Postgraduate/post registration education and continuing professional development for women’s health and pelvic physiotherapists in IOPTWH member countries

In 2009, IOPTWH delegates were asked to provide information on this topic by answering the following questions:-

1. Does your group offer study days / workshops / courses?
2. Do any universities or other further/higher education institutes offer courses / modules / awards in women's health?
3. Are their any other sources of postgraduate training/education for women's health / pelvic physiotherapists / physical therapists in your country?

Their responses are summarised below.

Please note that if you require any more detail or current information then you can contact the delegate(s) of the country concerned via the IOPTWH website membership listing page www.ioptwh.org/members/members.html This information will normally be in their native language, so not necessarily English.

Germany - Chief delegate’s email address

1. The national group offers a complete course on pelvic floor training for women and men (basics, assessment & examination, EMG biofeedback, therapy + certificate course); refreshers (pelvic floor and orthopaedics, biofeedback, psychosomatics) and separate courses for pelvic floor training in children and group training
2. There are no related courses in further/higher education in Germany
3. There are several other courses in pelvic floor training, many of them highlighting certain aspects of pelvic floor training e.g. real time ultrasound, EMG biofeedback, assessment, women's health, pelvic floor training for men, group training, all of them at different levels.

Ireland - Chief delegate’s email address

1. The Chartered Physiotherapists in Women’s Health and Continence (CPWHC) committee organises two weekend courses per year in Ireland – one in spring and the other in autumn. In addition, the group’s annual general meeting is held in May or June each year with a ‘Foundation Day’ Lecture. CPWHC has a committee member serving on the committee of the Continence Foundation of Ireland and hopes that this will lead to multidisciplinary educational opportunities.
2. A postgraduate certificate in Physiotherapy in the Childbearing Year last took place in Ireland in 2001 – 2002. Physiotherapists in Ireland who have wanted to do a post graduate qualification since then have generally done so at the University of Bradford (see details under United Kingdom entry).
3. A Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist has provided a basic level female urinary continence course and this is becoming a regular training event. Plans are in place offer a faecal incontinence/bowel dysfunction course as a progression from the basic level incontinence course in the near future, given by two Clinical Specialist Physiotherapists. The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) is developing an e-learning programme in each area of physiotherapy, including women’s health and female urinary incontinence, primarily aimed at physiotherapists with 2 to 3 years experience. Information on courses can be found at www.iscp.ie, under “upcoming events”. Alternatively, email the ISCP office on info@iscp.ie

The Irish Continence Interest Group, a multidisciplinary organisation, runs yearly study days which are open to our members.

Advanced pelvic floor assessment and treatment courses, and courses on   physiotherapy management of pelvic pain are given regularly by a Specialist Member  of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists.

Other relevant courses are organised from time to time by physiotherapists within the speciality, with local or international speakers.

Israel - Chief delegate’s email address

1. The Israeli women’s health group offers several courses including a 100 hour pelvic floor rehabilitation course which runs every two years. Additional courses include childbirth education and pregnancy and postpartum exercise instruction. The group has in the past offered courses on childhood enuresis, physiological birthing, anorectal rehabilitation and vulval vestibulitis, and plans to offer more in the future. The courses are listed at www.ipts.org.il but please note that the site is in Hebrew and the courses are taught in Hebrew unless led by a tutor from outside Israel.
2. Haifa, Beer Sheva, Tel Aviv and Ariel Universities offer further educational opportunities.
3. There are courses offered throughout the year, however they offer training and certification and are not postgraduate in the academic sense

Netherlands - Chief delegate’s email address

1. Besides the official three years professional Masters education, extra workshops, masterclasses and courses are offered. Further details at http://www.somt.nl/Nascholing/LLL2.html Subjects include the use of equipment (myofeedback, ultrasound, electrotherapy) pelvic floor in sports, clinical pelvic floor physiotherapy, EBCP and diagnostics, pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POPQ), use of questionnaires, pre and postpartum (pregnancy fit), pelvirobics, chronic pelvic pain, low back and pelvis, pain, specific male disorders, comorbidities (neurological disorders, ageing) anorectal surgery, bowel disorders, group training, children (chronic abdominal pain in children, children pelvic floor therapy state of the art, overactive bladder in children), masterclasses on oncology, muscle physiology, sexual abuse and the consequence for therapy, dyspareunia. Information on all courses is in Dutch and can be found at www.somt.nl
2. The Dutch Institute of Allied Health Care (Nederlands Paramedisch Instituut). Three year Masters education is also available in German and is organized in Interlaken, Switzerland. http://www.pelviceducation.eu/
3. At present there are no other sources of postgraduate education or training. The Dutch Institute of Allied Health Care (Nederlands Paramedisch Instituut) is the national expertise centre of allied health care www.paramedisch.org and offers short courses

New Zealand - Chief delegate’s email address

1. The women’s health group runs a basic introductory course on urinary continence assessment and treatment every 2 years, based in either the North or South Island. This is a two day course designed to introduce the topic and help therapists decide if they wish to undertake advanced training. Contact person is Melissa Davidson, Secretary of the NZ Continence & WH SIG – email melissa@remarkablephysios.co.nz. In addition the women’s health group runs a study day or advanced course every 2 years, where areas of special interest, case studies etc., are presented. Details are available via the email address above.
2. The University of Otago offers nurses, physiotherapists and doctors a Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences - Continence Management. Details available from www.otago.ac.nz/subjects/ctmg.html
3. Women’s health physiotherapists of international standing are invited to run 2-3 day workshops. Details are available from melissa@remarkablephysios.co.nz as the secretary of the Continence and Women’s Health Special Interest Group

Norway - Chief delegate’s email address

1. The women’s health physiotherapy group offers a 2 day congress on different, relevant topics in women’s health physiotherapy each year; usually a mix of theory and practice. In collaboration with the Norwegian Physiotherapy Organization they offer courses in women’s health. The courses are developed through the women’s health group, but administration is managed by the organization. The courses are: pelvic girdle relaxation pain 1 and 2; physiotherapy and training during pregnancy and postpartum; dysfunction in the pelvic floor; and incontinence. Each course lasts 4 or 5 days.
2. There are currently no universities or other further/higher education institutes offering courses / modules / awards in women's health.
3. At NIH, the Norwegian University of Sports, there is a Masters degree in sports physiotherapy. It is possible to do masterwork in the field of women’s health related to training in pregnancy, pelvic floor muscles etc. At other universities where there are physiotherapy research groups and Masters education in physiotherapy (Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim), there are physiotherapists undertaking research in women’s health. All associated websites are in Norwegian.

Portugal - Chief delegate’s email address

1. The women’s health group offers courses on pre and postnatal, male and female incontinence, and lymph drainage. Besides the courses they also offer post graduation on women’s health including the above topics. There are also workshops on different topics of women’s health. Information can be found at www.apfisio.pt/gifsm
2. A post graduate course in women’s health is organized by the women’s health group and a school of Physiotherapy, Escola Superior de Saúde do Alcoitão (ESSA) www.essa.pt. ESSA also hosts a Master of Physiotherapy. Students complete 1.5 semesters on various subjects, and can then choose women’s health, receiving an award of Master of Physiotherapy/ women’s health
3. No, just the women’s health group and ESSA.

Slovenia - Chief delegate’s email address

1. The Section of Physiotherapists in Women's Health of the Slovenian Association of Physiotherapists organises a 30 hour course 'Physical activity in pregnancy' and a 10 hour course 'Therapeutic exercises for spinal stabilisation in low back pain'. These courses are a mix of theory and practice, organised once a year.
2. There are no relevant further/higher education courses in Slovenia.
3. At the present there are no other sources of postgraduate education or training.

Sweden - Chief delegate’s email address

1. There are women’s health courses/workshops at least once a year. The subject depends on requests from the members.
2. Lectures/workshops/practical classes on woman's health are normally included in a "primary care course" within entry level/undergraduate university physiotherapy education. The content and the amount may vary between universities.
3. There is no other postgraduate education available

United Kingdom - Chief delegate’s email address

1. The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women’s Health (ACPWH) runs several different weekend workshops - pelvic floor assessment and examination for female urinary incontinence; pelvic floor assessment and examination for ano-rectal dysfunction; physiotherapy for bladder and bowel dysfunction - a practical workshop; an introduction to Pilates in women’s health physiotherapy; physiotherapy assessment and management of pregnancy related musculoskeletal conditions; and the unique role of the women’s health physiotherapist in antenatal care. Details at www.acpwh.org.uk
2. The University of Bradford www.bradford.ac.uk/external offers two postgraduate certificates - Physiotherapy in Women’s Health and Continence for Physiotherapists. There is the opportunity to undertake further studies, for the award of Master of Science. Other UK universities offer Masters level study for physiotherapists, who can choose to focus on women’s health / continence
3. Other one day and weekend courses are available, often advertised in the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Frontline magazine, on the Internet, or by email/mail contact

United States of America - Chief delegate’s email address

1. The Section on Women's Health (SoWH) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has a Certification Program (CAPP) in pelvic physical therapy and more recently started one in obstetric PT as well. These are 3 day seminars, with didactic and skills testing. The SoWH also has various other regional seminars. Information is available on the group’s website www.womenshealthapta.org/education/education.cfm
2. Numerous US universities offer some women's health instruction. Some sponsor speakers in women's health or sponsor the Section on Women's Health courses
3. There are also residencies available, at Duke University and in Virginia through a private practice. It is anticipated that more will follow.