The Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences offers practicing physical therapists the opportunity to enhance their manual physical therapy skills through a focused curriculum with advanced clinical and didactic instruction that is intensive and extensive.
Participants can also earn academic credit toward the transitional DPT, EdD, or DHSc programs at the University of St. Augustine.
Program Basics
- Length of Fellowship: Minimum of 12 months; maximum of 36 months
- Prerequisites: E1 and S1 seminars; 2 years’ clinical experience in orthopaedics or completion of an accredited orthopaedic residency
- Patient-care hours: 440
- Mentored hours: 160 (1:1 hours)
- Location: Any qualified clinic in the United States
- Curriculum: Online and seminars
- Journal club: Attend 12 and must lead three (online or in clinic)
- Case rounds: Attend and present at 12 case rounds (online or in clinic)
- Conference requirement: Attend one American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT) conference
- Scholarly requirement: Submit one poster presentation
- When can I start? Terms begin three times per year (January, May, and September).
Mission Statement
The mission of the Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program at USAHS is to graduate physical therapists who have achieved advanced competency of skills in both clinical and didactic learning in orthopaedic manual physical therapy.
Program Learning Outcomes
The goal of USAHS’ Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program is to supply a mentored process of learning that achieves advanced clinical specialty skills for both psychomotor and didactic learning, that facilitates enhancement of decision making through critical thinking and problem solving, and through which the mentor enhances the therapist’s ability to be an independent, active learner.
At the completion of the Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program of USAHS, the fellow graduate will
- apply advanced skills for examination of orthopaedic patient cases;
- analyze the outcomes of the patient examination to formulate an evaluation statement;
- apply and modify advanced skills for intervention of orthopaedic patient cases;
- plan and implement physical therapy management strategies, which take into consideration preventative aspects of patient documentation and employment needs of the patient;
- plan and implement physical therapy management strategies, which relate directly to functional improvement;
- demonstrate appropriate decision making for patient care;
- apply evidence based practice with patient care;
- formulate a research investigation;
- communicate effectively with patient and patient-related services and administrative personnel;
- identify strengths and weakness in his or her learning environment through reflective thinking and appropriate communications;
- apply an ethical standard of clinical practice; and
- apply to become a Fellow of AAOMPT.
Admission Requirements
All applicants to the Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program must undergo an application/admission process. The Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program is open to any physical therapist who has a minimum of 2 years of clinical practice in orthopaedics or has completed an APTA-accredited Orthopaedic Residency and has completed the USAHS E1 and S1 seminars.
APTA now has a centralized application system for residencies and fellowships, RF-PTCAS. Candidates must apply to USAHS’ Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship through RF-PTCAS.
Documents that must be submitted include the following:
- RF-PTCAS Application
- Essay
- Official transcripts from all previous institutions of higher learning
- Two references from professional colleagues
- Current résumé which lists continuing education involvement and professional publications
- Copy of professional state license
- Current photograph
Responsibility and Learning Activities
USAHS’ Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship is a demanding clinical and didactic learning experience designed to graduate physical therapists with advanced competency in manual physical therapy.
Participants are responsible for their progress in the fellowship program. Expected learning experiences will be developed at the beginning of the fellowship during discussions between the participant and the clinical faculty. However, both the faculty and participant must remain flexible to possible changes that may occur in the schedule.
Clinical
- A minimum of 440 patient care hours—examination and treatment will cover the following body regions: cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, pelvis - SI, craniomandibular, hip, knee, ankle, foot, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand.
- 160 hours of one-on-one mentoring (over the duration of the fellowship) in the clinic with a qualified and approved mentor
Applicants may choose to pursue their Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship in the clinic where they currently work or find a position within a qualified and approved clinic anywhere in the United States.
Didactic
The didactic portion of the fellowship focuses on advanced training in examination, evaluation, clinical reasoning, orthopaedic manual physical therapy, and patient management based upon the practice dimensions described in the Advanced Description of Specialty Practice for Orthopaedic Physical Therapy and the AAOMPT Education Standards of Practice.
Expected learning experiences will be developed at the beginning of the fellowship during discussions between the participant and the clinical faculty.
Examples of potential courses include the following:
- Research for the Clinician
- Foundations of Clinical Orthopaedics
- Dry Needling
- Professional Presentations
- Educational Theory
- Basic Craniofacial
- Pain Science
- Professional Development Portfolio
- Practicum
- Imaging
- Cultural Competence
- Perspectives in Practice
- Clinical Instructor Credentialing
- E1: Extremity Evaluation and Manipulation; E2: Extremity Integration
- S1: Intro to Spinal Evaluation and Manipulation; S2: Advanced Evaluation and Manipulation of Lumbar Thoracic Spine; S3: Advanced Evaluation and Manipulation of Craniofacial, Cervical and Upper Thoracic Spine; S4: Functional Analysis and Management of Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Complex
- MF1: Myofascial Manipulation
- Manual Therapy Certification or Review
- Thrust
- Imaging Seminar
- Craniofacial I or Advanced Craniofacial
- Spinal Instability
- APTA CI Credentialing course
Additional Requirements
- Participate in 12 journal clubs; lead three (online or in the clinic)
- Participate and lead 12 case rounds (online or in the clinic)
- Present three formal case presentations
- Attend Manual Therapy Certification review week or three residency skills labs (one per term: Spine, Upper Extremity, Lower Extremity)
- Attend one AAOMPT conference
- Complete health care observations, mentored clinical exams, and clinical skills checklists
- Complete a professional communications project
- Produce a scholarly product which is disseminated to the professional community (e.g., poster and/or platform presentation, publication in peer reviewed journal)
- Opportunity to teach and mentor entry-level DPT students, depending on location and if desired
Program Tuition and Fees
- RF-PTCAS application fee
- Administrative cost of $12,000.00 if the applicant has already taken Manual Therapy Certification, and $15,000 if the applicant has not yet taken Manual Therapy Certification for the duration of the program
- Cost of APTA and AAOMPT membership dues
- Cost of attendance and travel to a Clinical Instructor (CI) Credentialing Course and an AAOMPT conference
- Cost of malpractice insurance
Fellows in training will be mentored in a qualified clinic by an approved mentor while completing didactic components. If applicable, mentor fees for clinical mentoring are negotiable between fellow and mentor.
Accreditation
The Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program was re-accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) in 2013 as a postprofessional fellowship program for physical therapists in orthopaedic manual physical therapy. -updated 04/25/2019
Notice:
The Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program is not under the purview of the Commission for Independent Education.
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