SPA Career Pathway

SPA has developed a career pathway for those individuals endeavouring to improve their knowledge in the field of sports physiotherapy and become a qualified APA Sports Physiotherapist. The specialist experience of APA Sports Physiotherapists is currently recognised by numerous sporting bodies including the Australian Olympic Committee. Completion of each level Sports Physiotherapy Course will enable you to apply for positions with a qualification that is recognised and promoted by Sports Physiotherapy Australia. Gaining and demonstrating the qualification is often a criterion sporting bodies will request when seeking individuals to provide cover for their athletes/teams.

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The APA Sports Physiotherapist Title Program

The APA Sports Physiotherapist Program provides the APA and SPA with a unique opportunity to:

• Promote the highest possible academic standards in Australia by encouraging and facilitating postgraduate study and the process of specialisation;
• Work closely with Schools of Physiotherapy to review and maintain standards for postgraduate courses in Sports Physiotherapy across Australia;
• Offer APA members a range of professional development programs as part of a path to attaining the ‘APA Sports Physiotherapist’ title and ultimately the APA Sports
• Physiotherapist Specialist title;
• Meet the professional and educational needs of physiotherapists with postgraduate qualifications in Sports Physiotherapy
• Establish and maintain a benchmark for standards of practice in Sports Physiotherapy in the community;
• Demonstrate to external bodies the physiotherapy profession’s genuine commitment to quality assurance and high standards in an increasingly competitive marketplace;
• Raise the profile and credibility of sports physiotherapy within the APA, Australia,
• and Internationally-by actively promoting the ‘APA Sports Physiotherapist’ title and what it means; and
• Promote the ‘APA Sports Physiotherapist’ title widely in the community in conjunction with the APA and SPA programs.

For more information on the APA Sports Physiotherapist Title Program, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The APA Specialisation Process

This model of specialisation has been created to meet the needs of the health care sector, the patient and physiotherapists. Both the nature of health-care delivery and the role of practitioners providing physiotherapy services are evolving rapidly. There is a demand for specialists in the sub-disciplines of physiotherapy in both the public and private health care sectors and a need for a clear and attainable career pathway for practitioners.

To meet the demand for Specialists in Physiotherapy as well as provide a clear career pathway for physiotherapists, the Australian Physiotherapy Association and the Australian College of Physiotherapists together with the National Special Groups have revised the processes and procedures to specialisation. Importantly, the College has established an interim process which will (until December 2009) recognise current titled physiotherapists who demonstrate advanced standing to allow them to proceed directly to the final stage of the examinations for Fellowship by Specialisation.

For more information on becoming a Specialist Sports Physiotherapist, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it