USA’s 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.
Clinical Requirements
Applicants may choose to pursue their Fellowship in the clinic they currently work, or find a position within a qualified and approved clinic anywhere in the United States.
A minimum of 850 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 in the clinic with a qualified and approved mentor, over the duration of the Fellowship.
Didactic Requirements
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:
Evidence Based Research
Medical Diagnostics
Foundations of Clinical Orthopaedics
Professional Communications
Educational Theory
Basic Craniofacial
Pharmacology
Imaging
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
Spinal Instability
APTA CI course
Additional Requirements
Participate in 12 Journal Clubs, lead 3 (online or in the clinic)
Participate and lead 12 Case Rounds (online or in the clinic)
Present 3 formal Case Presentations
Attend 1 AAOMPT conference
Complete Healthcare 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
