To Our Prospective Residents

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Thank you for your interest in the USF Health School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences’ (SPTRS) Orthopaedic Residency program. 

The mission of the USF Health SPTRS Orthopaedic Residency program is to provide physical therapists with advanced didactic and clinical educational opportunities that will improve their ability to integrate scientific knowledge and clinical practice instruction, and facilitate development of advanced diagnostic, clinical decision-making, and hands-on clinical skills in orthopaedic physical therapy that fosters growth of professionals by a team of educators committed to clinical excellence.

The following program highlights set our residency program apart from others:

  • Self-directed learning, using the APTA Orthopaedic Section’s Residency Curriculum in addition to weekly seminars regarding the current evidence in each of the anatomic regions.
  • Advanced knowledge acquisition in the areas of professionalism, ethics and value-based care, leadership, and motor control and motor learning.
  • Engagement in community service as a preceptor in the student-run pro bono BRIDGE Clinic twice a month.
  • Participation in academic teaching of the SPTRS’ Doctor of Physical Therapy students.
  • Participation in interprofessional clinical practice as a member of the Internal Medicine Musculoskeletal Clinic.
  • Development of a case report to add to the body of physical therapy knowledge.

The residency begins in December of each year and runs for 13 consecutive months. The residency in orthopaedic physical therapy provides advanced clinical training in the management of patients with neuromusculoskeletal conditions of the following regions: spine (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar/sacroiliac), craniomandibular, and extremities (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle, foot). 

The expected outcome of the program is an advanced-practice clinician with knowledge and clinical reasoning skills advantageous for improved care, with optimum outcomes for individuals having neuromusculoskeletal dysfunctions and movement impairments that result in activity or participation restrictions. The curriculum of this residency is also designed to prepare physical therapists for the Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Specialty Certification Examination.

Thank you for your interest. For more information regarding the Orthopaedic Residency program, please e-mail pt-residency@health.usf.edu. To apply, please go to http://www.abptrfe.org/RFPTCAS/ApplicantWebsite/.

Sincerely,
Aimee B. Klein, PT, DPT, DSc, OCS
Assistant School Director, Clinical Services and Residency Program
Program Director, USF SPT&RS Orthopaedic PT Residency Program
Board Certified in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy