This brand new clinical residency program, designed so that licensed physical therapists can obtain advanced orthopedic knowledge and clinical skills, is part of the America Physical Therapy Association's 2020 vision plan which stresses the increasing need of residency/fellowship education within a doctoring profession.

The program, the first of its kind in the NY/NJ/CT tri-state area, includes a didactic component consisting of six courses at a total of 240 contact hours and a clinical component consisting of 3 internship experiences requiring 1596-1700 hours (including patient care, OCS mentorship, case presentations, teaching assistance, and physician contact hours). Courses, which will be available throughout the year in summer, fall, and spring (weekends and weekdays), will focus on advanced anatomy, physiology, pathology, and examination and intervention skills of the musculoskeletal system as well as evidence-based orthopedic physical therapy. Students can complete this program in 12 months.

Upon graduation, therapists will be able to provide specialized care for this rapidly growing patient population, and will be eligible to sit for the clinical specialist exam in orthopedic physical therapy offered by the American Physical Therapy Association.