About the Program

Loma Linda University is proud to offer a residency program designed to provide physical therapists with advanced knowledge and skills in the area of orthopedics. The curriculum of this residency program is designed to provide physical therapists with advanced training in examination, clinical decision-making and treatment skills.

The small group classroom and lab training sessions and one-on-one clinical supervision allow the clinical faculty to focus their instruction toward the individual needs of each resident.

The program is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE).

This residency begins in January of each year and runs for 52 consecutive weeks (Note: the hiring start date can range from September to December of each year depending on medical center hiring and orientation schedule). The clinical training in this residency program is fulfilled in a 40-hour work week (typically Monday through Friday) and the classroom and lab training occurs during 10 to 15 Sundays throughout the residency year. Two to four residents are accepted to participate in the program each year.

The residents are employed and provide patient care at Loma Linda University Medical Center’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Center. 
The content of the classroom, lab and clinical training in this residency encompass the following areas:

  • Clinical reasoning
  • Lower quadrant physical examination and manual treatment procedures
  • Lower quadrant biomechanical examination and treatment
  • Clinical research
  • Interviewing and communication skills
  • Upper quadrant physical examination and manual treatment procedures
  • Upper quadrant biomechanical examination and treatment
  • Scientific basis of orthopedic PT clinical practice

Program Graduate Outcomes to Date:

  • 100% of our graduates sit for the orthopaedic specialty examination in physical therapy within the first 2 years of graduating from residency (with an approximate passing rate of 80%).
  • To date, 16 out of 20 residents have graduated from our program

Each resident receives:

  • Minimum of 300 hours of classroom/lab instruction
  • 150 hours of 1:1 supervision while treating patients
  • Minimum of 1920 hours of clinical practice

Download ABPTRFE Financial Fact Sheet

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