Most professional educational programs participate in an accreditation process that assures that the educational program has meet minimal standards on the evaluative criteria used in accreditation. Typically the accreditation process looks at the curriculum, the qualifications of the faculty, the facilities and equipment available to the program, the program's admission standards, the institution's financial support for the program, the protection of individual's rights who participate in the program, and so forth. American Physical Therapy Association carries out the evaluation process for accreditation. The program files a document, called the Declaration of Intent, pays an accreditation fee, and is visited by a reader-consultant. The program must achieve candidate status to continue the accreditation process.
Accreditation affects the physical therapy graduate's ability to practice.
All individuals applying for licensure in all 50 states, the territory of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia must graduate from an accredited program to sit for the licensing examination. This decision recognizes the work accomplished to date and calls upon us to delineate in a progress report by September 2001 our further actions in carrying out plans to continue strengthening the program. The areas still in need of work are clearly identified in its Summary of Action, sent to the program in mid-November 2000. Normally Probationary Accreditation may extend up to two years. Students currently enrolled in the program who graduate in a timely manner will graduate from an accredited program because Probationary Accreditation is an accredited status.