Knowledge Is Power: Tips for Learning in the CRT Industry

Whether you are just peeking behind the curtain into the world of complex rehabilitation technology (CRT), preparing to sit for the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) exam, or you are a full-blown wheelchair nerd with years of experience, it is essential to have resources available to help improve your knowledge so you can help provide better outcomes for your clients.

Here are a few tips and resources I have found beneficial to foster my CRT knowledge over the years:

CRT Tribe

It is often said that we should always surround ourselves with people who are wiser to bring us up to a new level, people who are on our same level that we can relate directly to, and people who we can mentor in an effort to bring them to a higher level. When building your CRT Tribe, try finding people who fit into each of those categories.

So where do you find these people? No, there is not an app for this... yet. In August I wrote a post on the importance of teamwork when it comes to the evaluation process. The fellow professionals on your team might be a good place to start. You may also want to look into joining groups on social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn. The best pieces of advice I can give you for building a tribe is to not be afraid to ask questions and make connections. I owe a great deal of my gratitude to my CRT Tribe, because without them I would not have been able to positively impact the lives of the clients I have served in my career.

Professional Organizations

When it comes to the CRT industry, I always encourage clinicians and suppliers to explore the resources, follow on social media, and/or join three professional organizations: National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (NCART), National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers (NRRTS), and the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA). These organizations provide a wealth of information for clinicians and suppliers.

Publications

There are a number of helpful industry whitepapers, position papers, articles, and publications I refer to on a regular basis. You can find a lot of great information on this site under the Helpful Links section.

If I had to list my personal top three books/guides, I would include:

• Seating and Wheeled Mobility: A Clinical Resource Guide by Michelle L. Lange ORT/L ABDA ATP/SMS and Jean Minkel PT ATP

• A Clinical Application Guide to Standardized Wheelchair Seating Measures of the Body and Seating Support Surfaces by Kelly Waugh, PT, MAPT, ATP and Barbara Crane, PT, PhD, APT/SMS
• Assistive Technologies: Principles & Practice 4^th Edition by Albert M. Cook and Jan Miller Polgar

Continuing Education

Attending conferences or participating in webinars is another fantastic way to broaden your knowledge. As a part of the Education in Motion website, we have information on how you can request to host one of our clinical educators in your area to teach a course on a variety of topics.

Education in Motion

Do you want to be a part of our CRT Tribe? I encourage you to sign up to receive the Education in Motion newsletter, explore the site, and come back often. We are dedicated to serving as a trusted resource and to that end, we are adding new content to this site monthly. If you have questions, do not hesitate to email us at Education.Canada@sunmed.com.

"Learning is not a product of schooling, but the lifelong attempt at acquiring it." - Albert Einstein

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