Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency Program

The mission of the University of Miami Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency Program is to provide post-professional orthopaedic 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 orthopaedic clinical practice: evidence-based practice, leadership, education, administration, and consultation.

This residency program is designed to develop participants into skilled orthopaedic clinical specialists by providing them with education and training through both academic and clinical experiences. These experiences are structured to facilitate growth with knowledge, clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, teaching, leadership, and research in orthopaedics. We provide a comprehensive curriculum that addresses all areas of the current Orthopaedic Description of Specialty Practice and Description of Residency Practice, and it prepares participants to successful complete the ABPTS orthopaedic clinical specialist certification exam. In fact, since our inception in 2013, our graduates have maintained a 100% first time pass rate on the orthopaedic clinical specialist board exam. Further, our personalized approach to developing residents and our small cohort sizes provide opportunities for extensive formal and informal mentoring, and 91% of our accepted residents successfully complete this rigorous program.

Accreditation

The University of Miami Orthopaedic Residency Program is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE). Graduates of our program are eligible to sit for the orthopaedic clinical specialist board certification exam.

Length of Study

12 months.

Program Entrance Date

Residents enter the program in August and complete all requirements by the end of August the following year.

Tuition

While enrolled as a resident in the UM Orthopaedic Residency Program, there is no fee for tuition.

Salary

Residents will be employed full time by the University of Miami and receive a salary. Salaries are somewhat lower than those for new graduate PT’s. (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 University of Miami during participation in the Residency Program. This includes employer supported health and dental insurance, and paid time off (vacation, sick time, and six holidays).

Overview

The program is designed to provide residents with a year-long intensive study of orthopaedic physical therapy, preparing them to sit for (and pass) the Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist Exam offered by the American Board of PhysicalTherapy Specialties. Clinical time during the residency, which includes structured one-on-one mentoring, comprises 80-90% of a typical week. The remainder of time is spent completing didactic training, teaching in the entry-level DPT program, research, and other projects and presentations related to the residency program.

Residents receive didactic training on numerous topics related to orthopaedic physical therapy, including all the expected knowledge areas published in the current Description of Specialty Practice for Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. Our curriculum is built around 3 threads: pain science, manual therapy, and primary care. The content is taught by expert faculty and clinicians from the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Department of Physical Therapy and expert clinicians in the community. Learning units are taught weekly throughout the year. Residents also expected to lead and participate in Rounds, Case Presentations, and Journal Clubs.

• Practice and disablement models
• Interpreting and using research in clinical practice
• Principles of teaching
• Science of manual therapy
• Pain science
• Movement science 
• Exercise physiology
• Medical screening
• Pharmacology
• Radiology
• Lumbar Spine and Pelvis
• Cervical and Thoracic Spine
• Shoulder
• Elbow, Wrist, and Hand
• Hip
• Knee
• Ankle and Foot

Core Faculty

Marlon Wong PT, PhD (Program Director)
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist

Marlon Pereira PT, DPT, (Program Assistant Director)
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist
Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist

Jessica Bolanos PT, DPT (Program Coordinator)
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist

Richard Mancini PT, MSPT
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist

Alexyz Milian PT, DPT
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist

Chelsea Miller PT, DPT
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist

Luis A. Feigenbaum, PT, DPT, LAT
Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist

Joseph M. Mirando, PT, DPT
Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist

Adjunct Faculty

Lawrence Cahalin PT, PhD
Board Certified Cardiopulmonary Clinical Specialist

Meryl Cohen PT, DPT
Board Certified Cardiopulmonary Clinical Specialist

Ira Fiebert PT, PhD

Teresa Glynn PT, DPT

Greg Hartley PT, DPT
Board Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist

Gaylene Horsfall OT
Certified Hand Specialist

Neva Kirk-Sanchez PT, PhD

James Moore PT, PhD
Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist

Kathy Roach PT, PhD