CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Physical Therapist Awarded Orthopedic Specialist Certification
Longview, Aug. 22, 2022 – Kevin Johns, PT, ScD, OCS, COMT, ATC/L of Longview was awarded the professional designation of board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
Johns specializes in the identification and rehabilitation of various non-operative and post-operative orthopedic conditions. He has a specific interest in the use of orthopedic manual therapy treatment techniques to facilitate patient outcomes. With a background in athletic training, he has an interest in the safe return to sport for athletes rehabilitating from an injury.
“Becoming a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy demonstrates a commitment to learning and pursuing the highest level of skill with which to best serve my patients,” Johns said.
Kevin graduated in 1990 from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, with a Master of Science in physical therapy. In May of 2019, he graduated from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock with a Science Doctorate in physical therapy. Kevin Johns is a physical therapist at the CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute in the rehabilitation services department. This fall semester, he will also be an adjunct professor in the physical therapist assistant program at Kilgore College in Kilgore.
“Kevin certainly represents our CHRISTUS core values of excellence and stewardship,” said Gene Constantine OTR, MHS, CHT, Director – Rehabilitation Services. CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System. “He consistently provides exceptional care to his patients and is always willing to share his extensive knowledge with his coworkers and students. Kevin’s recent certification as an Orthopedic Specialist further strengthens our rehabilitation program with the ongoing expansion of the Orthopedics and Sports Medicine services offered at CHRISTUS Good Shepherd.”
To obtain board certification, candidates must submit evidence of required clinical practice in one of nine specialty areas: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Geriatrics, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Sports, and Women’s Health Physical Therapy. In addition, candidates must successfully complete a rigorous examination, demonstrating specialized knowledge and advanced clinical proficiency in a specialty area of physical therapist practice.
Certifications are valid for 10 years. For recertification, ABPTS has developed a maintenance model that focuses on continuing competence of the physical therapist specialist. This new “Maintenance of Specialist Certification” model includes the following elements: professional standing and direct patient care hours, commitment to lifelong learning through professional development, practice performance through examples of patient care and clinical reasoning, and cognitive expertise through a test of knowledge in the profession. To date, more than 16,000 physical therapists are board-certified clinical specialists.
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About American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties
ABPTS was established by APTA as the governing body that awards certification to physical therapists who meet approved requirements. ABPTS oversees the physical therapy clinical specialist certification and maintenance of specialist certification programs and awards certificates to physical therapists meeting approved requirements.
CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System includes: CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center – Longview (425-bed count); CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center – Marshall (149-bed count); freestanding Emergency Departments, CHRISTUS Good Shepherd NorthPark and CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Emergency Center – Kilgore; medically integrated wellness centers, CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Institute for Healthy Living and CHRISTUS Good Shepherd LifeCenter; and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the multi-specialty medical group of CHRISTUS Health, with more than 1,300 clinicians representing over 300 locations serving Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System, visit christusgoodshepherd.org.