APTA Podcasts

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Shawn Farrokhi, PT, PhD, about winning the 2025 APTA Outstanding Research Award for the article “The Influence of Active, Passive, and Manual Therapy Interventions for Low Back Pain on Opioid Prescription and Health Care Utilization.” They discuss why the article was chosen for the award, how the Military Health System Repository was used as a data source, and how the study has impacted practice and patient care. The APTA Outstanding Research Award encourages the publication of outstanding physical therapy research articles, including both foundational and clinical research impacting practice and patient care. Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn for more research updates.

A brief introduction from the leadership of the academy. Jason Lau, PT, DPT, interviews Jamie Grigsby, PT, DPT, and Melissa Lazinski, PT, DPT, DHSc, with APTA Hand & Upper Extremity at APTA CSM in Houston. Visit the APTA Hand and Upper Extremity website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Jennifer Stevens-Lapsley, PT, PhD, FAPTA, about winning the 2025 Jules M. Rothstein Golden Pen Award for Scientific Writing. The Rothstein Golden Pen Award recognizes an author who has demonstrated superior writing skills in one or more articles published in PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal and has collaborated with or encouraged others to make similar contributions. Listen as Stevens-Lapsley reflects on her notable article contributions, offers writing advice for the toughest aspects of scientific writing, and discusses how to find the right audience for a paper.

APTA staff expert Rachel Miller, MPH, breaks down the proposed 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and what it means for the physical therapy profession. Use your voice to make a difference: Visit the APTA Patient Action Center to submit your comments on the proposed rule to CMS. You’ll find an easy-to-use template letter that tells CMS to appropriately value physical therapy codes and to recognize physical therapy as a high-quality, low-cost service that prevents and manages chronic disease. Learn more about this year’s proposed fee schedule: APTA Regulatory, Legislative, and Payment Update webinar, August 2025Takeaways From the Proposed 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, Part 1Takeaways From the Proposed 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, Part 2To learn more about the legislative initiatives that would improve payment and reduce administrative burden for PTs, read about APTA’s ongoing advocacy on payment reforms. Sign up for the APTA Advocacy Network, a free, members-only service that sends you special legislative updates and action alerts so you're up to speed and ready to act. Contact APTA’s Advocacy staff via email: advocacy@apta.org.

A brief introduction from the president of the academy. Thailey Leak, SPT, interviewed APTA Oncology President Chris Wilson, PT, DPT, DScPT, at APTA CSM in Houston. Learn what Wilson says about the skills, settings, and steps to thrive in this specialty. Visit the APTA Oncology website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editorial Board Member Shauna Dudley-Javoroski, PT, PhD, talks with Keshrie Naidoo, PT, DPT, EdD, and Diane Jette, PT, DSc, FAPTA, about their recently published perspective titled "An Improvement Science Framework to Advance Sense of Belonging for Physical Therapist Students From Minoritized Backgrounds.” The authors explain how “wicked problems” and “solutionitis” can arise in physical therapist education, discuss how to measure and cultivate a sense of belonging in physical therapist students, and suggest how to use an improvement science framework to face challenges in other education programs. Read the article on the PTJ website, and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.

In this episode, Alice Bell, PT, DPT, senior specialist, health policy and payment, is joined by Wanda Evans, PT, DPT, MHS, senior specialist, health policy and payment, to discuss how APTA advocacy led to Aetna’s decision to provide unrestricted direct access to physical therapist services. Bell and Evans recap the almost decade’s worth of effort by APTA staff to move the needle and ultimately help deliver this significant win for the profession. This episode also features insights from Laura Keivel, APTA senior specialist, PAC and grassroots, who shares tips and best practices for making the most out of August’s Congressional recess — and any of your interactions with elected officials. Don’t miss this fascinating episode on the importance of relationship-building and advocacy in advancing the profession.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Matthew Schumacher, PT, DPT, DSc, Kyle Cottone, PT, DPT, DSc, and Laura Siviter, PT, DPT, DSc, about their recently published study, which identified six themes related to barriers to clinical practice guideline implementation for low back pain. The authors discuss why they chose a mixed-methods approach, why clinician training and confidence may be a barrier to clinical practice guideline usage, and how clinicians can use clinical practice guidelines to build therapeutic alliances with patients. Schumacher, Cottone, and Siviter are co-authors of the article "Understanding Barriers to the Use of a Low Back Pain Clinical Practice Guideline in Physical Therapist Practice: A Mixed-Methods Approach.” Read the article on the PTJ website, and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.

In this episode, Colleen Ward, PT, DPT, board-certified clinical specialist in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy, chats with three fellow APTA members about their experiences becoming board-certified clinical specialists. They share how earning certification has transformed their careers and the different paths they took to achieve it. Additionally, they offer advice for anyone considering certification. Since February 1985, when podcast panelist Meryl Cohen, PT, DPT, MS, FAPTA, and her peers, Linda Crane, PT, and Scot Irwin, PT, DPT, became the first physical therapists to achieve advanced specialist certification, this credential has been opening doors for thousands of professionals in the field. After listening to the episode, visit these resources to learn more: · APTA Specialist Certification Governed by ABPTS website and its “Become an ABPTS-Certified Specialist” page · APTA Report: "A Physical Therapy Profile: Wages for the Profession, 2021-22" · A Brief History: The First Specialist Certification Exams Held

At the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in February 202, students got a chance to ask questions and get advice from section leaders. In this installment, Annabelle Hu, SPT, a first-year student at the University of Southern California Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, interviews Stephanie Woelfel, PT, DPT, president of APTA Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology and Wound Management.

In this episode, Rachel Miller, MPH, APTA health policy and payment specialist, shares key updates on the organization's advocacy efforts over the past few months. Discover how APTA is working to reduce administrative burdens in physical therapy, address inefficiencies in Medicare and Medicaid policy, and tackle commercial payer issues. This episode also features insights from APTA's Harker Intern, Alvin Osorio Flores, SPT, who shares his journey and experiences within the advocacy team. Don't miss this informative discussion on the importance of advocacy in the physical therapy profession. APTA Advocacy Networkthe latest advocacy newsreduce administrative burdensaddress TRICARE payment issues.APTA Regulatory, Legislative, and Payment Updates Series (2025)Explore internship opportunities

A brief introduction from the president of the academy. Britton Farnum, PT, DPT, interviews Mary Jane Rapport, PT, DPT, PhD, FAPTA, president of APTA Pediatrics. Learn what Rapport says about the skills, settings, and steps to thrive in this specialty. Visit the APTA Pediatrics website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

In this podcast, APTA Ethics and Judicial Committee member Rebecca Edgeworth Ditwiler, PT, DPT, PhD, asks three experts about the most pressing ethical issues related to artificial intelligence, one of the most rapidly evolving frontiers in health care. They provide insights about data privacy, bias, informed consent, and more. The EJC recently wrote two columns in APTA Magazine related to AI ethics: one on unveiling and shaping AI technologies and another on exploring AI ethics within the five roles of physical therapy.  Read more about common and emerging ethical issues facing PTs, PTAs, and students in APTA Magazine's “Ethics in Practice” series.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Sally Mastwyk, PT, MPhysio, and Casey Peiris, PT, PhD, about their recently published study, in which 230 participants received a 30-minute health screen in physical therapy private practices in Australia to determine the feasibility of physical therapists conducting client health screening with point-of-care testing. The authors discuss how they implemented the study in a network of private practice clinics, why they chose the three outcomes of acceptability, demand, and practicality, and how they can determine effectiveness in future research. Mastwyk and Peiris are co-authors of the article, "Metabolic Health Screening in Physical Therapy Private Practice in Australia: A Feasibility Study.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.

A brief introduction from the president of the academy. Conner Murphy, SPT, interviewed APTA Pelvic Health President Darla Cathcart, PT, DPT, PhD, at APTA CSM in Boston. Learn what a day in the life of a pelvic health physical therapist looks like and advice for exploring this specialty. Visit the APTA Pelvic Health website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

Elizabeth Pimentel, PT, MA, recalls a memorable patient and her struggles to make peace with the patient’s untimely death. Access the article on the APTA Magazine webpage for photos and to learn more about this episode’s speaker.

In March, the American Physical Therapy Association published a workforce forecast in PTJ that used original survey data to project shortages in physical therapists through 2037. Listen as Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with authors Timothy Dall, MS, and Tara Manal, PT, DPT, FAPTA, about the different data sources used for the report, what a microsimulation is as an approach, and some strategic interventions that could help address the projected shortfall. Dall and Manal are co-authors of the article "Current and Projected Future Supply and Demand for Physical Therapists From 2022 to 2037: A New Approach Using Microsimulation.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates. To learn more, sign up now for an APTA Live event, “Understanding the APTA Workforce Forecast Model: Insights and Discussion with Authors,” on May 1 at 10:30 a.m. ET, in person (limited availability) or online.

In this episode, entrepreneur and APTA member Odell Miller, PT, DPT, interviews APTA Vice President of Strategic Affairs Drew Contreras, PT, DPT. They talk about starting a business, how new technologies are rapidly changing the profession, and ways PTs can take care of themselves to avoid burnout.  During the episode, Contreras referenced ChoosePT.com, APTA’s consumer website. Learn more about APTA’s work to support the profession at apta.org.

Interested in how large language models compare against clinicians? Listen as Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Yael Arbel, PT, MHA, Yoav Gimmon, PT, PhD, and Liora Shmueli, PhD, about their recently published study, which tested the performance of ChatGPT and Google Gemini against 30 physical therapists and 30 physical therapist students on 20 multiple-choice questions about vestibular rehabilitation. The authors discuss the impact of prompt engineering, the potential for studies with other large language models, and the importance of human expertise when integrating new technological tools. Arbel, Gimmon, and Shmueli are co-authors of the article "Evaluating the Potential of Large Language Models for Vestibular Rehabilitation Education: A Comparison of ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Clinicians.” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn and Bluesky for more research updates.

A brief introduction from the president of the academy. Corry Brinken, PT, DPT, interviewed APTA Orthopaedic President Bob Rowe, PT, DPT, DMT, MHS, at APTA CSM 2024 in Boston. Learn how Rowe says students can best prepare for a career in orthopedics. Visit the APTA Orthopaedic website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.