Listing

When space is too limited to spell out any designations, such as some badges and certificates.

Longer Listing

When space is available, such as business cards, letter and email signatures, rosters, and slide decks:

Textual Use

Within a narrative, such as an article or press release, spell out non-ABPTS certifications when the certification is contextually relevant to the text.

Implementation of Principle II of HOD P07-25-59-04

To update your online profile in compliance with the APTA House of Delegates position, login to apta.org, select My Profile at the top right, and click Name and Designations under My Account.

Questions

Those with questions about how to comply with HOD P07-25-59-04 should contact an APTA member services representative.

Feedback

In 2025, the APTA House of Delegates amended the 2019 policy (HOD P06-19-51-57) to specifically reinstate the option to use ABPTS certification acronyms (e.g., OCS, SCS) alongside the previously required written-out form.

This update was intended to address concerns from board-certified specialists that the prior policy diminished the visibility and recognition of their credentials. The House acknowledged that these acronyms had been used for more than 30 years and are an important point of professional identity and pride, while still encouraging specialists to spell out credentials when it benefits clarity for patients, payers, and other stakeholders.