Orthopaedic Residency Program
The orthopaedic residency program prepares licensed physical therapists from SAU with advanced knowledge and clinical practice skills in the specialty area of orthopaedic physical therapy.
By participating in a residency program, therapists gain many of the experiences needed to apply for clinical specialization through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
As of January 2022, all (100% - 65/65) individuals have successfully completed the program with 98.1% (61/62) passing the OCS exam.
The Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency Program is an APTA-credentialed post-professional clinical residency program. This program was credentialed by the Committee on Clinical Residency and Fellowship Program Credentialing of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) beginning on July 31, 2006. The program was reviewed in 2021 and re-credentialed.
Currently, this program is only offered for students graduating from the professional DPT Program at St. Ambrose University and with affiliate residency sites. The residency builds upon the 114 semester hours of graduate credit completed in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Program Mission
The mission of this residency program is to prepare licensed physical therapists with advanced knowledge and clinical practice skills in the specialty area of orthopaedic physical therapy. Further, the program will enhance clinical reasoning skills, provide experience in teaching and presenting, reinforce use of best evidence in practice, and facilitate life-long learning.
For more information, contact Candi Gardner, PT, DPT, OCS, CMT at GardnerCandi@sau.edu or 563-333-6403.
Residency Curriculum
The curriculum consists of a series of eight classes including radiology, advanced musculoskeletal therapeutics, teaching practicum, and mentored clinical blocks. Residents also participate in an elective course on pain neuroscience education with Dr. Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD, CSMT.
The program utilizes classroom and laboratory training relevant to the specialty area, as well as study groups, case presentations, clinical research, staff supervision and community service. The program will be completed over a 12-month period with a new residency class beginning the spring semester each year.
A critical aspect of the program involves clinical mentoring of residents while they are involved in performing patient care. Residents are mentored by academic and clinical faculty who possess advanced clinical skills (board specialty certification or fellowship credentials), expertise in teaching, and involvement in scholarly and professional activities.
The clinical component of the residency is currently being offered in collaboration with Rock Valley Physical Therapy (Quad Cities), Genesis Health (Quad Cities), Edward Elmhurst Healthcare (Naperville, IL) and Fort Health Care (Fort Atkinson, WI).
ABPTRFE
The American Physical Therapy Association recognizes the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education as the agency for the accreditation of physical therapist residency and fellowship education programs.
The American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education determines the standards with which a residency or fellowship education program must comply to be accredited.
More Information
What is a clinical residency?
A clinical residency program is a carefully planned, post-professional clinical and didactic education experience designed to advance the 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.
Residency programs focus on furthering the resident's expertise in examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention and the management of patients within the area of clinical specialization. By participating in a residency program, therapists gain many of the experiences needed to apply for clinical specialization through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
What is a clinical fellowship?
A clinical fellowship is a planned program of post-professional clinical and didactic education for physical therapists who demonstrate clinical expertise in a learning experience in an area of clinical practice related to the practice focus of the fellowship. (Fellows are frequently post-residency prepared or board-certified specialists.)
What is the difference between a residency and a clinical fellowship program?
A clinical residency program is designed to substantially advance a resident's expertise in examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and management of patients in a defined area of clinical practice (specialty).
The residency experience often prepares an individual to become a board-certified clinical specialist. In contrast, a fellowship program is designed to provide greater depth in a specialty or subspecialty area than that which is covered in a residency program.
Additionally, participants in a clinical fellowship program must be licensed as a physical therapist and possess one or more of the following qualifications: 1) specialist certification, 2) completion of a residency in a specialty area, or 3) demonstrable clinical skills within a particular specialty area.
Contact Dr. Gardner for additional questions:
Candi Gardner, PT, DPT, OCS, CMT
Chair, Orthopaedic Residency Program
St. Ambrose University, Center for Health Sciences Education
1320 W. Lombard St.
Davenport, IA 52804
563-333-6403
GardnerCandi@sau.edu
Candi L. Gardner, PT, DPT
Dr. Gardner is the Director of the Residency Program and is a faculty member in the Manual Therapy Course Series. She practices in the area of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy as a Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist with an interest in treating spine and sports conditions. She completed an orthopaedic residency program training to become a Certified Manual Therapist and is an Advanced Credential Clinical Instructor.
Jill Hipskind, PT, DPT
Dr. Hipskind is a full time faculty member in the Physical Therapy Department and teaches in the Manual Therapy Course Series. She practices in the area of orthopaedic physical therapy as a board certified orthopaedic clinical specialist (OCS). In addition to completing an orthopedic residency program and becoming an Advanced Credentialed Clinical Instructor, Jill has completed training to become a certified manual therapist.
Kevin Farrell, PT, PhD
Dr. Farrell is professor emeritus in the Physical Therapy Department and teaches in the Manual Therapy Course Series. He is a board certified orthopaedic clinical specialist and a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. He continues in part-time clinical practice and is an Advanced Credentialed Clinical Instructor.
Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD
Dr. Louw earned his undergraduate, master's degree and PhD from the University of Stellenbosch in Cape Town, South Africa. He is an adjunct faculty member at St. Ambrose University and the University of Nevada Las Vegas, teaching pain science. Adriaan has taught throughout the US and internationally for 20 years at numerous conferences. He is a Certified Spinal Manual Therapist, Therapeutic Pain Specialist and has authored and co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles, books and book chapters related to spinal disorders and pain science. His Ph.D. was related to therapeutic neuroscience education and he is the Director of the Therapeutic Neuroscience Research Group, an independent collaborative initiative studying pain neuroscience. Adriaan is the Program Director of the Therapeutic Pain Specialist and Pain Science Fellowship post-graduate program for Evidence In Motion.
The Orthopaedic Residency Program is accredited through the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education:
3030 Potomac Ave, Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22305-3085
800-999-2782, ext 8552 phone
resfel@apta.org
Information on how to file a complaint with ABPTRFE.
The St. Ambrose University Residency in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy has a total tuition cost of $8,400. The total cost of the program is divided into two payments, and the cost will not change over the course of the program.
ABPTRFE Financial Fact Sheet listing Tuition and Fees can be found by clicking this link.
Contact
Candi Gardner, PT, DPT
Physical Therapy
Center for Health Sciences Education
1320 W. Lombard St.
Davenport, IA 52804
563-333-6403
GardnerCandi@sau.edu