Become an Expert Clinician
Become an expert clinician and prepare to sit for the orthopaedic clinical specialization examination offered by the American Physical Therapy Association’s Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
The Arcadia University Orthopaedic Residency is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association as a post-professional residency program for physical therapists in Orthopaedics.
What to Expect
- Applications for admission are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Clinical mentoring occurs at the resident’s current clinical practice site.
- Didactic curriculum utilizes a hybrid model of online learning and onsite manual skills laboratory sessions.
- Opportunities for involvement in research based on interest.
- Opportunities exist to teach in the entry-level DPT curriculum and to serve as mentors and lecturers for the residency curriculum upon completion of the residency.
- Residents able to qualify for deferment of student loans.
- The 18-credit residency program is one year in length.
- The program is affordable and competitively priced.
- Benefits to the resident include enhancing professional development, advancing knowledge and skill acquisition, and learning via direct mentoring.
- Residents will graduate with a Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Certificate from Arcadia and be prepared to sit for the orthopaedic clinical specialization examination offered by the American Physical Therapy Association’s Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
Program Outcomes
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Residents have successfully completed the Arcadia University Orthopaedic Residency requirements at a rate of 97% (through 2018).
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Graduates of the Arcadia University Orthopaedic Residency have achieved a first time pass rate of 100% on the OCS exam offered by the ABPTS (through 2018).
Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Certificate Option
For those looking for advanced clinical and didactic orthopaedic physical therapy education but unable to commit to the mentoring component, the Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Certificate is an option:
- The 12-credit program can be completed in one to three years.
- Students can take two courses before formal application and matriculation.
- There is no required course sequence.
- Coursework follows the Orthopaedic Residency Program
About the Orthopaedic Residency Program
The mission of the Orthopaedic Residency Program at Arcadia University is to develop and produce expert physical therapists who provide best practice using evidence in the examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and outcome of musculoskeletal conditions.
Graduates of the residency will demonstrate orthopaedic competency in compliance with the Description of Specialty Practice as described by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). This planned program of post-professional clinical and didactic education is structured to advance the knowledge and skills of the physical therapist in orthopaedic content.
This program is designed to provide sufficient content, knowledge and skills to prepare residents to sit for the orthopaedic clinical specialization examination offered by the American Physical Therapy Association’s Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
Didactic Component
The didactic component of the program consists of six 2-credit courses. Two courses deal with general concepts relevant to the management of all musculoskeletal conditions. The remaining four courses are specific to certain regions of the body, and each includes relevant anatomy, biomechanics, imaging, medical screening as well as current best evidence related to examination and intervention with emphasis on the most prevalent conditions for each region. The regional course content includes a laboratory component for development of manual skills.
Laboratory Sessions: The courses in the program utilize a hybrid model of online learning with integrated manual skills laboratory sessions. The manual skills laboratory sessions will occur between 2 to 4 weekends per year. The program is highly interactive and capitalizes on the wealth of knowledge clinicians bring with them.
Mentoring Component
In addition, a mentoring component is required, which will be completed at the resident’s place of employment under the guidance of a board-certified orthopaedic clinical specialist or equivalent advanced certification. The residency will culminate in the completion of a final capstone project.
Benefits to the resident include enhancing professional development, advancing knowledge and skill acquisition, and learning via direct mentoring. Opportunities exist to teach in the entry-level DPT curriculum and to serve as mentors and lecturers for the residency curriculum upon completion of the residency.
Admission Requirements
Orthopaedic Residency Requirements
- Proof of graduation (transcript) from a physical therapist degree program accredited by an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education (currently CAPTE) with a GPA of 2.75 or higher
- Current state professional license (offer of admission to the program is contingent upon licensure in the state of practice)
- Three written essays:
- What do you wish to gain through participation in a residency/fellowship program?
- Discuss aspects of your background and professional experience that particularly qualify you for participation in a residency/fellowship program.
- What are your future plans as they relate to a specialized/subspecialized area of physical therapy?
- Three written recommendations (two references at a minimum must be professional references - Clinical Instructor, Professor, Supervisor, etc.)
- Basic computer skills including Internet and e-mail
- Computer system requirements
Musculoskeletal Certificate Program Requirements
- Proof of graduation (transcript) from a physical therapist degree program accredited by an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education (currently CAPTE)
- Current state professional license
- Brief essay articulating and interest in the certificate
- Basic computer skills including Internet and e-mail
- Computer system requirements
Tuition and Costs
Tuition can be found at www.arcadia.edu/gradtuition
Orthopaedic Residency Curriculum Requirements
18 credits
The didactic curriculum for the Orthopaedic Residency program consists of six, 2-credit courses. There is no required course sequence. An additional 6 credits of independent study are required to reflect the mentoring process.
The following courses are required.
- [COURSE:PT656] (2 credits)
- [COURSE:PT680] (2 credits)
- [COURSE:PT681] (2 credits)
- [COURSE:PT682] (2 credits)
- [COURSE:PT683] (2 credits)
- [COURSE:PT684] (2 credits)
- [COURSE:PT789] (6 credits total - 2 Fall, 2 Spring, 2 Summer)
Musculoskeletal Certificate Completion Requirements
12 credits
The curriculum for the Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Certificate program consists of six, 2-credit courses (see above; aside from PT789). There is no required course sequence.
Course Schedule
Summer
PT656 - Neuromuscular Tissues and Motor Control
PT680 - Evidence Based Practice and Clinical Reasoning
PT789R1 - Independent Study-Orthopaedic Residency I
Fall
PT681 - Advanced Orthopaedic Practice: Cervical Spine, Thoracic Spine, and TMJ
PT682 - Advanced Orthopaedic Practice: Upper Extremity-Shoulder Elbow, Wrist & Hand
PT789R2 - Independent Study-Orthopaedic Residency II
Spring
PT683 - Evidence Based Evaluation and Treatment of the Lumbar Spine and Sacroiliac Joint
PT684 - Advanced Orthopaedic Practice: Lower Extremity-Hip, Knee, Ankle & Gait
PT789R3 - Independent Study-Orthopaedic Residency III
