“What an amazing class (Clinical Skills, formerly Canine Rehabilitation Therapist)! Thank you to all of the instructors, TAs, and supportive staff for making this experience so great! My brain is full, and I can't wait to transition from human physical therapy to canine."
–Sunny Rubin, MSPT,
Seattle, Washington
Clinical Skills
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Upcoming Dates

» April 18-22, 2020
Clinical Skills, Coral Springs Animal Hospital, Coral Springs, FL, $2,900. Note: We have canceled this course to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Please read more.

» September 19-23, 2020
Clinical Skills, Coral Springs Animal Hospital, Coral Springs, FL, $2,900. SOLD OUT. Please read our waiting list policy and contact us to be added to our waiting list. A deposit is required.

» October 10-14, 2020
Clinical Skills, Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, Wheat Ridge, CO, $2,900. SOLD OUT. Please read our waiting list policy and contact us to be added to our waiting list. A deposit is required.

» Future Class
Clinical Skills, Florida or Colorado location, $2,900.

 

» Save with a 2-Course Package!
Save when you register for Clinical Skills together with Clinical Applications. You will have the opportunity to select your preferred dates when you register.

2-Course Package Starting in 2020: Clinical Skills plus Clinical Applications, $4,500

Starting January 1, 2020, the Canine Rehabilitation Therapist module has been renamed Clinical Skills. Clinical Skills is the second of three modules in the CCRT certification program.

Watch our videos for an overview and student testimonials about this course.

Faculty: Judy Coates, M.Ed, MSPT, CCRT; Sasha A. Foster, MSPT, CCRT; Ellen Martens, PT, MT, CCRT; Amber Kenney, MPT, MTC, CKTP, CCRT; Suzie Stoke, MSPT, CCRT; Mamie Whitman, PT, CCRT

Prerequisites: This 5-day course is open to veterinarians and physical therapists that have successfully completed Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation and to veterinarians and physical therapists certified as Canine Rehabilitation Practitioners (CCRP). We recommend that CCRP veterinarians and physical therapists take Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation before taking Clinical Skills to gain the most benefit from these courses. Veterinary students may take Clinical Skills after completing Introduction to Canine Rehabilitation and their second year of veterinary school. Physical therapy students may register for this course, but can't start the course until after they graduate and are licensed.

Online Coursework: We have streamlined this course to include more online content. This course has 5 classroom days and 10.5 hours of additional online coursework that must be completed before the first day of class.
Registered students: Please set aside the time you need to do the online coursework before the first day of class. We will email instructions for accessing the online coursework at least 90 days before the class starts.

Course Description: Clinical Skills (formerly called Canine Rehabilitation Therapist) introduces students to clinical assessment, goal-setting, treatment planning and outcome measurement in canine rehabilitation from a physical therapy perspective. This case-based course highlights orthopedic conditions and injuries involving the extremities and the spine. Practical applications of joint mobilization, modalities and therapeutic exercise are covered. Participants get hands-on experience with dogs on site. The business of canine rehabilitation is discussed as well as pertinent legal and ethical issues. This course will also cover canine neuro rehabilitation. Students get hands-on experience with dogs on site as they learn how to perform a neurologic exam and apply neurophysiological facilitation techniques. Developing goal-focused treatment plans and assessing outcomes in canine neuro-rehabilitation patients are also covered.

This course is RACE approved for 49 credit hours by the AAVSB.

Please note: Students who do not attend a full day of class will not receive any CE credit hours for that day and may have to return to make up the missing hours.

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Course Fee: $2,900

Topics Covered Include:

  • Evaluation of the canine patient
  • Spinal and extremity joint kinematics and biomechanics
  • Manual therapy
  • Neurological rehabilitation
  • Therapeutic modalities including LASER, ultrasound and electrotherapy
  • Therapeutic exercises for strength, weight-bearing, range of motion, stretching and proprioception
  • Setting goals, developing treatment plans, and measuring outcomes
  • Legal and ethical issues
  • The business of canine rehabilitation

Classes are held each day from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm in Colorado and Florida. There is a 1-hour break for lunch. Registered students: Please watch for specific emails about each class as there may be occasional minor changes to class times.

At the end of DAY 5, students are given an open-book, take-home final exam that they have 30 days to complete. Collaboration with fellow classmates is encouraged.