HILLSBORO, OR – All physical therapists play the role of educator when treating patients, says Anna Bond of Impact Physical Therapy in Hillsboro. But thanks to the efforts of the Oregon Orthopedic Physical Therapy Study Group (OOPTSG), a nonprofit organization also based in Hillsboro, physical therapists from Oregon, Washington, and across the country are given the opportunity to also be students.
And according to Bond, the administrator for the OOPTSG, physical therapy patients ultimately reap the greatest rewards from these educational efforts by receiving more innovative treatments and experiencing more positive outcomes.
“Thanks to the efforts of the OOPTSG, physical therapists have the ability to attend classes covering a number of different topics and treatment programs in order to continually further than own base of knowledge,” Bond said. “We offer classes that give them both the lecture and the hands-on components, learning new techniques and skills so they can immediately take them back to their own clinics.”
Formed in 1982, the Oregon Orthopedic Physical Therapy Study Group’s mission is to support the physical therapy community by providing high-quality, easily accessible and affordable educational opportunities. They do this by organizing and hosting an average of about 20 classes per year on a wide range of topics, from knee rehabilitation and spinal manipulation to gait analysis and athletic enhancement.
According to Bond, Pacific University in Forest Grove hosts many OOPTSG-organized classes within its physical therapy department. The OOPTSG has also held classes in hospitals throughout the Portland/Hillsboro area. When class sizes are expected to be small, Impact Physical Therapy donates training space.
“Ultimately for us at Impact, it’s a marriage of our passion for education as well as a passion for the strength of our clinic,” said Bond. “Not only do our physical therapists have access to this education, but we’re extending that welcome to other therapists so they have the same educational opportunities.
“Plus, when we’re able to host, it’s nice for us to showcase our clinic and let PTs and clients alike know that Impact’s on the move, both in the community and in education.”
OOPTSG secures top physical therapy instructors and renowned experts in specific methodologies from across the country (and sometimes beyond) to teach these courses. Certain courses offered serve as stepping stones for physical therapists seeking specialized certification levels, and all classes count toward annual continuing education requirements set by state certification boards.
Impact owner Kent Bond, PT, however, reiterates that the ultimate beneficiaries of these efforts are the patients.
“As PTs are better able to stay sharp and stay abreast of the newest technologies and treatment programs, the consumer benefits,” he said. “That’s where the importance of the OOPTSG cannot be overstated.”