<p> Abby Rafferty, LVT, CCRP</p><p>Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner Course http://ccrp.utvetce.com </p><p>I completed the University of Tennessee’s CCRP program in December of 2011. This is not the only available rehabilitation certification program; there is also the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in Florida. Below is a bulleted list of requirements to attend the CCRP program and what I found to be beneficial. </p><p>. You must be either a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, a Licensed/Registered Veterinary Technician (unless your state doesn’t require a certificate), A Physical Therapist, Physical Therapist Assistant, Occupational Therapist or an Occupational Therapist Assistant in order to attend/complete the course.</p><p>. I chose to do the two week fast track course, they have changed it now where you only end up spending approximately a week on site completing the laboratory portions and then you return later to sit for your exam, all of the lecture portions are online.</p><p>. The laboratory sessions are hands on where you can really get a feel for what you’re supposed to be doing and learning. You have access to most of, if not all of, the current ‘toys’ that are available in the rehabilitation field.</p><p>. Certified surgeons, DVM’s and PT’s that are active in the rehabilitation field are the lecturers and the ones in charge of teaching the labs.</p><p>. It is hosted at the University of Tennessee so you get to see their Rehabilitation facility to get an idea of how to set yours up and see which type of flow would work best for your clinic.</p><p>. You are required to complete an externship, a certain amount of case studies and also must give a presentation before sitting for the exam. There is a time lapse from when you complete lectures and labs as to when this is due. Then there is another time lapse before when you sit for your exams.</p><p>. You do have to return to TN to sit for the exam, as there is a lab practicum portion.</p><p>. You become part of an elite group of people to bounce ideas off and help the Veterinary world continue to expand and improve! Also, the Smoky Mountains are within reasonable driving distance!</p>