Residency Program
Our Company Mission
Moving people towards healthy living.
Our Residency Program Mission
To support the advancement of clinical education by providing opportunities for physical therapists to attain advanced clinical skills and knowledge in orthopedic physical therapy in a private, outpatient setting. Graduates will demonstrate their education through evidence-based treatment, improvement in the quality of life for our patients and community, and preparation for clinical specialist certification in orthopedics.
Program Information
Introduced in 2017, Hand & Ortho's residency program is one of less than 380 accredited programs, is one of only 39 in private practice, and is accredited through the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education.
- 100% of program graduates have passed the OCS examination (as of 10/20/2023)
- 100% of our program graduates to date have been offered employment at the completion of the residency program. Employment offers based on company needs at the time of graduation.
- 89% of residents have completed the requirements for graduation and have been eligible to take the exam for Board Certification in Orthopedics (OCS).
- The program is 13 months long, from August through September each year.
- Both new graduates and experienced therapists have gone through the program.
- Resident faculty consists of 10 members, including 5 OCS-certified therapists and 1 CHT.
Setting
We are conveniently located in the Salt Lake Valley, along the Wasatch Front with quick access to outdoor activities in the surrounding mountains and local ski resorts.
Residency Program History
Our company founder, Margo Jones Brady, PT, DPT, CHT was one of the first in the state of Utah to become a Certified Hand Therapist in 1991, eventually training numerous hand therapists in our region. Her eventual partner in orthopedic physical therapy, Steve Crandall, PT, DPT, OCS, completed his residency in 1994 (SOMA Residency Program in Orthopedics in Austin, TX). He went on to teach for the program from 1995-1996. Todd Schwartz, PT, DPT, OCS completed an informal residency with Dr. Crandall through Hand and Orthopedic from 2009 to 2010 and serves as the current program director and coordinator.
Curriculum
The program lasts 13 months and meets or exceeds ABPTRFE accreditation requirements for 1:1 mentorship. The didactic curriculum is provided through the completion of the APTA Orthopedic Section residency curriculum and bimonthly in-house didactic sessions.
Each resident is expected to be capable of performing and completing all aspects of patient care at onset of the program. The resident and primary mentor collaborate with patient care on a shared caseload for at least the first quarter of the program. As the resident progresses towards independence with specialized orthopedic care they will transition into their own caseload (independently scheduled) within the 2nd quarter of the program.
There are additional peer, patient, and community education tasks to be completed with emphasis on leadership, patient experience, and promotion of the field of physical therapy.
Requirements
All residents accepted into the program must have successfully graduated from an APTA-accredited professional physical therapy curriculum. Applicants must be licensed in UT by the start of the program. Therefore, new graduates must register for the April (or earlier) NPTE exam.
Application requirements (submit all via RF-PTCAS):
• Eligible for licensure in UT by start of program
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of reference
Licensure will be verified through the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. This license must not be under suspension, revocation, probationary status, or subject to disciplinary proceedings or inquiry. All residents must be active members of the APTA and have current CPR certification.
Application Information
Applicants may apply through RF-PTCAS.
Any questions should be directed to todd.s@handandortho.com. Application deadline for the program is the end of February with interviews in early March. The program currently begins in August and lasts for 13 months.
Resources
The program holds itself to standards set forth by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE). Additional resources for residents, including program Quality Standards, are available at: www.abptrfe.org.
2023-2024 Financial Fact Sheet:
Residency and Fellowship Financial Fact Sheet 10.30.2023.pdf