What is an Orthopedic Residency? Why are they such a big deal these days?
A clinical residency is a planned program of post professional clinical and didactic education for physical therapists that is designed to significantly advance the physical therapist resident’s preparation as a provider of patient care services in a defined area of clinical practice. It combines opportunities for ongoing clinical supervision and mentoring with a theoretical basis for advanced practice and scientific inquiry. The physical therapy profession has realized that in order to stay relevant, we must continually push our boundaries in terms of what we know and how we apply that knowledge. Information is so available, so quick to change, and to accumulate, that there is a strong need for structured programs aimed at younger therapists, to help them organize their new skills, and develop structured, intelligent approaches to what they do. It should also be noted this kind of post-professional education program has formed the basis of medical education for many, many years. In so
