2027 Orthopaedic Residency Program - Physical Therapist

About the role

Olympic Sports & Spine’s Orthopaedic Residency Program is an 18-month, ABPTRFE-accredited clinical residency designed to elevate clinical excellence, advance professional competency, and enhance patient-centered care within orthopaedic physical therapy. Grounded in advanced clinical education, evidence-informed practice, and expert clinical reasoning, the program prepares residents for the Certified Orthopaedic Manual Therapist (COMT) and Certified Dry Needling Specialist (CDNS) credentials through AspireOMT, and eligibility to sit for the Orthopaedic Certified Specialist (OCS) board examination. A new cohort begins each year on September 1.

Curriculum Summary

• Clinical curriculum: advanced clinical practice, a minimum of 150 hours of one-on-one clinical mentorship during direct patient care, and supervised experience serving as a clinical instructor for a DPT intern.
• Educational curriculum: at least 126 hours of COMT training through AspireOMT Institute, 81 hours of dry needling education through AspireOMT Institute, and 210 hours of independent study using content developed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy.
• Completion of a capstone project aligned with professional interests, with options including clinical practice improvement, quality improvement initiatives, research and evidence-based practice, education and mentorship, community and public health engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, technology and innovation, and leadership and advocacy.

Schedule Expectations

Residents are employed by Olympic Sports & Spine and are expected to work the weekly hours outlined in their employment contract. A minimum of 150 hours of one-to-one clinical mentorship with a residency-eligible mentor is embedded within the resident’s patient care schedule across the duration of the program. Educational coursework is completed outside of scheduled clinical hours, with residents dedicating approximately 10 hours per week to academic learning and related educational activities.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

• Graduation from a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy program
• Successful completion of the FSBPT National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE)
• Eligibility for physical therapy licensure in the state of Washington by the program start date
• Active membership in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy