As the leader in women's health physical therapy education for over ten years, the Section on Women’s Health (SoWH) continues to set the standard for quality education and training with the introduction of the Certificate of Achievement in Pelvic Physical Therapy (CAPP) in 2006.

The SoWH is steadily moving towards Specialization in Women’s Health in conjunction with ABPTS. The CAPP is not intended to take the place of residency and/or specialization in women’s health. Specialization would come with professional recognition via appropriate credentials (e.g Mary Smith, PT, WHCS). CAPP is not to be used as an official title. Members of the Section on Women's Health that are CAPP and tCAPP recipients will be listed on the SOWH Web site

• In order to qualify for the CAPP Certificate of Completion, you must attend all scheduled hours of the course. Please plan travel accordingly. For those not in the CAPP process, the Certificate of Attendance will be modified if more than one hour of the course is missed, and your Certificate will be mailed to you at a later date.
• In order to apply for the CAPP, you must supply two letters:
  • Write a Letter of Intention to the SOWH. A Letter of Intention serves to explain your reasons for seeking the CAPP and to describe your current and past women’s health practice experience.  You may participate in the CAPP testing process during the courses without writing a Letter of Intention, however the Letter of Intention will be required in order for the SOWH to initiate an application for the CAPP.
  • You must also submit a letter of recommendation from a professional colleague that is familiar with your skills.
• Testing for the CAPP will cost each participant a total of $50 per course. To test for all three courses will cost a total of $150. This fee includes the skills tests performed during the course, and the written test which is taken after the completion of the course. CAPP skills testing is done either in the evening after the course on Friday and Saturday or in the morning before the course on Saturday and Sunday (depending on your assigned time and the number of participants wishing to test).   Participants who plan to test should be available from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.  Test assignment times will be given before lunch on the first day. This makes for a very long day.  We will do our best to give frequent breaks.  Please plan to arrive rested and take advantage of breaks.
• The skills testing process is designed to promote success of those being tested. You will work in groups of three. You will be allowed to refer to your course manual during the skills testing. Most participants find the skill checks helpful in pulling together the day’s information.  The skills tests are not intended to create anxiety or to increase stress. The instructor’s goal is to help you learn, and they will cue you if needed
  • Skill check: A single skill performed once for a tester and  judged to be satisfactorily or unsatisfactorily completed
• Satisfactory completion: Performed safely and professionally and in a way that will be useful in clinical practice
• Unsatisfactory completion: Performed in a way that is either unsafe or unprofessional.  Participant requires multiple corrects or verbal input to complete the task or is unable to complete the task
• The written test will be given out at the time of the course.  It is an open book test and must be completed within 4 weeks of the end of the course. The due date will be announced during the course. If you do not return the test by the due date, you may be required to re-apply for the CAPP testing process in order to take the test again. The test will be graded as “Pass” if you score 70% or above, or “Fail” if you score less than 70%.  Payment for the CAPP testing must be received by the SOWH in order for you to be notified of your result.
• All documentation for the CAPP program, including documentation of past courses for the tCAPP, Letters of Intent, and Letters of Recommendation should be mailed to the following address:

  Section on Women's Health, APTA
  1111 N Fairfax St
  Alexandria, VA, 22314

General CAPP questions and answers - click here

See Listing of CAPP Graduates - click here

CAPP information for level 2 participants - click here

CAPP information for level 3 participants - click here

CAPP application - click here

Transitional CAPP application - click here

CAPP Case Reports - click here