Abstract
Occupational therapy is a health profession that is currently implementing board certification as a means of recognizing advanced practice. This article reviews the history of advanced practice in occupational therapy. It includes a discussion of the difficulty of defining advanced practice in a profession that is continually evolving to meet the needs of the society it serves. The American Occupational Therapy Association has established Standards of Continuing Competence that are used to assist in the self-study for board certification. Board-certified therapists serve on expert panels to review applicants' self-studies and the e-portfolios to determine when the candidates have provided sound evidence of their advanced practice skills and performance. Implications and the importance of advanced practice are discussed in terms of their implications for the growth of the profession and future practice.