Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Clinical Residency

American Addiction Centers•Wauwatosa, WI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Atrium Health and Carolinas Rehabilitation offer an orthopaedic physical therapy clinical residency program designed to train physical therapists in advanced orthopaedic physical therapy care in an outpatient setting. The Carolinas Rehabilitation Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Clinical Residency program was the first orthopaedic physical therapy clinical residency program accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) within the state of North Carolina. The program offers three geographical locations to participate in the residency: Charlotte, North Carolina (Carolinas Rehabilitation), Rome, Georgia (Atrium Health Floyd Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation), and Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Aurora Health Care) starting in 2026. Carolinas Rehabilitation's orthopedic physical therapy residency is a full-time, one year program. Residents are employed by Atrium Health and receive a program-adjusted salary that includes a full benefits package. Residents provide patient care 36 hours per week, including four hours per week co-treating with a faculty mentor. Weekly lecture and lab sessions as well as directed learning activities will occupy the resident's remaining time. All lectures are live streamed with a faculty member present in all three geographical locations. The curriculum of this residency program provides advanced training in examination, clinical decision-making, medical management and manual therapy-based orthopedic treatment skills. The curriculum combines didactic learning, mentorship experience and individual study and project completion. Completion of this program will prepare you for: Advanced orthopaedic physical therapy practice, Orthopedic manual physical therapy fellowship, APTA's OCS examination, Efficient patient management, Evidence-based practice. Spots are open for 2026, and the application deadline has been extended to August 31, 2025, with rolling admissions. Qualified applicants will be contacted upon receipt of a completed application for a video interview. Accepted applicants will be required to visit an Atrium/Aurora Health location to tour the site and meet with the clinic supervisor. Opportunities exist for accepted applicants to start working this summer or fall prior to the start of the residency program in January 2026.

Requirements

Graduated from a CAPTE-accredited PT program.
License to practice physical therapy in the state that you are working in: Georgia; North Carolina; or Wisconsin. (Must provide proof of licensure as requirement of employment).
Active member of the APTA and Orthopedic section.
Must meet all eligibility requirements to be employed as a practicing physical therapist within Atrium Health.
CPR certification.
Must demonstrate a commitment to learning.
Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from an accredited school or educational requirements commensurate with the date of graduation.
Maintains continuing education requirements as mandated by applicable state professional standards.
Licensed Physical Therapist in the State upon which you work.
Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers (obtained within 90 days unless department leader has determined is not required) by American Heart Association (AHA).
Intermediate computer skills.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organization skills.
Demonstrated organization, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
Successfully completes all competency assessments/requirements pertaining to provision of patient care and consistent with site standards.
Team members will maintain annual educational requirements for hospital-based certifications (e.g. DNV, CARF or others).
Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs.

Nice To Haves

Post-entry level clinical experience in outpatient physical therapy is desirable.

Responsibilities

Interprets physician referrals, as appropriate, and completes musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and/or integumentary evaluations utilizing appropriate methods.
Establishes a plan of care and implements individual treatment based on evaluation results and functional goals and by utilizing appropriate techniques.
Monitors and evaluates outcomes and appropriately adjusts the individualized treatment plan based on the patient's response to treatment and provides status updates to physicians and other teammates.
Identifies factors affecting patient's physical and psychosocial comfort and attends to these needs.
Plans for and completes patient discharge including providing written home programs, patient/family teaching, referral for community services, transition planning within the continuum of care and ordering equipment as indicated/appropriate.
Communicates and collaborates with appropriate stakeholders to assist in achieving optimum care for the patient.
Completes all required documentation following department policy and accreditation standards with appropriate co-signatures, including patient evaluations, progress notes, team conference reports, and discharge summaries as appropriate.
Record patient care and progress of each patient assigned.
Completes daily statistics, billing, and scheduling.
Applies insurance guidelines regarding authorization and number of visits.
Responsible for maintaining site/department established productivity standards.
Responsible for understanding and adhering to all billing and documentation policies, procedures, and timelines.
Responsible for cleaning up after patient treatment, putting away equipment, and keeping area neat and orderly.
Performs various manual techniques, patient positioning, transferring and transporting duties, which require lifting and pushing/pulling, while utilizing proper technique.
Demonstrates skill in use of modalities, exercise equipment and other devices that are available in area worked per department orientation checklist.
Demonstrates knowledge of indications and contraindications of modalities and exercise.
Promotes patient safety by participating in safety initiatives as requested and appropriately follows all safety and infection control measures pertaining to the general working environment.
Participates in performance improvement activities designed to identify and resolve problems affecting patient care outcomes and to improve quality of care.
Manages assigned caseload, informing site leadership of coverage needs and ability to cover; assists with coverage, based on department needs and regional needs.
Pursues professional growth through participation in continuing education courses, department in-services, and reading professional literature.
Orients new staff to clinical and department policies as requested.
Participates in the evaluation process of co-workers by providing verbal or written feedback as requested.
May supervise physical therapy assistants following all applicable state and local compliance requirements.
Includes delegating patients to assistive personnel while providing direction, recommendations regarding treatment and ongoing supervision while maintaining responsibility for patient plan of care and goals.
May supervise physical therapy extenders (rehab aides/techs) in administering treatments to patients and will teach them appropriate techniques to perform with specific patients.
May supervise physical therapy students after completing one year of clinical experience.

Benefits

Full benefits package
Comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs
Competitive compensation
Generous retirement offerings
Programs that invest in your career development
Paid Time Off programs
Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
Educational Assistance Program