HCHD's Orthopaedic PT Residency Only Full-time Program in Texas

HOUSTON (May 5, 2009) For Sarah Zehler and Dana Tew, the opportunity to learn from the best in the Harris County Hospital District's inaugural Orthopaedic Physical Therapy year-long residency was too good to pass up.

Dana Tew, left, and Sarah Zehler, right, are the two participants of the Harris County Hospital District's orthopaedic physical therapy residency, the only full-time residency program in Texas. Brian Duncan, program manager, reviews with them a patient's spinal cord image for on-the-job specialty training.

HCHD's Orthopaedic Physical Therapist (PT) residency program is the only full-time program of its kind in Texas, and among a handful of residencies operated by public health care systems in the U.S. The program began Jan. 1.

Creation of residency programs is part of the American Physical Therapy Association's vision 2020, which encourages PTs to complete residency training and doctorate degrees. A clinical residency is a planned program of post-professional clinical and didactic education designed to significantly advance a PT's expertise through examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention and management of patients in a defined clinical practice.

These are professional PTs, licensed in Texas, who could work anywhere, but choose to be here because they want to enhance their skills, said Brian Duncan, PT, MS, OCS, FAAOMPT, program manager.

Aside from a full-time schedule with the hospital district, Zehler and Tew are working on a doctorate degree in physical therapy from Texas Woman's University. Following their residency, they will test for board certification as a clinical specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy.

After working for a year, I decided I really wanted to advance my clinical skills. This program gave me the opportunity to work with advanced clinicians, many of whom are orthopaedic certified specialists or manual therapy fellows, Zehler said. In just a few months, I have already gained so much knowledge and am excited about completing the rest of my residency.

Every week, each resident receives four hours of one-on-one mentorship, four hours of education through lab, PowerPoint or lecture and four hours of collaborating with other health care professionals such as physicians, pharmacists and health care administrators. The remaining time is spent taking care of patients in a variety of settings, and making rounds throughout HCHD in various hospitals and health centers.

The Harris County Hospital District has always valued the pursuit of education, research and innovation for its staff and residents, said Carol Oddo, PT, MS, FACHE, vice president of Patient and Public Affairs, and residency program director. Our addition of the orthopaedic PT residency program is a fine example of our commitment to educating the next generation of health care professionals.

Staff is confident of the upcoming accreditation by the American Physical Therapy Association, and is already looking forward to launching a neurologic physical therapy residency in 2010.