About the Program
Program Goal
The goal of the Neurological Physical Therapy Residency Program is to provide the resident with a comprehensive learning experience. The Residency will provide the physical therapist with tools to improve their examination, assessment, and treatment of the neurologic patient. Within three years of completing the Program, the resident is expected to sit for the Neurologic Specialty Examination.
Objectives
At the conclusion of the clinical Neurological Physical Therapy Residency Program, the resident will be able to:
- Explain the clinical reasoning skills necessary for examination, assessment, and treatment techniques. These same skills will help the therapist develop the ability to continue to monitor their own clinical skill level.
- Conduct an effective and comprehensive patient interview, which will enable development of a working clinical hypothesis as to the patient’s primary problem, a foundation to performing an objective examination
- Perform an integrated physical examination, including differential diagnosis, for clients with various neurologic conditions
- Create appropriate specific clinic and home therapeutic exercise program techniques related to all areas of examination noted above and integrate these techniques into the treatment plan as indicated
- Critically analyze current scientific literature
- Conduct clinical research projects
Outcomes
Our measures of success are specialty exam passing rate, employment status and scholarly activity. To date, since the graduation of our first resident in 2013, we have had a 100 percent passing rate on the first attempt for those who have taken the neuro specialist exam. Our two most recent graduates will take the exam in 2020.
One of our graduates is pursuing a Ph.D., two have gained specialty certification in vestibular rehabilitation, three have held faculty positions at UT Southwestern and seven of the eight graduates have or do hold some type of position within the UT Southwestern system. Seven of the eight graduates work in a primarily neuro setting. Four of the eight graduates hold leadership positions in their clinical settings.
Program Outcomes as of June 2023
- Annual cohort size: 2
- Number of Program Graduates: 2 annually, 13 total
- Program completion rate: 87%
- Percentage of Program Graduates who pass NCS exam: 82%
- Percentage of Program Graduates working in neurologic physical therapy after graduation: 100%
Residency Program Expectations
The Neurological Physical Therapy Residency Program utilizes active learning that requires the resident to participate in independent learning activities and complete assignments in a prompt manner. There are mid-term and final written examples and practical examinations (including live patients) to ensure comprehension of the material and application of specific skills.
Selection Criteria for Residency Assignments
Enrollment is currently limited to two participants. Selection for participation is based on the information and justification comments provided by the applicants and a personal interview. An established residency committee evaluates all applications to ensure that each application is given appropriate consideration. The applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Pre-professional academic and post-professional clinical education preparation
- Clinical experience in neurologic physical therapy
- Previous mentoring, education, and research experience
- Community service
- Letters of recommendation
