LOVE THE WATER? Want to be Recognized?
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Are you seeking a greater challenge in your continuing education? Was your aquatic therapy certificate too easy? Are you paying too much to keep it active? Our Aquaticistâ„ Certificate of Advanced Recognition is challenging, clinical and wallet-friendly.
Each of our classes is offered as a 2-day continuing education seminar. You can complete your studies in as long as 5 years (a weekend training each year) or you can finish it in as fast as 10-days (a 2-week intensive).
ATU trainings contain 16-hour lab-heavy seminars that will leave your head swollen and your legs wobbly. But when you have finished a minimum of 84-hours of evidence-based studies you’ll know that you accomplished something. And so will your boss and co-workers.
THE ATU CREDENTIAL
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ATU enables physical medicine & rehab professionals to map out their continuing education pursuits on a 2-5 year plan. Physical and occupational therapists and assistants can seek an ATU Certificate of Advanced Recognition in any one of 4 specialty tracks, including a General Studies option.
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Each class contains a minimum of 8 hours of lecture and 8 hours of pool lab (worth 1.6 CEUs or more). These credits can all be applied to a final 84-hour ATU Certificate of Advanced Recognition in any of the Tracks listed below. And, with over 25 classes to choose from, it is possible for you to custom design your own series of CE.
Prerequisites:
ATU courses are taught with the assumption that attendees have at least an entry-level degree or its equivalent in experience. No time is spent on the underlying principles of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. ATU offers therapy professionals a tiered, evidence-based progression of continuing education.
Classes are open to PTs/PTAs, OTs/OTAs, and (some classes) speech therapists. Other professionals who are legally permitted to perform aquatic therapy may also attend seminars with the assumption that each professional is required to only apply knowledge within his or her scope of practice. Only PTs, PTAs, OTs and OTAs can seek recognition through the Aquaticist Credential training.
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Sample ATU Coursework:
Students must log a minimum of 5 classes in a single track, plus take a 4-hour Boot Camp module. For more information on what classes must be taken, see below.
AVAILABILITY
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Available to PT/PTA/OT/OTAs. The Aquaticistâ„ Certificate will be granted to physical and occupational therapy professionals who earn a minimum of 84 hours in aquatic therapy CE. To receive this recognition, therapists must provide verification of their diploma and state license and 250 hours of pool experience as a therapist/assistant prior to obtaining recognition.
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Therapists and assistants may seek this advanced recognition though ATU by following one of these specialty Tracks.
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Pediatric
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Musculoskeletal
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Geriatric
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Generalist
IMPORTANT: This Certificate recognizes your dedication to obtaining training in aquatic therapy through continuing education; it does not permit individuals to use aquatic therapy in their practice if they are not already permitted to do so.
AQUATICIST℠​​​​​​​ CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
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All individuals seeking Certificates of Advanced Recognition must be successfully complete
1). ATU’s aquatic pre-requisite classes (20 hours)
2). ATU’s aquatic specialty core classes (32 hours)
3). any two ATU elective courses (32 hours)
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This comes to a total 84 contact hours. There is no time limit in which to complete these classes, although a 5 year period is strongly encouraged. These classes are all offered as a series of continuing education courses. Note: ATU does not provide recognition of individuals who are not legally permitted to provide aquatic therapy.
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Required Classes
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GS701 Boot Camp (4hrs)
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GS721 Ortho/Neuro Survey (16hrs)
Specialty Core Classes
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Any Water-Based Interventions course (currently offered in Musculo, Pediatric and Geriatric tracks) (16 hrs)
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Any Evidence-Based course (currently offered in Musculo, Pediatric, Geriatric tracks) (16 hrs)
Clinical Electives
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Any 2 ATU classes not listed above (16 hrs each)
CERTIFICATE TYPE
General Studies Certificate
Anyone seeking to obtain the General Studies Aquaticistâ„ Certificate must take at least 16 hours of training from at least four of the following five different tracks. This includes at least one core or elective class each from any three of the following tracks:
Musculoskeletal
Pediatric
Geriatric
Specialty Certificate
Specialty Certificate
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Any provider seeking their Aquaticistâ„ Certificate training and wishing to focus their studies in a certain specialty (e.g. peds, musculo, geri) must constrain their core and elective classes to just that one track.
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NOTE: While not required, ATU recommends students commit to a specialty track as early as possible in their course of training.
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Serialization
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Students are allowed to seek out recognition of additional hours of CE training through multiple Aquaticistâ„ Certificates.