Peer Review Panels

TPTA assumed responsibility for program review and approval starting February 1, 2000. In order to provide the most efficient and most thorough reviews possible, the TPTA has established review panels for approval, disapproval, and withdrawal of approval for continuing education programs. Three-person volunteer review panels of licensed physical therapists or physical therapist assistants review and evaluate continuing education programs submitted for consideration by program providers or participants. The volunteer reviewers are active members of the TPTA in good standing.  Each program submitted for approval is matched with a review panel based on subject matter or course content.  Service on a review panel is on a volunteer basis taking into account each individual volunteer’s education, training, and experience, including but not limited to specialty certification by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). The specialty focus of each panel and the number of panels established is expected to keep each panel’s workload at a reasonable level. Hopefully, this approach will continue to avoid overtaxing individual volunteers and draining the available volunteer pool by burnout and turnover.

CE Approval Process

Applications will first be received at the association office and logged in. The application is screened for completeness and adherence to minimum criteria.  Each original application is placed on file for four (4) years.  A true and correct copy of each original application is duplicated and routed to an appropriate review panel by mail, e-mail, fax, or hand delivery. To minimize conflict of interest concerns, the name of the course sponsor and identifying information is redacted or otherwise masked on the application and on supporting documents prior to submission to a panel for review.  Each review panel considers approval or rejection of a proposed program in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners.

Volunteers Needed

Your help is needed. The TPTA is continuously seeking volunteers to serve on review panels to evaluate continuing education programs for approval.  All qualified TPTA members are encouraged to volunteer to serve.

The following criteria is a guide for recruiting panel members:

• Willingness to serve on the volunteer review panel
• Licensed PT or PTA
• Active member of TPTA (in good standing)
• Education, training, and experience specific to designated panel, including: 
  • Clinical or academic experience
  • Certified specialist, i.e. American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, Certified Hand Therapist, etc. (Note: Specialty certification is not mandatory)
  • APTA Section membership or membership in other professional associations specific to panel’s scope
     

Panels are being formed in the following fields. Topics colored in RED need volunteers NOW.

• Acute Care/Hospital Clinical Practice
• Administrative -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Aquatic
• Cardiopulmonary -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Clinical Electrophysiology -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Community Home Health -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Ethics/Professional Responsibility
• General PT Topics -- 15 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED 
• Geriatrics
• Hand Rehabilitation -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Health Policy, Legislation, & Regulation -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Industrial Rehabilitation -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Manual Therapy-- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Neurology -- 10 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Oncology -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Orthopedics -- 18 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Pediatrics -- 9 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Research
• Sports -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Women's Health -- 3 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED
• Wound Care -- 6 VOLUNTEER REVIEWERS NEEDED

To volunteer for a review panel, click on the this link to submit your information.