Orthopedic Residency Program Overview

The 12-month residency program will begin in July/August. The resident must successfully complete all residency requirements to be eligible to apply for the ABPTS Orthopedic Specialist exam. The resident will apply for the specialty exam during the last month of the residency program and will sit for the exam in the following March. 

Academic Coursework: Coursework is provided in a self-directed, continuing education format with courses delivered predominately online using Canvas. The resident will complete a total of 7 courses focusing on content based on the Description of Specialty Practice (DSP) in Orthopedics.  Courses are between 16 and 35 weeks long, and the resident will take 2-4 courses per trimester. Residents can expect to spend an average of approximately 6 hours per week on didactic coursework for a total of at least 315 hours during the 12-month residency. See below for an outline of the didactic curriculum. Additional didactic experiences will be assigned on an individual basis as needed.

• PTCE 0125   Orthopedic Specialist Practice 1 (4 CEUs)
• PTCE 0126   Orthopedic Specialist Practice 2 (4 CEUs)
• PTCE 0127   Contemporary Management 1: Upper Quarter (8 CEUs)
• PTCE 0128   Contemporary Management 2: Lower Quarter (8 CEUs)
• PTCE 0062   Professional Roles in Expert Practice (2 CEUs)
• PTCE 0051   Evidence-Based Practice and Outcome Measurement in Expert Practice (3 CEUs)
• PTCE 0072   Independent Study: Research Project (4.5 CEUs)

Clinical Practice: The Orthopedic Residency has two clinical locations. Residents will be employed 32 hours per week at NSU’s Physical Therapy Clinic in Ft Lauderdale or OPPT in Tampa/St. Petersburg.  Residents are expected to carry a full patient caseload consisting of patients with orthopedic conditions. Clinical mentorship is provided by residency program faculty, at least 3 hours per week. Clinical mentoring may include collaborative patient care and discussion of patient cases between mentor and resident.  

• 32 hours per week independent clinical practice of which 3 are mentored hours
• Minimum of 1500 clinical practice hours over 12 months of which 150 are mentored hours

Teaching/Scholarship:  As part of the Residency, residents are expected to participate in teaching/instruction of basic orthopedic skills for entry-level physical therapy students at their respective NSU campus. Residents are also responsible for providing physical therapy related education to peers and staff at the clinic sites.

• Total of 150 hours of teaching responsibilities over 12 months

Scholarship: Residents will complete a scholarly project such as a pilot research study, clinical case report, or faculty driven research project in the area of orthopedic physical therapy which may be presented and/or published in a peer reviewed format.

Evaluation of Learning

Resident learning will be evaluated using a variety of methods including:

• Multiple choice tests/quizzes
• Completion of case studies
• Research article critique/analysis
• Skills checks to evaluate clinical skills
• Live patient examinations
• Completion of a scholarly project
• Feedback from clinical mentors

Requirements for Successful Completion of the Program

Requirements for successful completion of the Orthopedic Residency Program include:

• The resident will consistently meet or exceed standards required for employment at the NSU Physical Therapy Clinic/ OPPT Palm Harbor during the residency program.
• Resident must complete a minimum of 1,500 hours in direct patient care with patients with orthopedic diagnoses including 150 mentored hours
• Resident must successfully complete all courses with an 80% or better, including written, practical skills, and live patient examinations
• Resident must complete a scholarly project

Minimum requirements for eligibility:

• Currently hold or be eligible for physical therapy licensure in the state of Florida¹
• Graduated from a CAPTE accredited physical therapy program²
• Must be eligible for employment at program clinic sites
• Submit a complete application by published deadline
• Participate in an interview with admissions committee (for selected candidates)
• Must have access to a computer which will support required components of Canvas (ie. Javascript, cookies, Java Runtime Environment)

¹Prospective residents who will be new graduates at the start of the residency program may apply for acceptance to the orthopedic residency program pending sitting for the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE); however, continued participation in the residency program will be contingent on passing the licensure exam.

²New graduates (defined as a physical therapists practicing in the clinic for less than 1 year) applying to the orthopedic residency program will need to provide transcripts to demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or above in entry-level PT coursework is preferred.

Preferred attributes include:

• Current member of the APTA and Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy
• Completion of at least 1 clinical internship in a primarily orthopedic setting
• Exhibit leadership qualities, evidence of motivation, accountability, and self-directed behavior
• Display strong written and oral communication skills
• Effective use of critical thinking in clinical situations using sound rationale for choices
• Have experience conducting research (ie. case report, faculty guided research, data collection, data analysis, etc.)
• Evidence of high academic achievement (for new graduates) 

2022-2023 Residency Cycle