MUSC Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency

Benefits of a Residency Program

Participate in an accredited, post-professional residency for one year (beginning in September) to facilitate and accelerate the attainment of advanced clinical abilities in orthopedic physical therapy. Focus on patient-centered, evidence-based practice with independent didactic study, 1:1 mentoring with board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialists, hands-on and web-based classes. A residency promotes lifelong learning among the residency graduates through preparation to assume a leadership role in the treatment of patients as well as educating and training other health care providers.

Advance your practice through networking opportunities in addition to teaching and learning with peers that share similar goals and interests. Residency graduates will be prepared and qualified to sit for the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Specialist Certification (OCS) Examination.

About the Orthopedic Residency Program

The one-year Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency at The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is designed to advance a clinician’s skills and knowledge concerning patient-first orthopedic physical therapy supported by the best evidence, and track outcomes for quality improvement. The residency accepts 4 to 6 residents annually.

The program includes learning modules and activities that reinforce clinical practice based on best-evidence, research, and scholarship. The residency integrates content with MUSC’s other residency programs: Neurological, Geriatric, and Pediatric Residency to enhance the depth and breadth of the learning experience for all residents.

Residency components include:

• Independent patient care
• 1:1 mentoring
• A scholarly project
• Case presentations
• Didactic and laboratory coursework designed to provide a basis for advanced clinical practice using both online and face-to-face learning formats.

Residents must attend 4 weekend intensive sessions at MUSC in Charleston, SC for hands-on learning sessions.

Residents are licensed physical therapists and receive a salary and benefits package from their clinical employer. Each mentor is hand-selected and undergoes advanced mentor training with MUSC to ensure successful mentoring across all of our sites.

Why MUSC?

MUSC has a rich 40+ year history of educating physical therapists at the entry- and post-professional levels. Our academic and clinical faculty have many years of clinical and educational experience in various specialties, holding board certifications in orthopedic, neurological, and pediatric physical therapy.

The MUSC Orthopedic Physical Therapy program is designed as a hybrid program, blending clinical experience, and mentoring with online and in-person didactic work. Throughout the residency, the resident will attend weekly virtual meetings and four intensive weekends in Charleston.

This program is designed to advance your practice and prepare you for the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Specialist Certification (OCS) Examination.

Orthopedic Residency Facilities

Accreditation

The MUSC Orthopedic Physical Therapy Orthopedic Residency is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) council of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Program Outcomes

The MUSC Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency has had a 100% graduation and retention rate of 18 residents since 2016 with a first-time pass rate of the ABPTS Orthopedic Specialty Examination of 86%.

Graduation & Certification

Residents who successfully complete the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency receive a certificate of completion from MUSC and documentation to apply residency hours towards continuing education certification with the state of South Carolina. Graduates are eligible to take the orthopedics specialist certification examination administered by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) and should apply for the examination while they are participating in the residency.

Orthopedic Residency Admissions

Admissions Policy

The holistic admissions process aims to build an Orthopedic Residency class that reflects a range of individual characteristics and backgrounds, preparing students for the variety they will encounter in their practice. For the admissions process, we intend to foster a rich learning experience for students in the program and create a class of graduates who will, as a group, excel in the many aspects of physical therapy. Our consideration will include factors that contribute to a class with varied life experiences.

The goals of the admission process for the Orthopedic Residency are to:

• Identify the most qualified applicants through a fair and impartial admissions process.
• Enroll highly qualified individuals with the most significant potential to become Certified Neurologic Therapists.

Requirements

To apply to this program, you must:

• Must have graduated from a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy program.
• Must have a physical therapy license in the state where they will be practicing.
• Must be employed full-time at a partnering clinical site.
• Must demonstrate membership to APTA.
• Applications open from March and close mid-July.
• The Program starts in the beginning of September.

Application Process

• Email Program Coordinator, Dana Meadows at meadowda@musc.edu, to apply.
• Complete an employment application for the participating residency facility of your choice.

Orthopedic Residency Curriculum

The curriculum consists of 300 hours of didactic and hands-on content. We present the didactic content in modules with quizzes following each module:

1. Shared Curriculum with other MUSC Residents (Evidence-Based Practice, Statistics, Ethics, Teaching and Learning, Motor Learning, Leadership, Gait/Orthotics)
2. Spine
3. Upper Quarter
4. Lower Quarter
5. Self-Paced (Nutrition, Imaging, Cardiopulmonary)

In addition, residents translate evidence by presenting six case studies throughout the year and critically appraise evidence with journal club presentations for each body region. Residents are strongly encouraged to submit one of these case studies for publication at a state or national conference.

Mentoring

Each resident is mentored by an employee of the clinical partner, and involves at least 150 hours of 1:1 time together, 100 of which must be in patient care. Mentoring a resident is different than mentoring an entry level student, as many residents will enter the program with some degree of clinical experience. The resident-mentor relationship:

• Is a partnership in which the mentor actively supports the professional growth and development of a resident
• Is a reciprocal and evolutionary process
• Challenges AND supports
• Promotes knowledge translation (how does that gained knowledge relate to this patient situation today)?
• Helps the resident integrate the knowledge – not the mentor’s responsibility to provide the knowledge
• Teaches the resident how to learn so they can approach any future situation
• Opens discussions of intention versus impact
• Guides clinician to finding their own professional identity
• Strives to provide just the right amount of challenge, just the right amount of support at the right time to obtain learning and professional growth
• Promotes rapid transformation of research into clinical practice

Faculty of the PT orthopedic residency program

Jodie Rush, PT, DPT
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist

Dana Meadows, PT, DPT
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist

Kalynne Ballares, PT, MSPT
Board Certified Neurological Specialist

Patricia Bennett, PT, DPT
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist

Megan Donaldson, PT, Ph.D.

Sarah Elder, PT, DPT
Board Certified Neurological Specialist

Rebecca Janney, PT, DPT
Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist

Kim Kascak, MS

Sara Kraft, PT, DPT
Board Certified Neurological Specialist

Stephanie McGowan, PT, MSPT, DSc
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist

Toni McNeal, OT
Certified Hand Therapist

Kenneth Miller, PT, DPT, Ph.D.
Board Certified Geriatric Specialist

Kris Phillips, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist

Bryant Seamon, PT, DPT, Ph.D.
Board Certified Neurological Specialist

Gretchen Seif, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist

Abbey Sullivan, PT, DPT, CKTP
Board Certified Pediatric Specialist

Lori Uhrig, PT, ATC, Cert. DN
Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist
Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist

Victoria Wilson, PT, DPT
Board Certified Neurological Specialist