Brooks Rehabilitation, in collaboration with the University of North Florida, has developed four residency programs including a PT Orthopaedic Residency, PT Neurologic Residency, PT Women's Health Residency and a multidisciplinary Geriatric Residency. In addition, Brooks has implemented an Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship Program.
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Brooks Rehabilitation is a leader in post-professional clinical education which is demonstrated by its active involvement in providing residency and fellowship level training for many disciplines. The eventual goal of the Brooks Residency/Fellowship Program is to have multiple residencies in the specialty areas of orthopaedics, neurologic, sports, pediatrics, geriatrics, cardiopulmonary, and women's health, as well as several fellowships in the areas of orthopaedic manual physical therapy, chronic pain, vestibular, spinal cord injury, and stroke. It is also the goal to have each of the programs credentialed by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
The Orthopaedic Residency was the first program to be implemented by Brooks, and in January 2007, six residents began this rigorous, year-long, advanced training program that includes intense didactic and hands-on learning as well as clinical mentoring. On July 31, 2007, the Orthopaedic Residency attained the impressive status of being credentialed by the APTA.
The Neurologic Residency was implemented in November 2007 with three residents participating in the first training class. APTA credentialing for this program was attained in March 2009. The faculty are comprised of a mix of strong clinicians and academic leaders from around the country.
The Geriatric Residency was implemented in July 2010 with four residents participating in the first training class. This program is the first multidisciplinary geriatric residency in the nation, and prepares the residents to educate and care for an aging population who is living longer.
The Women's Health Residency will be implemented in July 2011. It will provide strategic support to our robust Women's Health Program that is under the Leadership of Dr. Cindy Neville. This program will provide a diverse and comprehensive educational experience for individuals interested in practicing in the specialty practice area of Women's Health.
In January 2010, we implemented our first Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy (OMPT) Fellowship Program. This program provides an eclectic educational experience for individuals interested in attaining increased skills in the practice area of orthopaedic manual physical therapy. Feel free to contact Bob Rowe to receive additional information regarding this program.
These programs promise to be valuable educational tools for therapists entering the market, as well as a method of ensuring the continued world-class rehabilitative services that Brooks provides to the community.
All residency and fellowship programs begin in July each year and have an admissions application deadline of March 15th. Applications from candidates are welcome at any time up until the application deadline. Our Admissions Page has further information regarding the application process.
Brooks/UNF Residency and Fellowship Mission, Goals & Objectives
Clinical Residencies and Fellowships
Currently the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) credentials programs who meet the standards and guidelines set forth within the various specialty areas of practice. The residency/fellowship training is similar to the medical model in that licensed physical therapists who have graduated from an accredited physical therapy program will enter the residency training to attain advanced training within a specialty area of practice. If that individual chooses they could pursue an additional training that is more advanced and a sub-specialty of a specialty area of physical therapy practice. For example, an individual would successfully complete an orthopaedic residency and then they may pursue more advanced training in a sub-specialty area of orthopaedics such as manual therapy. The APTA has defined the two levels of training in the following way:
A clinical residency is a planned program of post-professional clinical and classroom education for physical therapists that is designed to significantly advance the physical therapist resident's preparation as a provider of patient care services in a defined area of clinical practice. It combines opportunities for ongoing clinical supervision and mentoring with a theoretical basis for advanced practice and scientific inquiry.
A clinical fellowship, in contrast, is a planned program of post-professional clinical and classroom education for physical therapists who demonstrate clinical expertise, prior to commencing the program, in a learning experience in an area of clinical practice related to the practice focus of the fellowship. Fellows are frequently post-residency prepared or board-certified specialists. A fellowship program must possess a curriculum that: 1) is focused, with advanced clinical and didactic instruction within a subspecialty area of practice; 2) is intensive and includes extensive mentored clinical experience; and, 3) provides a sufficient and appropriate patient population to create an environment for advanced clinical skill building.
Planning for the future of rehabilitation
In keeping with our vision of providing rehabilitation leadership to the community, Brooks identified residency and fellowship programs as a critical method for developing future clinical leaders in Physical Therapy (PT).
The APTA names post-professional clinical training programs as one of the primary methods to prepare physical therapists to meet the practice needs of the future. Therapists who complete a Clinical Residency Program and/or Clinical Fellowship Program generally demonstrate superior clinical skills, advanced knowledge in a specific area of clinical practice and the ability to act as advocates and educators to their peers and patients. This program will markedly advance the clinical and critical thinking skills of the future PTs who complete the program and also develop future educators.
The Brooks Clinical Residency and Fellowship Program will develop a steadily rising tide of talent that will elevate our entire clinical enterprise and the quality of healthcare services we provide to the community.