Orthopaedic Residency

Qualified applicants MUST meet the following requirements:

• Hold a current PT license in the state of Colorado or hold licensure in another state and be willing to apply for licensure by endorsement in Colorado within 5 days of accepting the position.
• Desire to excel and specialize in Musculoskeletal Conditions.

Preferred Attributes  

• Current APTA member.
• Exhibit leadership qualities, effective communication skills and evidence of motivation, accountability and self-directed behavior.
• Display strong written and oral communication skills.

• All applications for the 2024-2025 Residency experience must be submitted through RF-PTCAS (common application system). Applications must be complete and submitted to RF-PTCAS by January 15, 2024. All applications must be verified in RF-PTCAS by February 15th, 2024 to be considered for an interview and move forward in the process. Since the verification process can take longer than two weeks, we suggest that serious applicants have their full application submitted earlier than the stated deadline.
• All complete and verified applications will be reviewed by a committee, and invitations to complete an initial interview using Zoom (computer audio and video) will be issued in February 2024 to the top pool of candidates. These Zoom interviews will be conducted between mid-March and mid-April 2024 and an onsite interview may occur the following month. Additional information will be provided later. 
• RF-PTCAS login
  

Orthopaedic Residency Learning Outcomes

1. Residents will demonstrate advanced skills as direct service providers and/or consultants in outpatient orthopaedic setting with a variety of patient populations as delineated in the current Orthopaedic DSP and DRP. 
2. Resident will demonstrate preparedness to sit for and successfully pass ABPTS orthopaedic clinical specialist certification examination.
3. Residents will contribute to the profession of physical therapy, and the larger healthcare community, through leadership, evidence-based practice, teaching, and service.

The University of Colorado School of Medicine Physical Therapy Orthopaedic Residency in partnership with UCHealth includes:

• Clinical mentoring for development of orthopaedic physical therapy clinical skills in an outpatient setting.
• Orthopaedic physician clinic/surgical observation
• Attendance of University of Colorado School of Medicine Orthopaedic Sports Medicine physician residency and fellowship lecture series
• Monthly Special Interest Group participation
• Advanced orthopaedic physical therapy joint region coursework
• Leadership, professionalism and career development coursework
• 100 hours of teaching experiences in the entry level DPT program in the Musculoskeletal and/or Clinical Anatomy courses
• Paid salary with full benefits package as a UCHealth employee.
• Access to all library and educational resources through the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Specifics

The didactic curriculum will consist of a combination of independent study through online modules, in-person lectures/seminars and in-person lab-based learning. The curriculum will take advantage of a variety of resources including: University of Colorado Physical Therapy program faculty, ULearn (UCHealth), MedBridge and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Courses.

Throughout the Residency Program, the Resident will receive mentorship via

1. Direct observation of Resident by mentor during patient care (a minimum of 150 hours total) and
2. Case discussion and review. The Residency Director, OCS faculty member(s), and other clinical Residency faculty members will provide these forms of mentorship.

Overview of the schedule:

• Core curriculum classes: The resident will complete modules and attend lecture/labs provided by program faculty, American Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Current Concepts in Orthopaedics coursework, and Medbridge coursework.
• Joint region core curriculum content: The timing of content will mirror the University of Colorado entry level MSK tract with resident content occurring 3-5 weeks prior to resident teaching the content in the entry level lab setting. The structure will be as follows:
  • Fall: Shoulder, elbow wrist and hand
  • Winter: Lumbar, SIJ and hip
  • Spring: Knee, ankle and Foot
  • Summer: Cervical Spine, Thoracic Spine and TMJ.
• Independent Study: Independent Study time is included in the schedule for each content section and varies with clinic schedules and other commitments. This time will be used by the Resident for: working on independent or group projects, completing coursework, quizzes and assessments, core curriculum courses, attending in-services, or participating in self-directed learning on pertinent topics related to patient care, orthopedic physical therapy, healthcare topics, etc.
• Professional Development: The Resident will have many opportunities to engage in professional development through UCHealth and University of Colorado School of medicine symposiums, conferences, and workshops.

Can I be considered if I am currently a DPT student and will not be taking the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) until July 2023?

As part of our application, you will be asked whether you are currently licensed or when you plan to take the NPTE. The April test date is the latest option for an applicant who is completing their DPT degree during the application cycle. If you are not able to test by April and receive a passing score, you will not be eligible to apply in this cycle and will need to wait until the next application cycle to apply to our Residency program.

When will your application become available?

Our application will become available through RF-PTCAS (the centralized web-based application) October 2nd^s 2023. We also require a supplemental fee in addition to the application and fees through RF-PTCAS.

Will I get paid as a Resident?

Yes, the Resident is hired as a UCHealth employee and will receive salary commiserate to an 80% employee salary with a full benefits package.

How many people typically apply to this program and how many are applicants are accepted?

We are only able to accept two residents per year. The number of applicants varies each year, but in the past several cycles, we have approximately 10-20 qualified applicants.

How much does the residency program cost?

There is NO tuition cost. Residents will be responsible for the costs associated with taking the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists (ABPTS) Orthopaedic Board Exam.

What kind of supervision and/or mentorship will I receive in this program?

It is important to understand that in a residency program, you are no longer a student and do not require direct supervision. Instead, as a licensed physical therapist working towards clinical specialization, you will receive at least 150 hours of mentorship from our clinical mentors in order to help prepare you as a highly qualified provider of patient care services in outpatient orthopaedic clinical practice areas. You are expected to independently manage patients in a variety of settings, and the clinical mentors will offer guidance and direction through formal (3-4 hours per week) and informal mentoring opportunities.

How much Orthopaedic experience do I need to be considered for this residency program?

Orthopaedic experience (such as a longer clinical education experience while obtaining your DPT) is recommended. While, orthopaedic experience is not required, you need to have a clear reason and vision for why you want to pursue an orthopaedic specialization at this stage of your professional career. You will be given the opportunity to explain why you want to specialize in orthopedic PT and complete a residency program in your application to our program.

How long does the University of Colorado Orthopaedic PT Residency Program take to complete?

This residency program is 13-months long beginning the first week of August and ending the first week of September the following year.

May I contact residency graduates about their program experiences?

Yes, residency graduates are open to discussing their experience in the program. The best initial contact is through email: 

Graduate 2021-2022: Kristen (KT) Townsend: kristen.townsend@uchealth.org

Graduate 2021-2022: Courtney Snider: Courtney.snider@uchealth.org

Graduate 2022-2023: Emily Spiegelberg: Emily.Spiegelberg@uchealth.org

Graduate2022-2023: Morgan Hatch: Morgan.Hatch@uchealth.org

• 4 Residency Program graduates (100% graduation rate)
• Residency Program graduates passed OCS exam on first attempt (100% first time pass rate).
• All Residency Program graduates are working in Orthopaedic physical therapy.
• Residency Program graduates are involved in teaching DPT students as affiliate faculty for entry level programs and/or serve as clinical instructors.