Without a formal American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) subspecialty board in wound care, physicians are left confused regarding which certifying organization can provide certification consistent with their knowledge and skill sets. The ABWM provides the most established, rigorous option for actively practicing physicians who want to justify their expertise in wound care. Most organizations accept the ABWM certification as equivalent or superior to their own (where you can attain their certification just by obtaining CWSP certification). The ABWM exam is more comprehensive, and appropriately covers what is best for physicians to know. With the numerous certification organizations in wound care, CWS provides the right combination of rigor and consistency. 

When I heard about certification in wound care 18 years ago, I knew it was for me. After becoming a CWS in 2002, I found that I had more job opportunities and was more confident in my abilities. I also learned a great deal in my studies for the initial CWS exam and the re-certification 10 years later, making me a better therapist. I have practiced in various settings and am thrilled to now be working in a wound clinic for a company I love - I couldn’t do this without my CWS. Wound care is my passion and certification has given me the chance to thrive.

 I became certified as a CWS in 2004 when the home health agency I worked for at the time actually began classes via video conferencing and study guides to help those interested get certified. I remember taking the exam and thinking all the information was simply overwhelming and there was no way I passed, but I did. I also began teaching the subject that same year at our local PT program at Angelo State University, as adjunct faculty. It is amazing how much more you realize you understand as you compile the information in an organized fashion to present to students at the entry level. I know teach full time as an Assistant Clinical Professor at ASU after receiving my DPT from Texas Tech University. Despite teaching other subjects such as management, acute care and some rehab considerations the students still hear that excitement in my voice when I talk about wound care.

I am proud to state I am a CWS, this level of certification is recognized by the local physicians I work with and they are respectful of the knowledge required to achieve this. When I discuss it in front of groups of potential PT students or in doing talks for local organizations, so many people don’t realize the breadth of the practice, both in PT and in wound care as a whole.

As for preparing for the re-exam I passed in 2014, I used two text books, Wound Healing Evidence Based Management by J. McCulloch and L. Kloth, 4th edition, F. A. Davis; and Acute and Chronic Wounds Current Management Concepts by R. Bryant and D. Nix, 4th edition, Elsevier. I made notes from these texts, compared the texts. It was nice, because certain “exotic” wounds might not be in one of the texts, but it was generally covered in the other. I have since taken one of the prep courses for the exam, and it was great, covered the information very well in two days.

As for my plans, I will continue to teach wound care at the doctorate clinical level to our students and practice it at every opportunity.

The people that assisted me the most were those with the home health agency back in 2003 and 2004 that assisted in preparing me for my first sitting of the exam.