PHYSICAL THERAPY

ORTHOPAEDIC PHYSICAL THERAPY RESIDENCY

What is the Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency at Temple University?

The Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency at Temple University is a one-of-a-kind post-professional program available to physical therapists.  As defined by the APTA, a Residency is “A planned program of post-professional clinical and didactic education that is designed to advance significantly the physical therapist's preparation as a provider of patient care services in a defined area of clinical practice.”

The Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency at Temple University consists of advanced clinical management courses for musculoskeletal disorders, taught by an expert faculty, plus structured mentoring courses to allow clinical practice of techniques and concepts.

What are the advantages of a Residency?

Research has shown that therapists who have participated in a structured Residency have produced more favorable patient outcome measures than individuals who attended traditional, weekend-only continuing education.

What content is included in the Residency?

Course content for the Residency is based on the APTA’s Description of Specialty Practice for Orthopaedic Physical Therapy (DASP).  All regions of the musculoskeletal system will be covered with an emphasis on utilization of evidence from high quality clinical trials.  The didactic portion will be complemented by a structured, on-line learning experience combined with weekend hands-on sessions.  The on-line environment provides the resident with a structured series of lectures, case discussions and journal article review.  The weekend sessions provide opportunity to practice psychomotor skills with instruction from Temple faculty members whom have advanced orthopaedic certifications and are Fellowship Trained in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy.

What are the prerequisites for the Residency?

• Clinical doctoral degree (DPT or transitional DPT)
• Working full-time in orthopaedic physical therapy
• Access to a physical therapist with OCS designation and willing to serve as a clinical mentor

How does coursework relate to the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists (ABPTS) and the Orthopaedic Certified Specialist (OCS) exam?

All faculty members maintain OCS designation and design and deliver course materials that attempt to meet the standard of the OCS examination.

What are the costs associated with the Residency?

The Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency offers a competitive cost with other residency programs.  The residency is a total of 12 credits of graduate coursework at Temple University. For the most up-to-date information on tuition rates, please consult Tuition Rates.  The Residency may qualify for tuition reimbursement or deferment of loans, check with your employer or lender for more information regarding your situation.

Anyone requiring accommodations must contact Disability Resources and Services at: (215) 204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex (Main Campus).