APTA Learning Center

Your Access to Trusted Continuing Education

Using Reflection to Strengthen Clinical Decision‑Making

  • Register
    • Non-Member - $179
    • PT Member - $149
    • PTA Member - $149
    • Student - $29
    • Post-Professional Student - $149
    • APTA Staff - Free!

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This course prepares clinicians to use reflection as a practical tool for improving clinical decision‑making, not as an added task or abstract exercise. Learners will explore evidence‑based reflection strategies and apply them directly to everyday clinical reasoning, uncertainty, and complex patient care across experience levels.

Key Features:

  • Format: Asynchronous, interactive
  • Cost: 
    • $149 PT/PTA/Post-professional members
    • $29 Student members
    • $179 Non-members
  • Earn CEU: 0.3 (3 contact hours)

Enroll today to strengthen how you think through clinical decisions, using reflection in ways that fit naturally into your existing practice, teaching, or training environment.

Melissa Dreger

Melissa Dreger

PT, DPT, MA

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)

Melissa Dreger, PT, DPT, MA is a Specialist in the Continuing Education Program at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) within the Professional Affairs Unit. She earned her BS in Exercise Science from the University of Mount Union in 2012 and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2015. She went on to complete the Orthopedic PT Residency Program at the University of Delaware in 2016 and became a Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist in 2017.  

In 2024, Dreger earned her Master’s degree in Organizational Development and Change from Fielding Graduate University, and is currently ABD in the PhD program, with an anticipated graduation in late 2026. Her dissertation explores the individual and system‑level factors that bring physical therapists to the moment of learning post‑graduation.

Dreger has held roles as a senior physical therapist, clinical instructor, residency educator, and core faculty member, and now serves as the primary content developer and instructional designer for the APTA Learning Center. Her contributions include the Primary Care Certificate, Persistent Pain Certificate, Professionalism and Ethics Series, and Continuing Competence course.

Course Instructions

  1. Click on the Contents tab to watch the course recording.
  2. Click the Take Quiz button to complete the assessment. Learners will have 3 attempts to pass and must answer at least 70% of questions correctly.
  3. Click Fill Out Survey under the Evaluation listing to provide valuable course feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window.
  4. Click the View/Print Your Certificate button under the Certificate listing. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the APTA Learning Center and clicking the CEU Certificate/Transcript link on the left-hand side of the page. 

Need Assistance?

For assistance logging in, accessing activities, claiming credit, or for other questions or concerns, please e-mail learningcenter@apta.org. 

Key:

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Using Reflection to Strengthen Clinical Decision‑Making
Begin self-paced component package.
Begin self-paced component package.
You must register to access.
Assessment
14 Questions  |  3 attempts  |  11/14 points to pass
14 Questions  |  3 attempts  |  11/14 points to pass This assessment includes a combination of multiple‑choice and true/false questions. You will have up to three attempts to complete the assessment. A score of 11 out of 15 points is required to successfully pass the course. Please review each question carefully before submitting your responses.
You must register to access.
Course Evaluation
9 Questions
9 Questions
You must register to access.
CEU Certificate
Up to 0.30 contact hours available  |  Certificate available
Up to 0.30 contact hours available  |  Certificate available
You must register to access.