The University of Miami, Department of Physical Therapy and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital have jointly formed the University of Miami – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (UM – NCH) Pediatric Physical Therapy Residency Program. This year long program offers licensed physical therapists the opportunity to gain structured educational and clinical experiences in a variety of pediatric settings, including: hospital/acute care, outpatient, and school-based/Early Intervention. In addition, residents will work or have structured experiences in: seating clinic, spasticity clinic, neuromotor clinic, and hemophilia clinic.
The academic component of the program is completed at the University of Miami, Department of Physical Therapy on the Coral Gables campus. Clinical mentoring takes place at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s main campus and satellite centers and at the University of Miami, Debbie School. Mentoring is led by experienced pediatric physical therapists and board certified pediatric clinical specialists.
We accept two (2) Residents per cohort, have a 100% graduation rate, a 95% first time passing rate for the ABPTS Board Certification exam, and accepted our twelfth cohort of residents for 2023-2024.
The mission of the UM – NCH Pediatric 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 pediatric clinical practice: evidence-based practice, leadership, education, administration, consultation, and advocacy.”
This residency program is designed to prepare participants to become skilled primary care pediatric 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 pediatric clients.
The goals of the residency program are to:
Facilitate the resident’s ability to integrate foundational science, learning and developmental theory, and evidence-based clinical practice in pediatrics 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 Pediatric Description of Specialty Practice (DSP) Description of Residency Practice 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
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 pediatric physical therapy profession in the future.
Provide a curriculum that addresses all areas of the current Pediatric DSP and DRP, to successfully complete the pediatric clinical specialist certification examination by the ABPTS.
Provide academic and clinical training in advanced skills in pediatric 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 pediatric 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, service, and advocacy.
General Information
Credentialing: The UM-NCH Pediatric Residency Program received initial accreditation in 2013 as the first Pediatric Physical Therapy Program in Florida and received reaccreditation 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 employed full time by Nicklaus Children’s Hospital 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 Nicklaus Children’s Hospital during their Residency “year”. This includes employer supported health and dental insurance, and paid time off (vacation, sick time, a personal day and six holidays).
Overview: The program is designed to provide a year-long intensive study of pediatric physical therapy, to prepare the resident to assume a greater role in the care of children and their families in the areas of: evidence-based practice, leadership, education, administration, consultation, and advocacy. In addition, the combined didactic curriculum and focused clinical mentoring will prepare the resident to sit for (and pass) the Pediatric Clinical Specialist Examination.
Clinical Mentoring
Residents work a five (5) day, 40-hour work week with structured one-on-one mentoring approximately four hours per week. Typically, one day a week is set aside 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 six months in the acute care/hospital setting and approximately six months in an outpatient clinic setting. Additional clinical experiences at the University of Miami include: Early Intervention, school-based physical therapy, and specialty clinics (i.e., seating clinic, spasticity clinic, neuromotor clinic, and hemophilia clinic). Clinical mentors are on-site and work side by side daily with the residents.
Didactic Curriculum
Residents receive didactic training on numerous topics related to pediatric physical therapy which are expected knowledge areas published in the current DSP. The content is taught by expert faculty from the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Department of Physical Therapy, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and expert clinicians in the community. Learning modules 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. Pediatric residents participate with other residents currently enrolled in other University of Maim Physical Therapy Residency Programs (Geriatrics, Orthopedics, Sports, Neurologic, and Cardiovascular & Pulmonary) for select topics.
Learning Unit Topics (sample)
Leadership and Professionalism
Practice Models
Interpreting and Using Research in Clinical Practice
Movement System
Normal and Abnormal development
Musculoskeletal Topics
Neurological Topics
Genetic disorders and other syndromes
Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Topics
Pulmonary Issues
Integumentary Topics (wounds and burns)
Hematology/Oncology Topics
Practice settings in Pediatric Physical Therapy
Acute Care/Inpatient Care
Outpatient Care
Neonatal Intensive Care/Neonatology
Early Intervention
School-Based Services
Public law and its implications to Pediatric Physical Therapy
Teaching and learning theory
Feeding and Oral Motor considerations
Speech, Language, and Communication considerations
Amanda Clifton, PT, DPT, Board Certified pediatric and Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist
Claudia Zuluagg-Yunis, PT
Contact Information
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Department of Physical Therapy
5915 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 5th Floor
Coral Gables, FL 33146
James G. Moore, PhD, PT, Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist (Program Director) Office: 305-284-4535 Fax: 305-284-6128 Email: jgmoore@miami.edu
