Abptrfe evaluative criteria2013

American Board of Physical Therapy
Residency and Fellowship Education
Evaluative Criteria
Residency and Fellowship Programs
Effective January 1, 2013
(Most recent revisions are highlighted in yellow)
American Physical Therapy Association
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-1488
resfel.org / 703-706-3152
www.apta.org/Educators/ResidencyFellowship/

Residency/Fellowship Evaluative Criteria (Effective January 1, 2013) 2
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions have been adopted by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and
Fellowship Education and are intended to minimize misinterpretation of information in this document.
ABPTRFE recognizes that individual programs may have different definitions than those identified below;
however, for the purposes of the application and any related credentialing activities, the following terms and
definitions must be used.
Active: Currently enrolled.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT): The American Academy of
Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists is a voluntary organization of orthopaedic manual physical therapists
that serves its members by promoting excellence in orthopaedic manual physical therapy practice, education and
research, and collaborates with national and international associations
AAOMPT Annual Report Subcommittee: A group of members appointed by the American Board of Physical
Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education to meet the monitoring requirements outlined by the International
Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists (IFOMPT).
American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE): A seven-
member Board appointed by the APTA Board of Directors. ABPTRFE determines the requirements with which
a residency or fellowship education program must comply in order to be credentialed and amend these requires
as appropriate. They provide an efficient and credible system for the evaluation, credentialing, and re-
credentialing of physical therapy residency and fellowship education programs while maintaining the policy and
procedures for the implementation and evaluation of the credentialing process.
American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS): The governing body for certification and
recertification of physical therapy clinical specialists. Currently, the ABPTS specialty areas are: Cardiovascular
& Pulmonary Physical Therapy, Clinical Electrophysiologic Physical Therapy, Geriatric Physical Therapy,
Neurologic Physical Therapy, Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, Pediatric Physical Therapy, Sports Physical
Therapy, and Women’s Health Physical Therapy.
American Physical Therapy Association (APTA): A national professional association representing more than
80,000 members. APTA’s goal is to foster advancements in physical therapy practice, research, and education.
Analysis of Practice:
A systematic process which utilizes a recognized group of subject matter experts and consultants to describe the
essential knowledge, skills, and responsibilities of a competent clinician in a specified area of clinical practice
using a methodology as acceptable by ABPTRFE. It is recommended that a group seeking to establish a new
defined area of practice notify ABPTRFE prior to completion of an analysis of practice to ensure that this new
defined area of practice is suitable for development.
Clinical Fellowship Program: A postprofessional planned learning experience in a focused advanced area of
clinical practice. Similar to the medical model, a clinical fellowship is a structured educational experience (both
didactic and clinical) for physical therapists which combines opportunities for ongoing clinical mentoring with a
theoretical basis for advanced practice and scientific inquiry in a defined area of sub-specialization beyond that
of a defined specialty area of clinical practice. A fellowship candidate has either completed a residency program
in a related specialty area or is a board-certified specialist in the related area of specialty. Fellowship training is
not appropriate for new physical therapy graduates.
Clinical Residency Program: A postprofessional planned learning experience in a focused area of clinical
practice. Similar to the medical model, a clinical residency program is a structured educational experience (both

didactic and clinical) for physical therapists following entry-level education and licensure that is designed to
significantly advance the physical therapist’s knowledge, skills, and attributes in a specific area of clinical
practice (i.e. Cardiovascular/Pulmonary, Orthopedics, Sports, Pediatrics, etc). It combines opportunities for
ongoing clinical mentoring, with a theoretical basis for advanced practice and scientific inquiry based on a
Description of Specialty Practice (see definition below) or valid analysis of practice for that specific area of
clinical practice. When board certification exists through ABPTS for that specialty, the residency training
prepares the physical therapist to pass the certification examination following graduation. A residency
candidate must be licensed as a physical therapist in the State where the program is located/clinical training will
occur prior to entry into the program. Neither 'clinical residency' nor 'clinical fellowship' is synonymous with the
terms ‘clinical internship.'
Credentialing: A voluntary process used to evaluate, enhance, and publicly recognize quality in education.
The Program, through its faculty, seek independent judgment by its peers regarding the Program’s compliance
with a set of standards and criteria that have been accepted by the profession, as well as the Program’s ability to
achieve the stated mission and goals. The American Physical Therapy Association awards the credential status.
Curriculum: A plan for learning, designed by the faculty and resident/fellow-in-training, to achieve the
explicit goals of the Program and the individual resident or fellow-in-training.
Describe: To give account of, depict, or trace the outline of, in words.
Description of Advanced Specialty Practice: A document published by AAOMPT that identifies the clinical
knowledge, judgment and professional behaviors of a physical therapist who has achieved an advanced level of
practice through orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellowship education, post-professional degree work,
and/or relevant clinical experience and course work. The purpose of this document is to provide guidelines to
facilitate changes in practice and education, to the benefit of patients/clients. This document is used by
ABPTRFE as the basis for assessment of orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellowship programs.
Description of Specialty Practice (DSP): Formerly called, Description of Advanced Clinical Practice (DACP),
the published results of a practice analysis. Each of the eight (8) ABPTS-recognized specialty areas has a DSP
that provides a blueprint for the content of the specialty examination. This publication also provides an outline
of the content that can be used as the basis for a Program's curriculum; however, the fellowship curriculum must
extend beyond the DSP as it is intended to provide advanced clinical competency in a subspecialty. This
publication also can provide a framework for a clinical competency evaluation tool to use in assessing the
clinical skills of the residents or fellows-in-training (see “Analysis of Practice”).
Document: Evidence or information to support a claim.
Effective Date: A date, to be determined by ABPTRFE, for each ABPTRFE decision reached.
Faculty of Residency or Fellowship Program: Physical therapists and non-physical therapists who have
received a formal assignment to regularly participate as instructors in the didactic and clinical education,
curriculum development and review, and/or assessment of residents or fellows-in-training enrolled in a Program.
Faculty members must have expertise in their area of clinical practice and teaching responsibility, effective
teaching and evaluative skills, and a record of involvement in scholarly and professional activities. See
definition for definition for guest lecturer below.
Fellow-in-training: A licensed physical therapist enrolled in a fellowship Program credentialed by ABPTRFE
who has completed the requirements for eligibility for board certification in the related area of specialty.
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT): A physical
therapist who has demonstrated advanced clinical, analytical, and hands-on skills in the treatment of

musculoskeletal (orthopaedic) disorders and has completed a credentialed fellowship program in orthopaedic
manual physical therapy or demonstrated the equivalent level of competence by successfully passing a portfolio
review process and oral/practical examination.
Formative Evaluation: Evaluation methods used in providing feedback to learners during the learning
experience to promote learning and to predict final evaluation results.
Goal: Goals are developed from mission statements and summarize the development, administrative, or other
major accomplishments/outcomes the organization/Program hopes to achieve to fulfill its mission. Goals can be
short or long-term, usually set for 1-3 year time frame, and are evaluated annually. Goals should be written to be
“SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reviewable, and Trackable). Example: The Program will
prepare graduates to serve as primary care providers in the area of specialization.
Guest Lecturer: An individual who provides either didactic or clinical instruction in a residency/fellowship
program on an infrequent basis. This individual has not been formally appointed to the faculty of the program.
Inactive: On leave or not on site as an active student.
Internship: A clinical education experience that is part of the requirements for graduation from a physical
therapist professional education program (degree could be awarded before, during, or after the internship).
Live Patient Examination: A method of evaluating a resident’s/fellow’s-in-training skills in patient/client
management during a live patient/client encounter. The live patient examination is performed by the program
faculty in-person during the patient/client encounter and cannot be a simulated patient encounter.
Mentor: A practitioner with advanced knowledge, skills, and clinical judgments of a clinical specialist who
provides instruction to a resident or fellow-in-training in patient/client management, advanced professional
behaviors, proficiency in communications, and consultation skills. The mentor may also provide instruction in
research, teaching, and/or service. The six functions frequently used to describe the role of a mentor are teacher,
sponsor, host and guide, exemplar, and counselor.
Mentoring: The required clinical mentoring hours (150 hours for residency; 100 hours for fellowship)
includes the time that the resident or fellow-in-training spends with the physical therapist mentor in
patient/client management, including examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and outcome;
and discussion specific to patient/client management. Mentoring is provided at a post-licensure level of
specialty practice (for residents) or subspecialty practice (for fellows-in-training) with emphasis on the
development of advanced clinical reasoning skills.
The resident/fellow-in-training will be the primary patient/client care provider for a minimum of 100 hours
of the 150 required mentoring hours for a residency and for a minimum of 50 of the 100 required
mentoring hours for a fellowship. For 12 month residency programs, this averages out to 3 hours of
mentoring per week and 2 hours per week in fellowship programs. In addition to the minimum hours of
mentoring in patient/client management, mentoring should be also provided in areas identified by the Program’s
goals and many include practice management, clinical instruction, professional behaviors, ethics, etc.
Examples of mentoring that is acceptable for the minimum hour requirements include:
 Examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention and outcome measurement when the mentor
is the primary provider
 Examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention and outcome measurement when the
resident/fellow-in-training is the primary provider (at least 100 hours required for residency and 50
hours for fellowship programs)
 Discussion about individual patient/client management – with or without the patient present

Examples of learning opportunities that are not included in the minimum required hours of mentoring include:
 Loosely or unsupervised patient/client management (resident/fellow-in-training and mentor treating
separate patients next to each other/in the same room)
 Physician or other health care provider observation
 Grand rounds
 Observation of other physical therapists during patient/client management
 Clinical shadowing
Mentoring is not the same as providing clinical instruction to the entry-level physical therapist student.
Mentoring is preplanned to meet specific educational objectives and requires the advanced knowledge, skills,
and clinical judgments of a clinical specialist. In addition to teaching advanced clinical skills and decision
making, the mentor also facilitates the development of advanced professional behaviors, proficiency in
communications, and consultation skills. Please refer to the resource manual for additional information and
resources regarding mentoring.
For orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellowship programs, mentored clinical practice as required in the
International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapists (IFOMPT) Educational Standards is the
examination and management of patients by the fellow-in-training under the mentorship of a faculty mentor who
is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists.
Mission Statement: The mission statement is the philosophical expression of why the organization exists and
what it hopes to accomplish. It is normally succinct containing just a few sentences that -communicate the
essence of the organization/program to its stakeholders and the public. Example: The Program’s mission is “to
prepare physical therapists with advanced knowledge and skills in orthopedic physical therapy integrated with a
foundation in the basic and applied sciences and scientific inquiry.”
Multi-Facility Program: A program that has more than one affiliated facility for residents/fellows-in-training
AND each resident/fellow-in-training rotates to EVERY facility over the course of the program.
Multi-Site Program: A program that has more than one affiliated facility for residents/fellows-in-training and
each resident/fellow-in-training completes their training at a particular facility(ies) rather than rotating to every
facility during the course of the program.
Objective: Objectives describe the essential activities that need to be completed to achieve each goal and also
need to be written to be “SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reviewable, and Trackable). Objectives
may be identified as activities that take 1, 2, or 3+ years to accomplish and are usually instrumental in planning
for the program. Example: Qualified applicants will be recruited.
Performance Outcome: Statements of measurable behaviors reflective of an analysis of practice.
Practice Analysis: A systematic plan used by ABPTS to study professional practice behaviors, skills and
knowledge that comprise the practice of a specialist. The purpose of the study is to collect data that will reliably
and accurately describe what specialist practitioners do and what they know that enables them to do their work.
Practice Outcomes/Performance Outcomes: Measurable knowledge, skills, or behaviors that indicate the
resident or fellow-in-training has attained competency in a practice domain.
Program Director or Coordinator: See “Residency or Fellowship Program Director or Coordinator.”
Program Objectives: Written statements that describe what participants will know, or be able to do as a result
of a Program. Educational objective should be written in measurable terms, observable, and specify one action
the participant will take to demonstrate that he/she has accomplished the outcome.

Resident: A licensed physical therapist enrolled in a residency program.
Residency or Fellowship Program Director/Coordinator: An individual that has administrative (including
financial, clinical, and educational) responsibility for the Program. The program director does not have to be a
physical therapist, however a physical therapist must be present on some level of program administration and
actively involved in all aspects of the program.
Specialization: A process established by APTA to recognize individuals certified in an area of advanced
clinical practice identified by ABPTS (see “American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties”).
Standards: A criterion; a degree or level of requirement, excellence, or attainment; a rule or test on which a
judgment or decision can be based.
Subspecialty: A clinical practice area within a recognized specialty area (i.e. Neonatal Physical Therapy is a
subspecialty of Pediatric Physical Therapy), or, a portion of a recognized specialty area (i.e. Orthopaedic
Manual Physical Therapy is a subspecialty of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy). A basis for a fellowship program.
Summative Evaluation: Evaluation methods used to summarize performance at the end of the learning
experience to determine success and to set standards for formative evaluation methods.
Support Staff: Employees of the Program, facility, or umbrella organization (other than the faculty) who are
responsible for some aspect of the administration and/or operation of the Program or facility.
Umbrella Organization: An organization or foundation, especially one dedicated to health care, public
service, or education. The larger corporation or organization that most directly influences the Program.
Written Examination: An method of evaluating resident/fellow-in-training knowledge within a content area
of the specialty or subspecialty. The written examination should cover all aspects of the corresponding
DSP, DASP, or practice analysis relevant to that program. This examination may be performed in a take
home format.

Evaluative Criteria for Credentialing of Clinical Residency and Fellowship
Programs for Physical Therapists
(Adopted and effective 10/26/2010; revised 07/12)
The “Evaluative Criteria for Credentialing of Residency or Fellowship Programs for Physical Therapists” is
divided into four sections, each of which has an introduction, evaluative criterion for credentialing, and a
description of the evidence necessary to demonstrate compliance with the requirements. At times, Interpretive
Guidelines are provided to further describe, or to provide examples, of acceptable methods to meet ABPTRFE
criterion. The four sections of evaluative criteria are:
1) Organization
2) Resources
3) Curriculum
4) Ongoing Evaluation
ABPTRFE expects that Programs will comply with the intent of each criterion and supply evidence as indicated
to demonstrate compliance. The interpretative guidelines included with select requirements are provided to
clarify the intent of the criterion. ABPTRFE seeks to credential those Programs recognized to be in substantial
compliance with the evaluative criteria.
INTRODUCTION:
The goal of all post-professional residency and fellowship programs ("Programs") is to produce physical
therapists who demonstrate superior post-professional skills and advanced knowledge in all areas of physical
therapy including educational techniques, research methodology, clinical skills, and administrative practices.
1.0 ORGANIZATION
Residency or Fellowship Umbrella Organization
INTRODUCTION:
The settings in which residencies or fellowships occur are those that support excellence in practice and
dedication to physical therapy services provided to all types of consumers.
1.1 Umbrella Organization
1.1.1 Mission and Goals
The umbrella organization of the Program has a published statement of its mission and
goals, demonstrates ethical conduct, practices responsible fiscal management, and has a
system for evaluating itself.
1.1.1 The umbrella organization of the Program has a set of realistic goals consistent
with its mission statement, which sets forth the umbrella organization’s
intentions, including a consideration of resources, programs, processes, and
outcomes.
Evidence 1.1.1 Provide the statement of mission and goals of the umbrella organization that most directly
influences the Program.

Example: If the Program is within a private practice, hospital, HMO or part of a health system, use mission and
goals of the clinical facility. If the applicant is a university, use the mission and goals of the department or
entity most closely associated with the Program.
NOTE: The Residency/Fellowship Program Agreement requires compliance with APTA’s policies and positions.
The Program may not place residents/fellows-in-training in a clinical education experience where the clinic is
in a referral for profit situation, that is, one in which a referring physician derives a financial benefit from the
physical therapy services provided to the person who is referred.
1.1.2 The umbrella organization has a system for evaluating itself as related to its
mission and goals.
Evidence 1.1.2 Describe the umbrella organization’s ongoing methods used to evaluate the effectiveness
of the umbrella organization’s performance. Include evidence of any external agency accreditations (e.g.,
JC, CARF, Medicare provider or provider network standards, CAPTE or another educational
accreditation organization if applicable).
1.2 Residency or Fellowship Program
1.2.1 Mission, Goals, and Objectives
The Program has a published statement of its mission, goals, and objectives and a
system for evaluating the effectiveness of its program.
1.2.1 The Program has a mission statement, goals, and objectives that reflect the area
of emphasis of the specific residency/fellowship program that are also
compatible with the umbrella organization’s mission statement. The mission
statement addresses the performance outcomes of the Program, and the scope of
practice for the area of clinical practice.
Interpretive Guideline: Performance outcomes under 4.1.1 should be
compatible with the Program’s mission statement, goals, and objectives. (See
Glossary for description of mission, goals, and objectives.)
Residency or Fellowship Program
Evidence 1.2.1.A Provide the Program’s mission statement, goals and objectives. Multi-site Programs
must include at least one goal and corresponding objectives addressing consistency of program delivery in
all settings.
The goals of the Program are to:
1. Goal:
Objectives:
a.
b.
c.
*add additional goals/objectives as needed
Interpretive Guideline: See the glossary for definitions of mission, goals, and objectives and the Application
Resource Manual for examples from credentialed residency and fellowship programs.

Example of a Program goal: The Program will provide the necessary content and clinical experiences to
prepare the resident for successful completion of the ABPTS specialist certification examination.
 Note that program goals should be written according to what the Program will do, not what the
resident/fellow-in-training will do.
Example of a Program objective: The Program faculty will update the program curriculum semi-annually to
assure the content is consistent with current evidence.
 The objective is also written according to what the Program will do, not what the resident/fellow-in-
training will do. For example, the resident/fellow-in-training will demonstrate evidence-based
knowledge and practice is an objective for the resident/fellow-in-training, not the Program.
Goals that describe what the resident/fellow-in-training or graduate will do are not Program goals.
Evidence 1.2.1.B Describe how the Program’s mission statement, goals, and objectives are consistent with
one another.
Evidence 1.2.1.C Describe how the Program’s mission, goals, and objectives are consistent with the
mission of the umbrella organization.
The site visit will include assessment of the compatibility of the Program’s mission statement with that of the
umbrella organization.
Evidence 1.2.1.D Provide the resident/fellow-in-training goals with corresponding objectives.
The goals of the resident/fellow-in-training are to:
1. 1. Goal:
Objectives:
a.
b.
c.
*add additional goals/objectives as needed
Interpretive Guidelines: Example of a resident goal: The resident will obtain the knowledge and skills of a
board certified specialist. Example of a resident objective: The resident will pass the ABPTS clinical specialist
examination.
Program Policies & Procedures
1.2.2 The Program has formal policies and procedures for the resident/fellow-in-training
including but not limited to:
1) Patient/Client Care Issues:
a) A policy on confidentiality safeguards for records and personal information;
b) A policy and procedure on the protection of human subjects, consistent with the
type of research being conducted by the resident or fellow-in-training;
c) A policy on safety regulations, and evidence of its annual review.
2) Administrative and Human Resource Issues:
a) The policies and procedures related to admission to the residency/fellowship
program including the use of transfer credits;

b) The policies and procedures related to academic retention within the
residency/fellowship program including the requirements (i.e. passing criteria on
examinations, timelines, etc) for the resident/fellow-in-training to maintain
active status within the program through graduation;
c) A policy and procedure related to academic remediation of the resident/fellow-
in-training and the criteria for dismissal from the program if remediation efforts
are unsuccessful;
d) Nondiscriminatory policies and procedures for the recruitment, admission,
retention, and dismissal of students or employees;
e) A grievance policy or mechanism of appeal that ensures due process;
f) A probationary period policy, if applicable;
g) A termination policy and procedure that includes termination of the resident or
fellow-in-training that becomes ineligible to practice (e.g. resident or fellow-in-
training cannot obtain licensure in the state or looses their temporary licensure
and becomes ineligible to practice) and includes the employment status of a
resident/fellow-in-training should termination from the program occur;
h) A statement regarding how the resident/fellow-in-training obtains malpractice
and health insurance coverage;
i) ABPTRFE’s Grievance Policy.
Residents and fellows-in-training enrolled in a clinical residency or fellowship Program
must be licensed as a physical therapist in the state(s) where the clinical training for the
Program will occur prior to commencing the Program. Temporary licensure in the state
that clinical training will occur during the program is acceptable for starting a
residency/fellowship program, however the program must have a policy in place that
outlines the termination policy should the resident/fellow-in-training looses his/her
temporary licensure and becomes ineligible to practice. Admission criteria should be
reflective of the definition of a resident or fellow-in-training.
To be eligible to apply for credentialing as a clinical residency or fellowship program
for physical therapists, the program must have a respective resident/fellow-in-training
enrolled in the program at the time of application, whose background must include
licensure as a physical therapist. In addition, for fellowship programs specifically, the
enrolled fellow-in-training must possess specialist certification, completion of a
residency in a related specialty area, or substantial clinical experience in a related
specialty area.
The Program ensures that residents or fellows-in-training will have malpractice
coverage while on clinical assignment and will encourage residents or fellows-in-
training to have health insurance, which may or may not be provided through the
umbrella organization at resident or fellow-in-training rates.
The Program shall establish methods to identify and remedy unsatisfactory clinical or
academic performance, and shall require that such remediation methods are distributed
to, and acknowledged in writing by the resident or fellow-in-training.
Interpretive Guideline: The timing of the evaluation should allow sufficient opportunity
for remediation when necessary. Remediation methods may include requiring that the
resident or fellow-in-training spend additional hours in a clinic or complete additional
didactic assignments to facilitate achievement of the stated goals. Part of the
remediation process is clearly established criteria for dismissal from the Program

The site visit will include discussion with faculty and staff of how well policies and
procedures are communicated, how often they are revised and updated, and how well
they meet their needs.
For those residency/fellowship programs that allow transfer credits for didactic
coursework previously taken with the umbrella organization to resident/fellow-in-
training upon entrance into the program, the following policies must be followed:
 The prior coursework taken must have been taken at the umbrella organization
for the residency/fellowship program within the last 2 years from starting the
residency/fellowship program and that previous coursework must match
EXACTLY with what is currently being taught in the residency/fellowship
program. Any changes to course content prevents a resident/fellow from
receiving past credit.
 A maximum of 10 hours of credit may be given towards the 1500/1000
residency/fellowship hours respectively that are required for credentialed
programs.
Sports Physical Therapy Residency Additional Admission Requirement: The resident
must possess one of the following: a current ATC designation, a current license as an
EMT, or certification as an Emergency Medical Responder PRIOR to commencing the
Program.
Fellowship Admission Requirement: Participants in fellowship programs must be
licensed as a physical therapist and possess one or both of the following qualifications:
1) specialist certification in the related area of specialty, 2) completion of a residency in
a related specialty area, and/or 3) demonstrable clinical skills within a particular
specialty area.
Evidence 1.2.2 Provide the Program’s policies and procedures for the resident/fellow-in-training
handbook and Program and/or umbrella organization’s policy and procedures manual(s) for all items
listed in the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency & Fellowship Education “Evaluative
Criteria for Credentialing Residency/Fellowship Programs for Physical Therapists”. Please do not send
the organization’s entire policy and procedures manual.
Resident/Fellow-in-training Policies and Procedures
1.2.3 Resident/Fellow-in-training Recruitment and Written Contract/Agreement/Letter of
Appointment
Evidence 1.2.3.1 Provide the recruitment materials (not a link to the Program’s website).
1.2.3.2 The Program shall provide the resident or fellow-in-training a written
contract/agreement/ letter of appointment. The contract/agreement/letter of
appointment must include reference to the following items:
(a) Duties of the resident or fellow-in-training,
(b) Duration of the agreement including grounds for termination,
(c) Hours of work,
(d) Fringe benefits (e.g., meals, uniforms, vacation policy, sick leave
policy, housing provisions, and payment of dues for membership in
selected professional organizations),
(e) Health, hospital, and disability insurance benefits,
(g) Probationary period, if applicable,

(h) Mechanism of appeal, and
(i) Current information about any financial aid or stipends provided through
the umbrella organization or Program.
If these items are not included within the contract/agreement/letter of
appointment, reference must be made that they are included in the Program’s
policy and procedures manual and this manual is provided to the resident with
the contract/agreement/letter of appointment.
Evidence 1.2.3.2 Provide a copy of a blank contract or agreement or letter of appointment.
1.2.3.3 The Program maintains a record of current participants in the Program.
Evidence 1.2.3.3 Utilize the Form below to provide the name, physical therapy license number and state,
and status (active or inactive) for all currently enrolled residents or fellows-in-training. Add additional
rows as needed.
Interpretive Guideline: Program must have a resident or fellow-in-training enrolled in the program at the time
of application.
RESIDENT/FELLOW-IN-
TRAINING NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS LICENSE #
(with state)
START DATE
(MONTH/YEAR)
STATUS
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive
Active Full Time
Active Part-Time
Inactive

2.0 RESOURCES
INTRODUCTION:
Resources are available in sufficient quantity and quality to enable the residency or fellowship to accomplish its
goals. These resources may include adequate patient/client population, faculty, resident or fellow-in-training
services, staff, finances, access to publications, capital equipment, materials, and facilities.
2.1 Patient/Client Population
2.1.1 The Program has a patient/client population that is sufficient in number and variety to
meet the educational purposes, goals, and objectives of the Program.
Residency and fellowship programs must provide sufficient mentored clinical practice
experiences for the most common diagnoses or impairments identified in the
Description of Specialty Practice (DSP), the Description of Advanced Specialty
Practice (DASP), or practice analysis. Other learning experiences (observation, patient
rounds, surgical observation, etc.) may supply sufficient exposure to less commonly
encountered practice elements.
Clinical Residencies: If the curriculum of the residency program is in an area or
portion of an area where American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS)
specialist certification exists, the patient/client population must reflect the current
ABPTS DSP. If the curriculum of the residency program is not in an area where
ABPTS specialist certification exists, the patient/client population must be consistent
with the findings of a reliable and valid practice analysis.
Clinical Fellowships: Because the curriculum of a fellowship is designed to advance
the physical therapist’s clinical skills beyond that of the residency, the patient/client
population must be consistent with the findings of a reliable and valid practice analysis
for the subspecialty area.
Patient/Client Population
Evidence 2.1.1.A Using the Form below, summarize the number of patients/clients (not number of visits)
by diagnostic categories evaluated, treated, and/or managed by the resident/fellow-in-training over the
last year as part of the residency or fellowship program. Do not provide data on patient/clients seen by all
staff in the clinic. Copy this form as needed. New Programs provide data since the start date of the
resident/fellow-in-training. Categorize the patient/client population in a manner that clearly captures the
intent of the DSP/DASP/practice analysis upon which the Program is based (categorize by diagnosis,
impairment, body region, and/or practice location, as needed). For orthopaedic residency, sports
residency, and orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellowship programs, please use the Form provided.
This chart should also provide a summary of the percentage of the total patient/client population
represented in this category.
Site visit will include review of data sources used to generate summary information.
Interpretive Guideline: This form should be completed with patient/client numbers that the resident/fellow-in-
training has treated since commencing the Program up until the date the application is submitted. Updated
numbers for this form for all currently enrolled residents/fellows-in-training will be reviewed during the site
visit. Each patient should be counted once (Ex: If a resident/fellow-in-training sees a patient for a new
examination and then again for follow up, that patient should only be counted once. Or, if a resident/fellow-in-

training was not the examining therapist, however sees the patient/client on a subsequent follow up, that
patient/client can be counted at that time.)
Name of Resident/Fellow-in-training
(Include a separate form for EACH resident/fellow-in-training currently enrolled in the Program)
Description of Patients by Diagnostic Group/Impairment Category
DIAGNOSTIC GROUP OR
CATEGORY
NUMBER OF
PATIENTS/CLIENTS
TREATED BY RESIDENT
OR FELLOW-IN-
TRAINING AS PART OF
THE PROGRAM
% OF TOTAL PATIENTS/
CLIENTS TREATED BY
RESIDENT OR FELLOW-
IN-TRAINING
Orthopaedic residency and manual physical
therapy fellowships, please use the substitute
form below that already has the diagnostic
categories listed.
Sports residency and fellowship programs,
please use the substitute form below that
already has the diagnostic categories listed.
* Be as descriptive as possible in defining Diagnostic Group/Category. See examples in Application Resource Manual.

ORTHOPAEDIC RESIDENCY PROGRAMS, USE THIS FORM
Name of Resident
(Include a separate form for EACH resident currently enrolled in the Program)
DIAGNOSTIC GROUP OR
CATEGORY
NUMBER OF
PATIENTS/CLIENTS
TREATED BY THE
RESIDENT AS PART
OF THE PROGRAM
% OF TOTAL
PATIENTS/
CLIENTS
TREATED BY
THE
RESIDENT
THE % INDICATED
BELOW ARE PER THE
DSP GUIDELINES.
PROGRAMS SHOULD
BE TARGETING
Cranial/Mandibular 5%
Cervical Spine 15%
Thoracic Spine/Ribs 5%
Lumbar Spine 20%
Pelvic Girdle/Sacroiliac/Coccyx/
Abdomen
5%
Shoulder/Shoulder Girdle 15%
Arm/Elbow 5%
Wrist/Hand 5%
Hip 5%
Thigh/Knee 10%
Leg/Ankle/Foot 10%
Total 100%

ORTHOPAEDIC MANUAL PHYSICAL THERAPY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS, USE THIS FORM
Name of Fellow-in-training
(Include a separate form for EACH fellow-in-training currently enrolled in the Program)
DIAGNOSTIC GROUP OR
CATEGORY
NUMBER OF
PATIENTS/CLIENTS TREATED
BY THE FELLOW-IN-TRAINING
AS PART OF THE PROGRAM
CLIENTS TREATED THE
FELLOW-IN-TRAINING
Cranial/Mandibular
Cervical Spine
Thoracic Spine/Ribs
Lumbar Spine
Pelvic Girdle/Sacroiliac/Coccyx/
Abdomen
Shoulder/Shoulder Girdle
Arm/Elbow
Wrist/Hand
Hip
Thigh/Knee
Leg/Ankle/Foot
Total

SPORTS RESIDENCY AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS, USE THIS FORM
Name of Resident/Fellow-in-training
(Include a separate form for EACH resident/fellow-in-training currently enrolled in the Program)
DIAGNOSTIC GROUP NUMBER OF
PATIENTS/CLIENTS TREATED
BY RESIDENT OR FELLOW-IN-
TRAINING AS PART OF THE
PROGRAM
CLIENTS TREATED BY
RESIDENT OR FELLOW-IN-
TRAINING
Lumbar Spine
Thoracic Spine
Cervical Spine
Hip/Pelvic Region
Knee/Lower Leg Region
Ankle
Foot
Shoulder
Elbow
Wrist
Hand/Thumb
TMJ
Total
% of total clients that are sports physical therapy cases (should be at least 40%)
Evidence 2.1.1.B Describe the Program’s plan for providing learning opportunities for all diagnostic
category groups/impairments should there be limited patient exposure for any diagnostic category.
2.2 Faculty
2.2.1 The Program has a director or coordinator whose skills and background meet the
qualifications of the position description of program director or coordinator.
Faculty
Evidence 2.2.1.A Provide the program director or coordinator’s job description.
Interpretive Guideline: The program director’s job description should include management of the entire
residency program, including but not limited to, accessing and managing resources, assuring consistent
curricular application across all didactic and clinical sites, assessing program outcomes, and implementing

necessary changes. Provide the average number of hours per week dedicated to the residency/fellowship
Program.
Evidence 2.2.1.B Provide the program director or coordinator's abbreviated résumé by completing the
chart below.
Faculty Name:
Academic/Teaching Appointments:
Education:
Scholarly Activity/Publications:
Educational Presentations:
Recent Continuing Education Attended:
Interpretive Guideline: Do NOT send lengthy curriculum vitae.
2.2.2 The Program has a sufficient number of faculty with demonstrated expertise in the
needed areas of academic and clinical practice, including the appropriate credentials, to
achieve the mission and goals of the education program.
The faculty has the collective qualifications necessary to conduct the activities of the
Program. Those qualifications include the following: advanced clinical skills, academic
and experiential qualifications, diversity of backgrounds appropriate to meet Program
goals, expertise in residency or fellowship development and design, and expertise in
Program and resident/fellow-in-training evaluation. The faculty as a unit, including the
Program director or coordinator, have the qualifications and experience necessary to
achieve the Program goals through effective processes of Program development, design,
and evaluation of outcomes.
Faculty members must have expertise in their area of clinical practice and teaching
responsibility, effective teaching and evaluative skills, and a record of involvement in
scholarly and professional activities. Judgment about faculty competence in a
curricular area for which a faculty member is responsible is based on: 1) appropriate
past and current involvement in specialist certification and/or advanced-degree courses;
2) experience as a clinician; 3) research experience; and 4) previous teaching
experience (e.g., classroom, clinical, in-service and/or continuing education, and
presentations to, and attendance at, in-service or continuing education courses). When
determining teaching effectiveness, multiple sources of data are collected, including
evaluations by residents or fellows-in-training.

The Program has an adequate number of didactic and clinical faculty to allow for: 1)
teaching, clinical mentoring, administration, continuing individual counseling,
mentoring of residents or fellows-in-training by faculty, and supervision and conduct of
clinical research throughout the period of study; 2) faculty involvement in residency or
fellowship committee responsibilities; and 3) faculty activities that contribute to
individual professional growth and development.
The Program has a sufficient number of clinical faculty to ensure that the residents' or
fellows’-in-training service delivery tasks and duties are primarily learning-oriented.
Educational considerations should take precedence over service delivery and revenue
generation.
Where the focus of the Program is within an ABPTS specialty area, the Program will
have at least one ABPTS-certified faculty member in that area. For multi-site Programs
there must be a clinical specialist on site unless the resident/fellow-in-training will be
rotating to other sites where there is a clinical specialist. For orthopedic manual
physical therapy programs, the Program will have at least one FAAOMPT on faculty.
The ABPTS-certified faculty member must be providing some of the mentoring within
the clinical practice setting.
Clinical Residencies: At least one ABPTS-certified (current) clinician will serve on the
faculty of the clinical residency program and be involved in all major areas of the
clinical residency program including development of the curriculum, the supervision of
clinical experiences, mentoring, and advising of students. At least one full-time faculty
member will be ABPTS-certified (current) in the clinical residency program where full-
time faculty exist. A sufficient number of ABPTS-certified (current) clinicians must
serve on the faculty of clinical residency programs that are composed of part-time
faculty.
Clinical Fellowships: The same standards apply for the faculty of a clinical fellowship.
The faculty must include at least one individual with substantial experience in the
subspecialty area, which can be clearly documented. For orthopedic manual physical
therapy fellowships, the faculty must include one fellow of AAOMPT. In addition,
mentoring in orthopedic manual physical therapy fellowship programs must be
performed by a member of AAOMPT.
Evidence 2.2.2.A Utilize the Form below for each faculty member that meets the description (full-time or
part-time) in the “Evaluative Criteria for Credentialing Residency/Fellowship Programs for Physical
Therapists”. Provide names, credentials, title, primary place of employment, including the site where the
faculty provides instruction/mentoring, areas of responsibility, recent professional development activities
and the number of hours per week dedicated to the residency/fellowship program. If single faculty
member, briefly describe the Program’s contingency plan should the faculty member not be able to
function in this role.
The site visit will include an assessment of the appropriateness of the number and expertise of existing faculty
including review of CVs or resumes relative to the number of residents or fellows-in-training and the
curriculum.

Copy this Form as needed and complete one Form for all faculty active in the Program.
NAME (with credentials) ABPTS CERTIFICATION/RECERTIFICATON
(Designate year certified/Year of latest recertification)
TITLE Number of hours per
week dedicated to
the residency/
fellowship Program:
Cardiopulmonary (Cert) (Recert)
Clinical Electrophysiology (Cert) (Recert)
Geriatric (Cert) (Recert)
Neurologic (Cert) (Recert)
Orthopaedic (Cert) (Recert)
Pediatric (Cert) (Recert)
Sports (Cert) (Recert)
Women’s Health (Cert) (Recert)
OTHER CERTIFICATIONS/ASSOCIATION
STATUS
Certified Hand Therapist (Cert) (Recert)
FAAOMPT or Member of AAOMPT: Yes No
Certified Wound Specialist (Cert) (Recert)
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT
SITE WHERE FACULTY PROVIDES
INSTRUCTION/MENTORING
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY IN PROGRAM
RECENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES (i.e., continuing education, publications, research, etc.)
Evidence 2.2.2.B Describe the qualifications for appointment to the Program’s faculty (didactic and
clinical).
Interpretive Guideline: Response should be brief and discuss those qualifications as a whole that the program
utilizes when making appointments to its faculty. Please do not include individual qualifications for each
faculty member listed.
2.2.3 The Program has ongoing faculty development programs.
Interpretive Guideline: Ongoing faculty development programs are designed to
maintain and improve the effectiveness of each individual associated with the Program
and to improve the Program as a whole. Resources for development need not be
limited to money and may include such areas as mentoring, sharing of clinical
expertise, release time for development activities, and participation in journal clubs.
Evidence 2.2.3 Provide a summary of professional development opportunities and resources that allow
faculty to maintain and improve their effectiveness as clinicians and educators.
Services to Physical Therapists Residents or Fellows-in-training
2.3 Services to Physical Therapist Residents or Fellows-in-training

2.3.1 The umbrella organization and the Program provide adequate services to the physical
therapist resident or fellow-in-training to support successful completion of the Program.
2.3.1.1 When multiple facilities are used, each facility shall be formally linked to the
umbrella organization or Program by a document delineating the nature and
terms of the relationship.
Interpretive Guideline: When the resident's or fellow’s-in-training learning
experiences are provided at secondary facilities, the participating facilities
indicate their respective commitments either through a memorandum of
understanding or a letter from the individual(s) responsible for providing the
learning experiences at the secondary facility. The document acknowledges the
affiliation and delineates any financial support (including resident/fellow-in-
training liability) and educational contributions of the secondary facility.
Evidence 2.3.1.1.A Utilize the Form below to list all facilities (didactic and clinical) utilized for
resident/fellow-in-training education.
NOTE: The Residency/Fellowship Program Agreement requires compliance with APTA’s policies and positions.
The Program may not place residents/fellows-in-training in a clinical education experience where the clinic is
in a referral for profit situation, that is, one in which a referring physician derives a financial benefit from the
physical therapy services provided to the person who is referred.
Evidence 2.3.1.1.B Provide letters of agreement for all clinical facilities not owned/operated by the
Program’s umbrella organization.
Evidence 2.3.1.1.C Describe how the program will ensure uninterrupted, quality didactic and clinical
learning for all program participants should any of the program’s resources be suddenly
terminated/annulled.
2.3.1.2 The program and/or umbrella organization ensures that residents or fellows-in-
training have access to educational advising.
Interpretive Guideline: Advising regarding current enrollment, matriculation,
remediation, withdrawal, and dismissal policies and procedures are provided.
Evidence 2.3.1.2 Describe the availability of, and accessibility to educational advising and counseling.
NAME OF FACILITY CONTACT PERSON FACILITY ADDRESS

Residents or fellows-in-training will be interviewed on site.
2.4 Financial Resources
2.4.1 The Program has the financial support needed to achieve its stated goals.
Interpretive Guideline: For the protection of the residents/fellows-in-training in the
Program, the umbrella organization demonstrates its support of the Program, in part,
by providing sufficient funding resources to sustain the Program over the long term.
Financial Resources
Evidence 2.4.1.A Describe the Program’s current sources of funding.
Evidence 2.4.1.B Describe the Program’s plan to assure funding throughout the period of credentialing.
During the site visit, the site team will discuss this information with the Program director or coordinator and
may ask to review additional supporting documentation such as revenue and expense reports.
2.5 Educational Resources
2.5.1 The physical therapist resident or fellow-in-training and Program faculty have access to
current publications and other materials in appropriate media to support the curriculum.
Educational Resources
Evidence 2.5.1 Describe the educational resources, including methods of access, available to faculty and
residents or fellows-in-training.
The site visit will include the site team’s assessment of how well these resources meet the needs of the residents
or fellows-in-training and faculty.

3.0 CURRICULUM
INTRODUCTION:
Both the residency and fellowship experiences combine opportunities for ongoing mentoring and formal and
informal feedback to the physical therapist resident or fellow-in-training, including required written and live
patient practical examinations, with a foundation in scientific inquiry, evidence-based practice, and course work
designed to provide a theoretical basis for advanced practice. Each Program is based on a well-defined,
systematic process for establishing content validity of the curriculum that describes practice in a defined area.
Residencies are created in a specialty area; fellowships should have a curriculum based in one or more
subspecialty areas. In specialty areas where validated competencies have been identified, the curriculum should
be based on those competencies. In addition, the curriculum should be consistent with the most current version
of APTA’s Guide to Physical Therapist Practice.
Specialized and sub specialized Programs must include postprofessional education and training in the scientific
principles underlying practice applications. The curriculum sets forth the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and
values needed to achieve the educational goals and objectives of the Program.
The Program has the responsibility to include activities that promote the physical therapist resident's or fellow’s-
in-training continued integration of practice, research, and scholarly inquiry, consistent with the Program's
mission and philosophy. An evaluation component helps to ensure that the stated goals are being met by the
physical therapist resident or fellow-in-training through the curriculum plan.
3.1 Curriculum Development
3.1.1 The Program has a comprehensive curriculum that has been developed from, and is
reflective of a validated analysis of practice, or comprehensive needs assessment (non-
clinical programs only) and that incorporates concepts of professional behavior and
ethics.
Clinical Residency: If the curriculum of the residency program is in an area or a
portion of an area where American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS)
specialist certification exists, the curriculum must reflect the entire spectrum of the
current ABPTS Description of Specialty Practice (DSP). If the curriculum of the
residency or fellowship program is not in an area where ABPTS specialist certification
exists, the curriculum must reflect the use of an analysis of practice using validated
process. The validated analysis of practice must be approved by ABPTRFE prior to
establishing the Program curriculum. See the definition for “Analysis of Practice” in
ABPTRFE Credentialing Handbook for requirements related to conducting an analysis
of practice for the purpose of developing a new residency or fellowship practice area.
Please note that ABPTRFE approval of an analysis of practice and residency program is
not formal recognition of a specialty area as defined by APTA. In addition, ABPTRFE
recognition does not guarantee recognition by ABPTS and ABPTS retains its authority
to require additional work and documentation should a petition to establish a specialty
area be filed with ABPTS.
Clinical Fellowship: If the curriculum of the fellowship program is in a portion of an
area where ABPTS specialist certification exists, the curriculum must reflect the current
ABPTS DSP and also extend beyond the DSP in its scope. That is, the program may
establish the fellowship curriculum, including didactic content, competency
expectations, and description of patients seen through one of the following two
methods: 1) A valid and reliable analysis of practice in the subspecialty area; or 2)

Expansion of applicable portions of a DSP providing a detailed description of the
knowledge, competency expectations, and types of patients seen, including references
where appropriate. Orthopedic manual physical therapy fellowships must follow the
most recent version of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical
Therapists (AAOMPT’s) Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Description of
Advanced Specialist Practice (DASP).
The Program’s curriculum must cover the entire corresponding DSP, DASP, valid
analysis of practice, or comprehensive needs assessment for that specialty/subspecialty.
When updates are made to the document, programs have 1 year to modify their
curriculum to meet the updated document.
Curriculum Development
Evidence 3.1.1 Identify the year and version of the DSP/DASP, analysis of practice, or comprehensive
needs assessment used to develop the curriculum. If the curriculum is not in an ABPTS specialty area,
provide a copy of the analysis of practice or a detailed description of the expanded component of a DSP
that was used to plan the Program.
Interpretive Guideline: The current version of the DSP/DASP, analysis of practice, or comprehensive needs
assessment must be used to develop the Program curriculum. During the on-site visit, the way in which concepts
of professional behavior and ethics are incorporated into the curriculum will be discussed with faculty and
residents or fellows-in-training.
3.1.2. The Program provides a systematic set of learning experiences that addresses the content
(knowledge, skills, and behaviors) needed to attain the performance outcomes for the
clinical residents or fellows-in-training.
 All residents must have a minimum of 150 hours of 1:1 mentoring and 75 hours of
didactic instruction over the course of the Program.
 All fellows-in-training must have a minimum of 100 hours of 1:1 mentoring and 50
hours of advanced didactic instruction within an area of subspecialty over the
course of the Program.
The didactic instruction may include a variety of educational opportunities, including
but not limited to, case review, didactic classroom instruction, chat room, problem
solving sessions, clinical rounds, and other planned educational experiences.
Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy programs must meet the following additional
requirements:
 A minimum total of 1,000 hours with at least 90% orthopedic case load that
includes:
o A minimum of 200 hours of theoretical/cognitive and scientific study in
OMPT knowledge areas.
o A minimum of 160 hours, including 100 hours spinal and 60 hours
extremity, practical (lab) instruction in OMPT examination and
treatment techniques.
o A minimum of 440 hours of clinical practice with an orthopedic manual
physical therapist instructor available
 A minimum of 130 hours (of the 440 hours) of clinical practice
must be under the direct 1:1 clinical mentoring of the instructor
in which the fellow-in-training must serve as the primary
clinician responsible for the patient/client’s care for 110 of

these 130 hours. The remaining 20 hours of the 130 hours may
be devoted to observation, discussion, and interaction with the
mentor on patient/client management. Mentoring should be
distributed over the duration of the fellowship. Mentoring
must be provided by a member of AAOMPT.
 A minimum of 40 hours (within the 440 hours) of interaction
with the clinical instructors in non-patient care situations must
be included in the curriculum. The focus of these hours should
be related to clinical problem solving. Various methods may be
employed including small group tutorials and “chat room”
discussions between peers and clinical faculty, onsite or
phone/web-based technology interaction.
Interpretive Guideline: The 200 hours of theoretical/cognitive and scientific study in
OMPT knowledge areas can be provided by several methods. One method is providing
traditional didactic methods (lecture, discussion, etc). Additional methods can include
innovative teaching methods such as interactive discussion boards, interactive
shadowing experiences, etc.
Sport Physical Therapy Residency Programs must meet the following additional
requirements:
 A clinic experience that allow for at least 40% sports physical therapy caseload
 A minimum of 200 hours of sports physical therapy coverage at athletic venues.
Interpretive Guideline: Up to 50 hours of athletic training room experience
may be included, and is encouraged, in the 200 hours of venue coverage,
however is not required.

Evidence 3.1.2.A Utilize the Form below to provide the major content areas in the Program's curriculum and their relationship to the
DSP/DASP/analysis of practice or comprehensive needs assessment.
CONTENT AREA RELATED AREA IN
DSP/DASP/Analysis of
Practice/Comprehensive
Needs Assessment
LOCATION IN CURRICULUM
(eg, semester, week)
DIDACTIC EXPERIENCES CLINICAL EXPERIENCES

Evidence 3.1.2.B Utilize the Form below to provide an example of a typical weekly schedule for the resident or fellow-in-training.
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
NOON
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
4:00 PM
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
9:00 PM

Evidence 3.1.2.C Provide an outline or flow chart of the overall sequencing of content in the
Program’s curriculum across the entire time period of the residency or fellowship, including both
didactic and clinical experiences. Briefly explain the rationale behind the organization and
sequencing of the curricular content as well as how the program ensures congruency between the
didactic and clinical aspects of the curriculum.
Interpretive Guideline: The didactic and clinical portions of the curriculum must complement each other
to enhance participant learning. For example, the resident/fellow-in-training should be seeing those
patients/clients in clinic with the same diagnostic category that is being instructed during the didactic
portion of the curriculum at that time.
Evidence 3.1.2.D Provide the course syllabi, including course description, educational objectives,
requirements for successful completion, and teaching methods.
The on-site visit will include reviewing all teaching materials as well as observation of clinical residents
or fellows-in-training engaged in a clinical mentoring learning experience. Observation of a classroom
or lab experience is at the discretion of the site visit team.
3.2 Implementation
3.2.1 Residency: The residency program should be completed within a minimum of
1,500 hours, and in no fewer than nine (9) months and no more than 36 months.
Programs whose timeframe falls outside of these parameters will be reviewed on
a case-by-case basis.
Fellowship: The fellowship program should be completed within a minimum of
1,000 hours, and in no fewer than six (6) months and no more than 36 months.
The orthopedic manual physical therapy fellowship should be completed in no
fewer than eleven (11) months. Programs whose timeframe falls outside of these
parameters will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Implementation
Evidence 3.2.1.A Identify the minimum and maximum amount of time allowed for a resident or
fellow-in-training to complete the Program. Provide a summary of the amount of time previous
residents or fellows-in-training took to complete the Program.
Interpretive Guideline: The maximum time allowed for a resident or fellow-in-training to complete the
Program must include any time required for remediation by the resident/fellow-in-training, or leave of
absences, if applicable.

Evidence 3.2.1.B Utilize the Form below to provide a list of all residents or fellows-in-training who
have graduated in the past three years. Include initiation and completion date, and number of
hours required for completion. Explain discrepancies.
Name License
#
Email
Address
State Date Started
(Month/year)
Date Ended
(Month/year)
No. of Hours
in Program
3.2.2 The Program must include a variety of instructional methods to include
classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, clinical practice, and mentoring to
achieve the performance outcomes. The multi-site Program must provide
evidence demonstrating that the curriculum is applied consistently at each
clinical site.
Instructional methods are based on content and learning experiences and may
vary according to the resident's or fellow-in-training’s needs. To ensure the safety
of patients/clients and the competency of clinicians, a Program must provide
clinical mentoring that includes, but is not limited to:
• Faculty providing mentoring of residents or fellows-in-training that includes
management of patients/clients presenting with critical and/or complex care
issues that require further expert consultation or referral.
• Residents or fellows-in-training observing faculty providing clinical care.

Evidence 3.2.2 Use the Form below to list the number of hours dedicated to each instructional
method used to achieve the performance outcomes. Provide the average number of one-on-one
mentoring hours. For multi-site Programs, a separate form is required for each clinical site.
Name of Clinical Site:
*Provide a separate form for EACH clinical site
Instructional Method Total Hours in Program
Classroom Instruction (List all courses)
Journal Club
Research Activities
Home Study
Grand Rounds
Clinical Mentoring (minimum of 150 hours for residency; 100 hours for fellowship; 130 hours for
orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellowships). For non-clinical Programs, please provide a total of
mentoring hours provided to the participant over the course of the Program.
 1:1 clinical mentoring/instruction from physical therapist
clinical faculty while program participant is treating patients
(minimum 100 hours for residency; 50 for fellowship; 110
hours for orthopaedic manual physical therapy fellowship)
 1:1 patient/client related planning/discussion/review of
diagnostic tests, evaluation, plan of care, physical therapist
clinical faculty treating patients, etc.
Total Mentoring Hours
Clinical Practice (mentor accessible onsite)
Clinical Observation
Athletic Venue Coverage (Sports residency/fellowship Programs only)
Other: (Please list)
TOTAL HOURS IN PROGRAM

4.0 ONGOING EVALUATION
INTRODUCTION:
The Program conducts ongoing evaluation of the Program goals, faculty, curriculum, and participants.
The evaluation process is planned, organized, scheduled, and documented to assure ongoing quality of
post-professional specialty and subspecialty education.
The performance of the program participant is evaluated initially, on an ongoing basis, and at the
conclusion of the Program. Data collected on the evaluation of a program participant is used to further
focus the resident's or fellow-in-training’s learning and instruction, as well as to confirm achievement of
the residency or fellowship performance outcomes. Data are also collected on the post-graduation
performance of the residents or fellow as a whole, in order to evaluate the Program and revise the
curriculum.
4.1 Evaluation of the Program
4.1.1 The Program has a system for evaluating its goals (identified in 1.2.1), as related
to the mission statement.
Evaluation of the Program
Evidence 4.1.1 Describe the process for regular and ongoing evaluation of the Program’s goals as
stated in 1.2.1.A. Include how often the goals are reviewed, what would trigger a review, who is
responsible for the review, etc.
4.1.2 The Program has a system for evaluating its clinical and didactic faculty, which
includes assessment of teaching ability, professional activities, clinical expertise,
and service.
Evidence 4.1.2.A Describe the process for ongoing faculty evaluation. Faculty evaluation plan must
include annual observation of a mentoring session by the program director/coordinator for all
faculty mentors.
Interpretive Guideline: For multi-site programs, videotaping or video conferencing is acceptable for
observing a mentoring session by the program director/coordinator of faculty mentors.
Evidence 4.1.2.B Provide blank forms utilized in the faculty (clinical and didactic) evaluation
process.
Samples of completed evaluations will be reviewed onsite (names may be removed). Also, faculty will be
interviewed regarding the effectiveness of the evaluation process.
4.1.3 The Program has an ongoing process for periodic review of the curriculum and
making appropriate revisions, based on measurable performance outcomes.
Evidence 4.1.3.A Describe the ongoing process used to evaluate the Program's curriculum and to
make appropriate revisions. Include a description of the mechanisms used for communication (eg,
regular meetings, conference calls), those individuals involved in the evaluation process, and how
all persons involved in the program (eg, faculty, program participant) are made aware of any

substantive changes that occur. For multi-site Programs, include the processes for assuring that
the curriculum is being applied consistently across the practice settings in the overall assessment
plan.
The site visit will include discussion with faculty and residents or fellows-in-training on the means by
which ongoing communication is facilitated.
Evidence 4.1.3.B Describe an example of a change made in the curriculum as a result of the ongoing
review process (This may not be applicable to a new Program).
4.2 Evaluation of Physical Therapist Resident or Fellow-in-training from Entry to Graduation
The Program has measurable performance outcomes for its residents/fellows-in-training
that are consistent with the Program mission and goals.
Interpretive Guideline: The curriculum begins with formulation of performance
goals/measures for the Program graduates, statements of measurable behaviors
reflective of the analysis of practice that describes the graduate’s clinical abilities and
characteristics upon completion of the Program. The performance measures are
consistent with the mission and goals of the Program and form the basis for evaluation of
the Program and performance of the residents or fellows-in-training. Performance
measures must also address factors ensuring that critical standards of safety for
patients/clients are maintained.
4.2.1 The Program faculty determines that the physical therapist resident or fellow-in-
training is competent and safe to function upon entry into the Program.
Sports Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Program Additional
Requirement: resident or fellow-in-training must possess one of the following: a
current ATC designation, a current license as an EMT, or certification as an
Emergency Medical Responder PRIOR to commencing the Program.
Interpretive Guideline: The initial evaluation process should be designed to
ensure that the resident and/or fellow-in-training meet admission criteria.
Evaluation of Physical Therapist Resident or Fellow-in-training from Entry through
Graduation
Evidence 4.2.1 Describe the mechanisms for determining the resident's or fellow-in-training’s initial
competence and safety within the clinical setting upon entry into the Program.
4.2.2 The Program faculty establishes, assesses, and evaluates resident or fellow-in-
training performance on an ongoing basis, based on established assessment
criteria including a minimum of one (1) written examination and two (2) live
patient/client practical examinations over the course of the curriculum. Non-
clinical programs must include a minimum of one (1) written examination and
two (2) assessments over the course of the curriculum.
Orthopedic Manual Therapy Fellowship Additional Requirements include a
minimum of:
 One written examination

 Four technique examinations on models and/or patients/clients with a
minimum of one technique demonstrated during each exam.
 One patient exam with a spinal/axial focus. (Ideally one evaluation and
two follow-ups). The fellow-in-training is required to demonstrate skill
in application of low velocity and high velocity manipulative (thrust)
techniques. Practicum and oral discussion are part of this exam.
 One patient exam with a peripheral/appendicular focus (Ideally one
evaluation and two follow-ups). The fellow-in-training is required to
demonstrate skill in application of low velocity and high velocity
manipulative (thrust) techniques. Practicum and oral discussion are part
of this exam.
 Oral defense: the fellow-in-training should be able to orally defend the
examination and treatment decisions following each patient examination.
 Ongoing informal assessments of clinical competence.
Sports Physical Therapy Residency Additional Requirements include a
minimum of:
 Four technique examinations on such topics as rehabilitation techniques,
advanced evaluation techniques, manual therapy techniques
 One patient examination in the clinic for each: knee, ankle, spinal/axial,
and upper extremity
 Direct observation of a patient examination on the field for both contact
and non-contact sport (the observation of the examination may be
administered by a physical therapist, an athletic trainer, or team
physician, however the final determination of pass/fail will be made by
the physical therapist overseeing the resident’s athletic venue experience)
 One patient examination for pre-participation screen
 One patient examination for wellness evaluation
 One patient examination for functional testing for return to sport for
each: knee, ankle, spinal/axial, and upper extremity
Interpretive Guideline: Methods of evaluating the performance of the clinical
resident or fellow-in-training, relative to the set of learning experiences, should
be both formative and summative, based on the performance measures, and
provided in a timely manner.
Evidence 4.2.2.A Describe the process used to evaluate the resident's or fellow-in-training’s
advancing level of competence and safety within an area of specialized practice, consistent with the
practice description.
Evidence 4.2.2.B Provide didactic and clinical performance outcome assessment tools (eg, testing
materials, examinations, checklists). These tools must include the operational definitions for all
grading scales utilized including pass/fail criteria.
Completed resident or fellow-in-training performance evaluations (names may be masked) will be
reviewed onsite.
Evidence 4.2.2.C Provide a list of patient reported or performance based measures of body
structure and function (impairments) and activity and participation (physical, emotional, social,
function, quality of life) used in the program as part of the program/participant evaluation process.

Interpretive Guideline: Examples of patient reported outcome measures include: Oswestry, DASH, Lower
Extremity Function Scale, ABC, DHI, etc. Examples of performance based outcome measures include:
FIM, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go. Examples of impairment based outcome measures include:
ROM, Strength, Pain, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure.
Evidence 4.2.2.D Describe how the resident/fellow-in-training utilizes these measures to reflect
upon their performance with their patients/clients with the intent of future improvement of clinical
performance.
Interpretive Guideline: Provide a brief description that outlines how the program assures the
resident/fellow-in-training is utilizing patient reported or performances based measures to evaluate their
own performance and improve their patient/client management skills. Examples include, but are not
limited to, formal or informal discussion between the faculty and program participant, resident/fellow-in-
training completing a self reflection journal that is reviewed by faculty, etc.
4.3 Post-Graduation Performance of Clinical Residents or Fellows
4.3.1 The Program regularly collects information about the post-graduation
performance of the residency or fellowship graduate, which is used for Program
evaluation and modification.
Interpretive Guideline: An expectation exists that the Program will engage in a
planning process based on the measurement of performance of its residents or
fellows as it relates to the roles and responsibilities of the physical therapist.
Evidence 4.3.1.A Provide the survey used to determine if the program graduates have met the goals
of the program. Describe the program’s plan to survey its graduates at least once every 5 years
following completion of the program. For programs re-credentialing, provide a summary of the
results and any changes that were made to the program based on the results.
Interpretive Guidelines: Programs must obtain feedback from their graduates on whether the program
is meeting its established goals and objectives. This information must be collected at least once every 5
years for all participants that graduated within those 5 years. For example, if board certification is a
goal of the program, the program must evaluate the number of graduates who have sat and passed the
board certification examination. Programs should make modifications to their curriculum should it find
that the program’s goals and objectives are not being met. During re-credentialing, completed surveys
will be reviewed during the site visit.
Evidence 4.3.1.B Describe how the information collected from Program graduates is used to
evaluate and modify the Program. If the Program is new, describe how the information will be
used.
Evidence 4.3.1.C Describe an example of how the Program has been modified as a result of the
information received from graduates (not applicable for new Programs).
Interpretive Guideline: The goal of program assessment is ultimately to improve the Program’s ability to
meet their goals. For example, if a resident reports feeling unprepared to independently manage a patient
with advanced TMJ degeneration, then the Program should use that information to improve that portion
of the curriculum.

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