In the world of pelvic health physical therapy, there are two major certifications that a practitioner can receive – Women’s Certified Specialist (WCS) and Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification (PRPC). This blog is intended to point out similarities and differences between the two certifications.

The Women’s Certified Specialist exam was developed by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). This board certification was approved in 2006 with the first exam administered in 2009. The WCS focuses solely on female conditions not only specifically at the pelvis but also with breast and lymphedema-related conditions. This exam is offered once a year with the exam being held during a two-week period in March. Every applicant is required to submit a case study demonstrating their specialty practice in women’s health. Applicants must also show documentation of at least 2,000 patient care hours in the past 10 years, with 500 hours being in the past 3 years.

The Pelvic Rehab Practitioner Certification was developed by Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. Compared to the WCS, this exam is fairly new with the first exam being administered in 2014. This exam is held twice a year with exams being held for a two-week period both in May and November. The PRPC exam solely covers pelvic health conditions – including both women’s and men’s pelvic health throughout the lifecycle. There is no case study required for application of the PRPC exam. Applicants must present 2,000 documented hours of patient care in the pelvic health setting within the last 8 years, with 500 hours being in the last 2 years.

With both certifications, one can say they are ‘board-certified’ in their respective fields. Both the WCS and PRPC were developed by the same psychometrically-valid and legally-defensible methods. These exams both require extensive studying, knowledge in their respective fields, and excellent clinical reasoning skills to work through case study questions on the examination.

At Apex Physical Therapy & Wellness Center, we are very proud to say we have the only PRPC clinician and four out of five of the WCS clinicians in the entire state of North Dakota!

With statistics like that, it’s easy to say we have the most qualified team in the valley for all of your pelvic health needs! Our team is always striving to be the best. We are constantly learning from each other, pushing each other, and most importantly growing together.

It is our goal to provide top-tier care to every one of our patients, changing their lives for the better.

If you or someone you know is experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction, please reach out to us at 701-364-2739 or contact us.

We would LOVE to help!