About the Program
About the Program
- Arcadia University Orthopaedic Residency is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association as a post professional residency program for physical therapists in Orthopaedics.
- Arcadia University Orthopaedic Residency Applications for admission are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Clinical mentoring occurs at the resident’s current clinical practice site or alternative 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.
- 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.
The mission of the Arcadia University Orthopaedic Residency 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 and Description of Residency Practice in Orthopaedics 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 musculoskeletal content. The program will work to guide and promote growth of physical therapy residents and faculty in orthopaedics through on-going continuous improvement and strategic initiatives. The residency will provide sufficient content, knowledge and skills to prepare students to sit for the orthopaedic clinical specialization examination offered by the American Physical Therapy Association’s Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
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 over 4 weekends per year. The program is highly interactive and capitalizes on the wealth of knowledge clinicians bring with them.
In addition, a mentoring component is required, which will be completed at the resident’s place of employment or alternative site 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 D.P.T. curriculum and to serve as mentors and lecturers for the residency curriculum upon completion of the residency.
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