New for Pennsylvania PTs: Earn CEUs for Supervising PT and PTA Students

Great news for Pennsylvania Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants!
The Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy now permits PTs and PTAs to receive a limited amount of continuing education credit for providing clinical instruction to students. This update not only recognizes the professional contribution of mentorship but also encourages clinicians to play an active role in developing the next generation of therapists!

What’s New

According to 49 Pa. Code §40.67, licensed PTs and PTAs in Pennsylvania can now earn CEUs for supervising students in accredited programs:

“Earn 1 contact hour of continuing education for every 40 hours of clinical instruction, up to a maximum of 4 contact hours per biennial renewal period.”

To qualify:

• The clinical experience must be affiliated with an accredited PT or PTA program (CAPTE-accredited).
• The PT or PTA must be actively supervising or instructing a student in a recognized clinical education setting.
• These hours count toward the 30 contact hours required every two years for license renewal in Pennsylvania.

Source: Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy – Continuing Education Requirements

Why Clinical Supervision Matters

Physical therapy education depends on clinicians willing to guide students through real-world experience. This new regulation is a meaningful acknowledgment that mentorship is learning too!

By offering CE credit for clinical instruction, Pennsylvania is aligning with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)’s emphasis on lifelong learning, mentorship, and professional collaboration. Supervising students helps develop teaching, leadership, and communication skills which are all essential components of clinical excellence.

Benefits of Being a Clinical Instructor

Beyond CE credit, there are numerous professional and personal rewards that come with serving as a clinical instructor (CI) or clinical supervisor:

1. Strengthen Your Own Clinical Skills

Explaining your clinical reasoning to a student reinforces your knowledge and sharpens your problem-solving. Teaching often reveals new insights into your own practice.

2. Support the Profession’s Future

Every PT or PTA student needs hands-on experience to graduate. By supervising students, you help shape competent, confident future colleagues, ensuring the continued strength of the profession.

3. Enhance Collaboration and Leadership

Working with students can boost your communication, feedback, and mentoring skills. These leadership qualities translate to improved teamwork across your school or healthcare setting.

4. Bring Fresh Ideas into Practice

Students arrive with the latest academic knowledge, research findings, and treatment trends. Their curiosity and new perspectives can inspire creative approaches in your daily work.

A Win-Win for Growth and the Profession

Clinical instruction is the bridge between classroom learning and real-world therapy practice. With Pennsylvania’s new CEU recognition, PTs and PTAs are being formally credited for the essential mentorship they already provide.

Supervising students benefits everyone, the clinician, the student, and the broader physical therapy community. It’s a powerful reminder that professional growth doesn’t just happen in the classroom; it happens through teaching, sharing, and leading every day.

Interested in Supervising a Student?
If you’re an Austill’s or AOT therapist, reach out to our Manager of Recruiting and Clinical Fieldwork Jessica Johnston for more information! If you’re a student and interested in completing your clinical rotation in a school-setting, please contact the Fieldwork or Clinical Coordinator at your school to determine whether Austill’s or AOT has a current relationship with your academic institution. We are happy to consider requests from schools that have not previously collaborated with Austill’s or AOT.