In this episode, ethics experts discuss the development of the Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapy Profession, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2026. Members of the APTA Ethics and Judicial Committee and the Ethics Task Force break down what the code means for both everyday practice and the future of the profession. Plus, learn how the code was modernized to help PTs, PTAs, and students make ethical decisions in the era of AI and other emerging technologies. Learn more about the new code and other ethical milestones with these resources referenced in the episode: * Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapy Profession * Published in PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal in 2010: “The Revised APTA Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist and Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant: Theory, Purpose, Process, and Significance” * The 31st Mary McMillan Lecture by Ruth B Purtilo, PT, PhD, FAPTA: “A Time to Harvest, a Time to Sow: Ethics for a Shifting Landscape” Reach out to ejc@apta.org with any questions about the code of ethics. 

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Daniel White, PT, ScD, MSc, about his recently published survey study, which evaluated the effectiveness of a physical therapist-administered physical activity intervention in increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in adults after total knee replacement. The study found similar increases in physical activity in both the intervention and the control groups. George and White discuss if clinicians should reconsider the use of wearable technology and step goals, and they give advice to PTs aiming to increase physical activity in patients after total knee replacement.White is co-author of the article “Effectiveness of a Physical Therapist-Administered Physical Activity Intervention after Total Knee Replacement: A Randomized Trial (https://academic.oup.com/ptj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ptj/pzaf140/8371788).” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptjournal?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/ptjournal.bsky.social) for more research updates.  

For the first time in APTA history, physical therapist assistants are eligible to serve on the APTA Board of Directors beginning with the 2026 cycle. In this episode, host Kelley Kubota, PT, DPT, MS, sits down with Evan Bier, PTA, and Timothy Russell, PTA, to discuss what this milestone means for the profession. Bier and Russell share their personal reactions to the news, reflect on how the PTA role has evolved, and discuss why belonging to APTA matters for PTAs at every career stage.  Visit APTA’s website to learn more about PTA membership and explore APTA’s PTA resources.  

Editorial Board member Shauna Dudley-Javoroski, PT, PhD, talks with Jessica Feda, PT, DPT, DSc, and Evan Pucillo, PT, DPT, EdD, about their recently published article, which evaluated the reliability and validity of the Learning and Studies Strategies Inventory, aka LASSI. The authors define what self-regulated learning is, discuss how the instrument assesses self-regulated learning, and explain how LASSI was shortened through exploratory analysis to be more suitable for entry-level DPT students.  Feda and Pucillo are co-authors of the article “Validation of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) in Doctor of Physical Therapy Learners: A Retrospective Observational Study (https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/105/10/pzaf108/8246634).” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptjournal?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/ptjournal.bsky.social) for more research updates.   

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Brittany Lapin, PhD, Joshua Johnson, PT, DPT, PhD, and Sandra Passek, PT, DPT, about their recently published article on the development and validation of the Physical Therapy Frequency Clinical Decision Support Tool, aka PT-PENCIL. The tool identifies which patients are most likely to benefit from daily physical therapy to be discharged home. The authors discuss what spurred their interest in this research, the study design and methodology of the predictive model, and the potential challenges of using large datasets.  Lapin, Passek, and Johnson are co-authors of the article “Development and Validation of PT-PENCIL: The Physical Therapy Frequency Clinical Decision Support Tool to Increase Hospital Discharge to Home (https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/105/9/pzaf093/8198102).” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptjournal?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/ptjournal.bsky.social) for more research updates.   

In this episode, APTA staff experts Rachel Miller, MPH, and Sharon West, JD, discuss how the final 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule will affect the physical therapy profession. They explain why physical therapists can expect an average 1.75% increase in payment under this fee schedule and provide important updates on telehealth and remote therapeutic monitoring. For more insights from APTA, read this news article, CMS Finalizes Fee Schedule Pay Bump for the First Time in 5 Years, and watch APTA's Regulatory, Legislative, and Payment Updates webinar from Nov. 19. Staff referenced the following resources from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in this episode: * The Quality Payment Program Small Practices webpage. * CMS’ Ambulatory Specialty Model, aka ASM, webpage. * QPP’s Rehabilitative Support for Musculoskeletal Care MVP webpage.* APTA continues to advocate for reforms to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule to increase payment, reduce administrative burden, and provide more flexibility to both patients and providers. Sign up for the APTA Advocacy Network, a free, member-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 with questions related to this year’s fee schedule.  

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Stanley Hung, PT, PhD, about his recently published survey study, which looked at implementation factors for intensive rehabilitation within real-world inpatient stroke rehabilitation settings. George and Hung discuss the differences between the DOSE and Walk ‘n Watch trials, the potential inaccuracies of wearable technologies and monitors in clinical practice, and what other methods can be used in addition to survey methods in implementation science.  Hung is co-author of the article “Real-World Experiences of Therapy Staff Implementing an Intensive Rehabilitation Protocol in Canadian Stroke Inpatient Rehabilitation Settings: A Multi-Site Survey Study (https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/105/10/pzaf111/8251401).” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptjournal?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/ptjournal.bsky.social) for more research updates.   

What do Americans really think about physical therapy—and what’s keeping more people from seeing a PT? In this episode of the APTA Podcast, host Alicia Hosmer sits down with APTA’s Drew Contreras and Emilio Rouco, as well as APTA’s research partners Shelly Adcock and Tam Nguyen from Penta Group, to unpack findings from APTA’s Consumer Perceptions Report (https://www.apta.org/apta-and-you/news-publications/reports/2025/apta-consumer-perceptions).  Hear how insights on awareness, access, and trust are shaping APTA’s national advocacy and public awareness strategies — including the new ChoosePT: PT for Future Me campaign — and what PTs and PTAs can do to help more Americans view physical therapy as a valuable, smart strategy to maintain lifelong movement and health.  

In this episode, Megan Brown, PT, DPT, details her journey from beginning her career as a physical therapist to founding her business Mind The Mat Pilates & Yoga. (https://www.mindthemat.com/) Gain practical advice for your career and finding your passion while gettinga preview of what Brown plans to share during her panel discussion “Unfiltered & Unlocked: 3 PTs on Building a Career You Love” at APTA CSM in Anaheim, California (https://csm.apta.org/).   

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Gregory Hartley, PT, DPT, FAPTA, and Neva Kirk-Sanchez, PT, PhD, about their recently published perspective, which defines the health systems science framework and advocates for the framework to be a foundational pillar in physical therapy education. Listen as the authors discuss how the framework can contribute to better clinical outcomes, support the development of community-based interventions, and better prepare students to be leaders in health care. Hartley and Kirk-Sanchez are co-authors of the article “Educating for Impact: The Imperative of Health Systems Science in Physical Therapy (https://academic.oup.com/ptj/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ptj/pzaf125/8287574).” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptjournal?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/ptjournal.bsky.social) for more research updates.    

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Shane McClinton, PT, DPT, PhD, about his recently published study, which compared the cost-effectiveness of usual podiatry care plus physical therapy with podiatry care alone in the management of plantar heel pain. Listen as they discuss the inspiration for the study, the typical patient experience for those with plantar heel pain, and why it is important for researchers to consider economic analysis studies for physical therapy.   McClinton is co-author of the article “Cost-Effectiveness of Physical Therapist Treatment in Addition to Usual Podiatry Management of Plantar Heel Pain: Economic Evaluation of a Randomized Clinical Trial (https://academic.oup.com/ptj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ptj/pzaf119/8272645).” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptjournal?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/ptjournal.bsky.social) for more research updates.    

APTA is ushering in a historic change in physical therapy education: the merger of CAPTE and ABPTRFE into a single integrated accreditation body. This unification will streamline processes, reduce burdens on programs, and strengthen quality across the entire education continuum — from entry-level through residency and fellowship. In this podcast, APTA President Kyle Covington, PT, DPT, PhD, speaks with leaders guiding the transition about why now is the right time, how the merger supports innovation, and what it means for students, educators, and the future of our profession.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Andrew Hogan, PhD, about his recently published perspective on the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education standard requiring that at least 50% of core faculty in all physical therapist education programs hold an academic doctorate of PhD, EdD, or ScD. They discuss the history of the standard, why it could be a barrier to entry for faculty, and how academic physical therapy is unique compared to other fields.Hogan is the author of the article “Credentialism and Barriers to Entry: A Historical and Sociological Analysis of the CAPTE 50 Percent Requirement for Physical Therapy Faculty With Academic Doctorates (https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/105/9/pzaf095/8206128).” Read the article on the PTJ website and follow PTJ on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptjournal?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/ptjournal.bsky.social) for more research updates. 

In this episode of the APTA Podcast, Justin Elliott, vice president of government affairs at APTA, and William Boissonnault, PT, DPT, DHSc, FAPTA, discuss APTA’s recent report on direct access to PT services. Boissonnault, a key contributor to the report, discusses the purpose of the report, its significance in today’s physical therapy profession and health care system, and how this evidence can be utilized to promote direct access policies at every level.  Don't miss this informative discussion on the state of direct access and the importance of advocacy in the physical therapy profession. * Join the APTA Advocacy Network (https://www.apta.org/advocacy/apta-advocacy-network) and read all the latest advocacy news.  * From the episode: Read APTA’s “State of Direct Access to Physical Therapist Services (https://www.apta.org/apta-and-you/news-publications/reports/2025/state-of-direct-access-to-physical-therapist-services)” report and “The Economic Value of Physical Therapy in the United States (https://www.valueofpt.com/)” report. * From the episode: Use resources on APTA's consumer information website, ChoosePT.com, (https://www.choosept.com/) to help educate patients about physical therapy and direct access. * Register for the free APTA Regulatory, Legislative, and Payment Updates Series (2025) (https://learningcenter.apta.org/products/apta-regulatory-legislative-and-payment-updates-series-2025) for expert insights.

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 (https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/104/3/pzad173/7477809) and follow PTJ on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptjournal?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile) 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 (https://www.handpt.org/) to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website. (https://www.apta.org/apta-magazine/2025/09/01/student-focus--apta-hand-and-upper-extremity) 

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 2025 * Takeaways From the Proposed 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, Part 1 * Takeaways From the Proposed 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, Part 2 (including an update on the KX modifier) * To 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 (https://oncologypt.org/) to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website. (https://www.apta.org/apta-magazine/2025/08/01/student-focus--apta-oncology) 

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 (https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article-abstract/105/6/pzaf045/8100465), and follow PTJ on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptjournal?trk=public_post_follow-view-profile) and Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/ptjournal.bsky.social) for more research updates.