University of Miami – Jackson Rehabilitation Hospital Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency Program

The mission of the UM – JRH Neurologic Residency Program is:

“To provide post professional training to licensed physical therapists to advance their knowledge, skills in patient/client management, and clinical reasoning to enable them to assume a greater role in the area of neurology clinical practice: evidence-based practice, leadership, education, administration, and consultation.”

This residency program is designed to prepare participants to become skilled primary care neurologic physical therapists by providing focused academic and clinical experiences. Residents will function as an integral member of an interdisciplinary team to assure integrated care for the patient, and will be able to provide primary care as a point of entry into the healthcare system for neurology clients.

The goals of the residency program are to educate physical therapists to:

• Facilitate the resident’s ability to integrate foundational science, learning and developmental theory, and evidence-based clinical practice in neurology through structured academic and clinical experiences.
• Provide opportunities through direct patient care or specialty observation for the Residents to develop advanced skills as a direct service provider and/or consultant in a variety of practice settings with a variety of patient populations as required in the current Neurology DSP and DRP.
• Provide opportunities to develop advanced skills as an educator utilizing appropriate educational strategies that are congruent with the setting (community-based, clinical and/or academic) and needs of the learner to effectively deliver content to increase knowledge and skills of caregivers, students, colleagues, and other interdisciplinary care providers.
• Parent/care giver education
• Peer education including in-services and journal clubs
• Community education programs
• Teaching students enrolled in a doctoral level physical therapy program
• Provide opportunities to develop skills in critical thinking and research to enable them to contribute to the neurologic physical therapy profession in the future.
• Provide a curriculum that addresses all areas of the current Neurology DSP and DRP, to successfully complete the neurology clinical specialist certification examination by the ABPTS.
• Provide academic and clinical training in advanced skills in neurologic physical therapy that meet or exceed ABPTRFE accreditation standards.
• Provide the surrounding community (South Florida) and beyond with residency trained physical therapists who excel in neurology practice, clinical education, cultural competence, and utilize a biopsychosocial approach.
• Prepare residents to contribute to the profession of physical therapy, and the larger healthcare community, through leadership, evidence-based practice, teaching, and service.

Credentialing

The UM-JRH Neurology Residency Program was founded in 2017 and was one of the first Neurology Physical Therapy Residency Programs in South Florida. It became an ABPTRFE accredited program in 2018. The program starts in early August and runs for 54 consecutive weeks. Resident’s pay no tuition fee while enrolled in the Program.

Salary

Residents will be working at Jackson Rehabilitation Hospital for 6 months and University of Miami Hospital for 6 months and receive an adjusted salary. Residents do not carry a full-time case load in order to allow time for didactic coursework, research, presentations and projects.

Benefits

Residents are eligible for benefits through Jackson Rehabilitation Hospital and University of Miami Hospital during their Residency “year”. This includes employer supported health and dental insurance, and paid time off (vacation, paid leave, and six holidays).

Overview

The program is designed to provide a year-long intensive study of neurologic physical therapy, to prepare the resident to assume a greater role in the care of persons with neurologic conditions/ disorders and their families in the areas of: leadership, education, administration, consultation and evidence-based practice. In addition, the combined didactic curriculum and focused clinical mentoring will prepare the residents to sit for (and pass) the Neurology Clinical Specialist Examination. Our residency graduates have maintained a 100% first time pass rate on the neurologic clinical specialist board exam. Furthermore, our personalized approach to developing residents and our small cohort sizes provide opportunities for extensive formal and informal mentoring, and 100% of our accepted residents successfully complete this rigorous program.

Residents work a five (5) day, 40 hour work week with structured one-on-one mentoring approximately four hours per week. Time is set aside during the week as a “residency day” during which residents spend time participating in didactic training, research, projects and presentations related to the overall curriculum of the residency program. Residents spend approximately 2 months in the acute care, 3 months in the intensive inpatient rehabilitation hospital setting and approximately seven months in an outpatient clinic setting. Additional clinical experiences at the University of Miami include: wheelchair seating clinic, and specialty clinics (i.e., Vestibular, ALS). Clinical mentors are on-site and work side by side daily with the residents.

Residents receive educational training on numerous topics related to neurologic physical therapy which are expected knowledge areas published in the current Description of Specialty Practice for Neurology Physical Therapy. The content is taught by expert faculty from the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Department of Physical Therapy, Jackson Rehabilitation Hospital, University of Miami Hospital and expert clinicians in the community. Learning units are taught every week throughout the year. Residents are also expected to lead and participate in hospital rounds, case presentations and/or journal clubs, and teach in the entry level DPT program at the University of Miami. Neurology residents participate with other residents currently enrolled in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, and Orthopedics physical therapy residency programs here at University of Miami for select topics.

• The evaluation, treatment and prognosis for a variety of neurologic conditions, including (but not limited to): Spinal Cord Injury, Acquired Brain Injuries, Basal Ganglia Disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Vascular Accident, Functional Neurologic Disorders, Peripheral Neurologic Disorders, Neuro-degenerative conditions, Neuro-Oncologic conditions, and neurodevelopmental conditions.
• Interpreting and Using Research in Clinical Practice
• Musculoskeletal Issues in the neurology patient
• Cardiac Issues in the neurologic patient
• Pulmonary Issues in the neurology patient
• Integumentary Issues in neurologic patient (wounds and burns)
• Practice settings in Neurology Physical Therapy
• Public law and its implications to Neurology Physical Therapy
• Teaching and learning theory
• The Critically Ill neurologic Patient (Neuro ICU)
• Aging with neurologic conditions/disorders
• Feeding and Oral Motor considerations for the neurologic patient
• Speech, Language, and Communication considerations for the neurology patient
• Adolescent/Sports medicine in the treatment of concussions
• Health Promotion and Wellness Issues in the neurologic patient
• Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation
• Gait/Motion analysis
• Prosthetic/Orthotic Considerations
• Assistive Technology and Equipment
• Wheelchair prescription and fitting
• Use of Complementary Medicine in Neurology

Program Faculty

• Core Academic Faculty
• James Moore PT, PhD
• Neva Kirk-Sanchez PT, PhD
• Meryl Cohen PT, DPT
• Eileen Garay PT, DPT
• Zahilly Salinas PT, DPT

Core Clinical Faculty

• Matthew Caraher PT, DPT
• Angelica Cota PT, DPT
• Melanie Orell PT, DPT
• Justine Payne PT, DPT
• Nathalie Sawaya PT, DPT
• Emily Schultz PT, DPT

Program Coordinators

• James Moore PT, PhD - Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist
• Melanie Orell PT, DPT - Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist
• Angelica Cota PT, DPT - Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist