APTA Can’t Even Mail Me the OCS Certificate I Paid For
Mostly just venting, but this whole experience has really summed up how I’m feeling about the profession and APTA at this point.
I got my DPT in 2019 and pursued my OCS as a professional goal. I studied, passed the exam, got the certification, and was genuinely proud of accomplishing it.
To my memory it took almost a year to get my physical OCS certification. Which unfortunately was damaged during a move.
In late July I ordered a replacement copy of my OCS certificate because I wanted to actually display it. It’s now October 1st and I still don’t have it.
I’ve contacted APTA about it. In mid Septemeber, I was told there was an issue with their shipping-label printer, that IT was supposed to have it fixed that day, and that they expected to start printing and shipping orders the following day. More than two weeks later, I still have no certificate and no tracking number.
Maybe this sounds like a small thing, but it’s incredibly frustrating coming from our own professional organization. We already spend a ridiculous amount of money on education, licensing, continuing education, certifications, memberships, recertification, etc. I paid for a replacement certificate almost two months ago, and apparently getting a piece of paper mailed to me is too much to ask.
At this point, I don’t think I’m going to renew my OCS when the time comes. I pursued it because it was a personal and professional goal. I accomplished it. I checked that box. I’m glad I did it, but I don’t see the value in continuing to pay to maintain a credential when I can’t even get a replacement certificate that I already paid for.
Between experiences like this and how burned out I’ve become with the profession itself, I have very little confidence in where PT or APTA is headed.
Maybe I’ll eventually feel differently, but right now I’m increasingly thinking it’s time to take the DPT/OCS experience, recognize what I accomplished, and move on to something else.