PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS

Practice

Licensure is required in the State of Iowa and must be renewed on a regular basis. PTs must practice within the scope of physical therapy practice defined by the State of Iowa Practice Act. The entire practice act, including accompanying rules, constitutes the law governing physical therapy practice within the State of Iowa.

Iowa Board of Physical & Occupational Therapy CE Requirements

The biennial continuing education compliance period shall extend for a two-year period that begins on the sixteenth day of the birth month and ends two years later on the fifteenth day of the birth month.
  1. Requirements for physical therapist licensees (Code Section 645.203 1-10) . Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as a physical therapist in this state shall be required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education approved by the board; a minimum of 30 hours shall be directly and primarily related to the clinical application of physical therapy.

  2. Requirements for physical therapist assistant licensees (Code Section 645.203 1-10). Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as a physical therapist assistant in this state shall be required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education approved by the board; a minimum of 15 hours shall be directly and primarily related to the clinical application of physical therapy.

Training for Identifying and Reporting Abuse

Iowa-licensed physical therapists shall complete an approved training program in identifying and reporting abuse. An approved training program is a training program using a curriculum approved by the abuse education review panel of the Department of Public Health. Continuing education credit from these courses can be used for license renewal if an approved provider gives the course and continuing education credit is awarded. At the time of renewal, the licensee will be required to document completion of the training requirements.

An Iowa-licensed physical therapist who regularly provides primary health care to children shall complete:
  • Two hours of training in child abuse identification and reporting in the previous five years.
 An Iowa-licensed physical therapist who regularly provides primary health care to children shall complete:
  • Two hours of training in dependent adult abuse identification and reporting in the previous five years.
An Iowa-licensed physical therapist who regularly provides primary health care to adults and children shall complete training on the identification and reporting of abuse in dependent adults and children. This training may be completed through two separate courses or in one combined two-hour course that includes curricula for identifying and reporting child abuse and dependent adult abuse.

For more information visit the Iowa Board of Physical & Occupational Therapy.