Credits: .1 CEU
Author: Lois Brown MPT (US), ATP/SMS
The complex rehab market can only grow as fast as a highly trained workforce can deliver it. The demand is there, but recruitment alone will not meet the need. The industry as a whole has leaned on experiential learning and informal training for the most part. But the complexity and sheer number of AT devices on the market has increased the challenge to meet the needs in assessing, prescribing, and servicing CRT equipment. Further, we see equipment suppliers offer in-house career progression from technician to CRT Supplier, but not outside our cohort to promote a professional career pathway and increase awareness of CRT and Assistive Technology Services as a field. This article will highlight defined educational pathways, structured mentorship and continuing professional development to grow the field of CRT. We can collectively create a highly skilled workforce, improve client outcomes, and grow the field of CRT and Assistive Technology along the way
Learning Outcomes:
- Explain why growth in the complex rehab market is constrained by workforce capacity, and how that capacity is tied to access,safety, service quality, and consumer outcomes.
- Identify three core elements of a defined educational pathway for CRT suppliers and service technicians.
- Name two examples how mentorship and intergenerational knowledge transfer support clinical reasoning, technical judgment, andprofessional identity.
- Name two practical strategies for continuing education, competency validation, and career development that expand anorganization’s capacity to serve.
