Category A – Formal Courses in Upper Extremity Therapy

All 80 hours may be submitted in this category.

Courses that may be applied to this category can be from the following formats regardless of the length of the course.

  • Formal professional development courses that award CEUs or contact hours
  • Academic course work at a college or university
  • Home study or web-based courses that award CEUs or contact hours and issue a certificate of completion

Courses in Category A reflect the most critical content that relates to evaluation and treatment of the upper extremity as determined from the current Hand Therapy Scope of Practice and reflect the areas tested on the Hand Therapy Certification Examination (HTCE). These areas were rated by hand therapists in the practice analysis as being moderately or highly critical to the care of upper extremity patients.

Refer to the Hand Therapy Scope of Practice for a detailed list.

As it applies to HTCC's professional development categories, the upper extremity includes the cervical spine, scapula, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand.

  • Courses with content that is a combination of the upper extremity and the lower extremity should be divided between Category A and Category C. When submitting hours for courses with mixed content, be sure to include the course outline as documentation of how the hours were divided.
  • Courses with content specific only to the lower extremity belong in Category C.
  • The Journal of Hand Therapy’s "Read for Credit" is accepted in Category A.
  • Home study and web-based courses can be entered into Category A. To obtain credit for these courses in the FIRST recertification cycle, the courses must be purchased after the date you took the exam and became certified.
  • If you have presented a lecture for a course that you have also attended, you cannot apply the portion of the course that you taught in this category. You can, however, apply those hours in Category E.
  • You may submit the same course for credit each time that you take it within the five-year period.
  • Three contact hours are awarded for completing the HTCC Self-Assessment; the assessment can be completed for credit twice during a recertification cycle with at least one year between each submission for a maximum of eight contact hours per 5-year cycle.

Mail, upload or fax Employment Verification Form to HTCC at 916-922-0210 or toll free in US at 866-308-6433. You may also scan and email your form(s) to info@htcc.org

  • The course being submitted must specify the number of contact hours awarded.
  • 1 contact hour = 1 clock hour of education.
  • 1 CEU = 10 contact hours.
  • If the course is taken through a college or university:
    • One Semester Hour or one credit equals 15 contact hours
    • One Quarter Hour or one credit equals 10 contact hours
  • The specific number of hours of educational content must be indicated.

Submit a copy of the course certificate, the formal transcript, or grade report that contains:

  1. Your name
  2. Date(s) of attendance
  3. Title of course
  4. Sponsoring organization
  5. Contact hours awarded
  • If the course did not provide a certificate, submit written verification of attendance signed by a supervisor or course coordinator containing the same information as above.
  • If the course title does not include words that convey that content relates to therapy of the upper extremity and/or hand in examination and/or therapeutic management, you must submit the course or content outline.
  • If the course content is clear from the title, please do not submit the course outline or flyer.
  • If you are dividing the content between two categories, you must submit the course or content outline. A course schedule or overview is sufficient; the course syllabus is not necessary.
  • A course registration receipt alone is NOT sufficient proof of attendance.