The largest professional organization that represents Physical Therapists in the US is the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Currently, I am a student member and receive the monthly newsletter and emails almost daily. Students get away with a pretty cheap membership fee but once I graduate, if I keep the same selections of interest (general membership, Colorado chapter, and 2 specialized areas) my fee is over $600! The APTA website outlines the benefits of being a member pretty clearly on their website and the benefits include connecting with other PTs, continuing education opportunities and access to many evidence based research articles. The APTAs biggest benefit is that they are the largest advocates of physical therapy.
What are your thoughts? Do you have to be a member of the APTA? Do your patients know (or care) if you are or are not a member? Is $600 a little too harsh on the wallet, especially with student loans? Let’s talk about it on Wednesday evening, April 10 2013 at 9pm EST!
CHAT UPDATE
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I appreciate the value of a professional organization that advocates strongly for PTs, and I have been a member of both APTA and NMAPTA for the last 5 years; however, I felt I could afford to do that at the student rate and then at the 1/2 price new graduate rate. I am now finally at the point where I am weighing the decision of whether or not to renew my membership, now that I will be paying the full fee. Without current income, as I have taken time off with the birth of my child, and with student loans, maintaining my APTA membership at nearly $50/month, definitely seems less feasible right now.