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Clinical Residency in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy

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Advance your practice. And your career.

The MGH Institute's Clinical Residency in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy is designed for physical therapists wishing to advance their clinical skills in orthopaedics. This year-long residency combines clinical mentoring, academic courses, and opportunities for teaching, research, and community service. Upon completion, residents are prepared for the APTA Orthopedic Clinical Specialist Certification Examination.

Physical therapist working on a patients knee

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Residency Components

During the year of the residency program, the resident will be a part-time employee of one of our clinical partners (approximately .75 FTE), with non-degree student status at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Over the course of one year, the resident/employee will complete:

  • At least 1500 hours, or approximately 30 hours per week, of orthopedic physical therapy clinical practice in one of our clinical partner facilities that includes 150 hours of one-to-one mentoring (approximately 3 hours per week) with an advanced clinician mentor on staff at the clinical partner facility;
  • 140 hours of didactic education through completion of the Elevating Practice in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Continuing Education Course and attendance at designated evening seminars.
  • 360 hours of Resident Directed Learning (proposed as 15 hours per week), including but not limited to:
    • APTA Orthopaedic Section Independent Study courses;
    • Mentored clinical research and/or completion of a journal-formatted case report;
    • Paid laboratory instructor teaching responsibilities in Institute physical therapy courses;
    • Community Outreach.

Residency Goals & Objectives

Residents will provide high-quality patient care for those with orthopedic conditions, consistent with being a clinical specialist.

Objectives: Residents will:

  • Demonstrate advanced skills in examination, diagnosis, evaluation, and intervention
  • Demonstrate complex clinical reasoning processes
  • Sit for and pass the specialist certification examination in orthopedics physical therapy administered by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS)

Residents will engage in evidence-based practice.

Objectives: Residents will:

  • Seek and find cutting-edge evidence to support orthopedic physical therapy practice
  • Integrate existing and emerging evidence with patient preferences and clinical experience to provide high-quality care

Residents will become clinical mentors, teachers, and consultants for other physical therapists and members of the healthcare community.

Objectives: Residents will:

  • Value the roles of mentoring, teaching, and consulting
  • Communicate clearly and confidently to colleagues
  • Give and receive feedback in an open and supportive manner

Residents will adapt to emerging roles as physical therapists in the new healthcare system.

Objectives: Residents will:

  • Engage in effective and efficient practices and processes designed to provide the right care at the right time to the right patients
  • Seek opportunities to contribute to the development and implementation of new practice models that will advance the profession and delivery of services

Focus on Teaching, Research, and Community Service

We're committed to educating well-rounded residents with the skills to improve the lives of their patients, mentor students, interact successfully with other members of the healthcare community, and contribute to the physical therapy body of knowledge through research.

By serving as laboratory instructors and project mentors under the mentorship of our physical therapy faculty, you'll have the unique opportunity to teach students in our highly-ranked Doctor of Physical Therapy program while enhancing your understanding of orthopedic physical therapy.

You will also participate in research through the MGH Institute or one of our clinical partners in the Mass General Brigham system.

Finally, there are opportunities for you to be involved in health promotion initiatives (including health and wellness programs) in the Charlestown area and/or adaptive sports programs at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston.

An Expert to Mentor You

During the residency year, you will have a paid clinical appointment with one of our clinical partners: Massachusetts General Hospital, Spaulding Outpatient Center Framingham, or Brigham and Women’s Rehabilitation Services Foxborough.

As part of the clinical appointment, over the course of the residency year, 150 hours is devoted to one-on-one mentoring with an experienced practitioner who has undertaken advanced continuing education at the MGH Institute.

Application & Clinical Partner Matching Process

Applicants to the residency program must:

  1. Be graduates of (or expect to graduate by program initiation) a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy program.
  2. Have (or have by program initiation) a valid Massachusetts PT license.
  3. Hold current CPR certification.
  4. Have completed a minimum of 10 weeks of clinical experience in an orthopedic setting either as a student or as a licensed PT.

The Clinical Residency in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy program participates in the Residency/Fellowship Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS). The application process begins in October.

Apply

Completed applications must be submitted by December 2, 2024, for a Fall 2025 start. 

Candidates who are preliminarily accepted by the PT Department will interview with one or more of our Residency clinical partners.

Interviewed candidates who are determined to meet employment criteria at one or more partner facilities and are approved by the facility as qualified residents/employees will be matched to a clinical partner through a collaborative process with the facility and the Program Coordinator.

As employees of an MGB facility, each resident must meet the conditions for both initial and ongoing employment for that facility. Potential residents will be informed of all employment standards of the facility prior to accepting the residency position.

For more information on the Residency Program, contact our Program Director Benjamin Adams, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, CSCS.

Cost & Compensation

Costs

$7,275 which includes:

  • Residency Fee: $6,335, due during the residency year.
  • APTA Home Study Courses: $400 (Orthopaedic Section member price), due at the start of the program.

Fact Sheet

Compensation

The Residency wage & benefit packet is equivalent to a 75% employee.

 

100%

1st time pass rate for residents on specialty certification

100%

program completion rate

50%

of residents are hired at their clinical site

Accomplished Faculty

In the Clinical Residency program, you'll learn from expert clinical and academic faculty who apply the latest evidence in the practice and teaching of orthopaedic physical therapy.

View All Faculty Experts
Keshrie Naidoo, PT, DPT, EdD

Keshrie Naidoo, PT, DPT, EdD

Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor Chair, Physical Therapy Dept.

Keshrie Naidoo, PT, DPT, EdD

Michelle Cormier, OTR/L, CHT

Instructor Elevating Practice in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy

Michelle Cormier, OTR/L, CHT

Reg B. Wilcox

Reg B. Wilcox III, PT, DPT, MS

Associate Professor Physical Therapy

Reg B. Wilcox III, PT, DPT, MS

Emmanuel Yung

Emmanuel "Manny" Yung, PT, DPT, PhD (c), OCS, FAAOMPT

Assistant Clinical Professor, Sacred Heart University

Emmanuel "Manny" Yung, PT, DPT, PhD (c), OCS, FAAOMPT

Learn About Our Residents

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Dr. Justin Wong PT, DPT, OCS
Sun, 06/05/2022
Stories
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Dr. Lauren Rimmel, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS
Sun, 06/05/2022
Stories

Change lives. Every day.

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