HSS and Stamford Health Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and Stamford Health Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency & Fellowship Education as a post-professional residency program for physical therapists in Orthopedics. It is a one-year, full-time, clinically-based training program designed to accelerate the professional development of selected physical therapists. Physical therapists with advanced clinical skills from the outpatient areas of HSS Rehabilitation and Stamford Health serve as faculty mentors to guide residents in development of advanced clinical expertise and current knowledge in the specialty of orthopedic physical therapy. The program is also designed to prepare residents to sit for the ABPTS Orthopaedic Certified Specialist (OCS) examination.

Program Mission

The mission of the Hospital for Special Surgery and Stamford Health Orthopedic Residency program is to provide quality advanced education in a collaborative and comprehensive program, preparing orthopedic physical therapists for advanced clinical practice. The program will enhance professional growth and foster continuous improvement toward strategic initiatives, developing highly skilled patient care providers and educators in the communities they serve. 

Time Commitment and Salary

The Orthopedic Physical Therapy Clinical Residency is a full-time position, one year in duration. The resident is expected to work 40-45 hours/week. A salary and benefits package is provided.

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Important Dates

• The Residency runs from November - October of each year
• The application deadline is September 15th for a November start

Minimum requirements for applicants

• US citizenship
• Graduation from an accredited physical therapy program
• Current PT licensure and registration in Connecticut
• Membership in the APTA and APTA Orthopaedic Section preferred (required by date of program entry)
• Commitment to successfully completing all program requirements including independent study of the APTA Orthopaedic Section’s residency curriculum and examinations (purchased by resident)
• Commitment to taking OCS exam at earliest eligibility

Recommended

• At least 6 months of clinical experience in an orthopedic outpatient setting (by date of program entry)
• Malpractice insurance (minimum $1 mil per occurence/$3 mil aggregate)

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted through the RF-PTCAS centralized application service.

Curriculum

The curriculum of the Hospital for Special Surgery and Stamford Health Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency provides residents with a comprehensive, structured program of clinical and didactic experiences for the development of advanced critical reasoning and clinical skills in orthopedic physical therapy based on the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties’ “Description of Specialty Practice for Orthopaedic Physical Therapy”. Residents will provide supervised patient care at HSS Sports Rehab Chelsea Piers, in Stamford, CT, as well as participate in educational experiences. Instructional methods include one-to-one mentoring by physical therapists with advanced expertise, a lectures/labs series given by program and guest faculty, HSS grand rounds, inservices, clinical observation of physical and occupational therapists with advanced clinical expertise, observation of orthopedic surgeries and physician visits, and involvement in journal club and research-related activities. The curriculum comprises modules on the lumbar spine/pelvis, cervical and thoracic spine, upper extremity and lower extremity, and special topics such as pain science, ergonomics, research, pharmacology, radiology, pediatric/adolescent orthopedics and craniomandibular disorders. In addition, residents complete an independent study of the didactic residency curriculum of the APTA Orthopaedic Section, including 6 written examinations. Residents integrate and share their expanding skills and knowledge through presentation of critically appraised journal articles, case presentations, and preparation of a research informed project.

Clinical Site

HSS Sports Rehab - Chelsea Piers in Stamford, CT

Program Goals

• Residents will be provided a comprehensive, collaborative and consistent program that includes both didactic and clinical experience in the specialty of Orthopedic Physical Therapy.
• Develop residents with a high level of clinical decision making in the specialty of Orthopedic Physical Therapy in preparation for successful completion of the ABPTS Orthopaedic Specialist Certification (OCS) examination
• Prepare residents to be competent in critically appraising scientific literature, incorporating relevant findings into clinical practice, and actively participating in research activities
• Prepare residents to make contributions as educators of patients, peers and other healthcare providers
• Develop residents who exhibit the highest standards of professionalism

Contact for additional information

Lindsay Holmes, HSS Stamford Orthopedic PT Residency Program Director
lholmes2@stamhealth.org, 203.276.2661