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Pediatric Physical Therapy Residency Program
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Develop advanced pediatric specialty knowledge and clinical skills, leadership qualities, competent teaching strategies and the highest standards of professionalism in the Sacred Heart University and Connecticut Children’s Pediatric Physical Therapy Residency program.
Why Apply to the Pediatric Physical Therapy Residency Program at Sacred Heart?
The SHU and Connecticut Children’s Pediatric Physical Therapy Residency program is a unique program that offers:
- Advanced coursework in pediatric physical therapy
- Clinical practice with weekly, in-person mentorship at a nationally recognized pediatric care institution
- Exposure to pediatric settings, with concentrated practice in pediatric acute care and hospital-based outpatient settings
- Opportunities to teach pediatric content within the SHU Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program
- Participation in research projects and quality improvement initiatives
This program provides an excellent opportunity for individuals who want to expand their knowledge in pediatric physical therapy. Residents develop advanced clinical reasoning that will prepare them for future specialty practice in pediatric settings. In addition, they gain foundational knowledge in teaching strategies, as well as leadership qualities and professional development.
The SHU and Connecticut Children’s Pediatric Physical Therapy Residency program has been granted candidacy status by The American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE), which signifies that it’s made satisfactory progress toward accreditation. Achieving candidacy status is not an indication that ABPTRFE will grant initial accreditation. Participants who graduate from a program in candidacy status are not deemed to have completed an accredited program.
In the Pediatric Physical Therapy Residency Program, you will also:
- Participate in a 12-month curriculum that addresses all areas of pediatric physical therapy practice through coursework and clinical experience
- Prepare for the ABPTS (American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties) certification exam
- Have opportunities to participate in conference programming from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy and Connecticut APTA Annual Conference
- Become professionally active at the practice, local, state, regional, national and international levels
- Contribute to the profession of physical therapy through high-quality clinical practice, classroom and clinical instruction, clinical research, professional leadership and professional service
- Become an APTA Credential Clinical Instructor
- Be prepared to pursue clinical excellence and expertise, continued professional development and life-long learning
Curriculum
The expected duration of the program is 12 months, beginning in late-August and ending in late-August of the following year. Residents participate in residency activities throughout the year totaling more than 2,100 hours over the duration of the program.
Examples of residency activities and approximate number of hours include:
- Clinical Practice: 1,680
- Mentorship: at least 150
- Coursework and practice setting observational hours: 300
- Teaching in the DPT curriculum: 20
Courses
1.0 Credit(s)
This first course in a 3-part residency education series focuses on advanced foundations of pediatric physical therapy care including social determinants of health, motor learning theories, knowledge translation, and movement system diagnoses. The course will focus on the development of gait, postural control, and the musculoskeletal systems throughout childhood. The course will conclude with content focused on pediatric musculoskeletal conditions. Participants will gain psychomotor skills in pediatric biomechanical examination techniques and integrate/apply these skills to patient case examples. Participants will create a professional development plan and begin their independent research project. Participants will demonstrate their knowledge through complex patient presentations as well as live patient examination. Concurrently, participants will be progressing in their first clinical rotation at Connecticut Children's, progressing in clinical competency as per the Physical Therapist Residency Competency Evaluation Instrument.
3.0 Credit(s)
The second course in the 3-part residency education series focuses on teaching and learning practices, pediatric therapy services provided under IDEA, and management of neurological and oncologic conditions. Participants will be required to assist in a DPT pediatric laboratory and reflect on their use of various teaching strategies. Participants will continue to expand their clinical reasoning and research inquiry via critical article appraisal. The course will include hands-on practice of pediatric neurological examination techniques. Complex case presentations will focus on interdisciplinary care and decision making. Participants will complete live patient examinations and interventions to demonstrate their progress towards advanced pediatric care. The course will include continued progression in their independent research study and reflection on their individualized professional development plan. Concurrently, participants will be transitioning from their first clinical rotation to their final clinical rotation at Connecticut Children's. Performance will be progressed as per the Physical Therapist Residency Competency Evaluation Instrument. Participants will also participate in observations of school and early intervention settings.
Prerequisite: Take PT-951
3.0 Credit(s)
The third course in the 3-part residency education series focuses on advanced clinical reasoning with cardiopulmonary and hematological conditions as well as the influence of COVID-19 in pediatrics. The course will also focus on special settings and diagnoses that can be encountered in advanced pediatric practice with hands on skill focus of concussion/vestibular examination and intervention. Participants will expand upon their teaching practices through creation and delivery of guest lectures to DPT students as well as in-service to Connecticut Children's staff. Participants will demonstrate their knowledge through live patient assessment as well as presentation of their independent research project. The course will culminate in review of individualized professional development plan with reflection on progression throughout the program duration. Concurrently, participants will complete their final clinical rotation at Connecticut Children's. They will progress towards graduate competency requirements on the Physical Therapy Residency Competency Evaluation Instrument.
Prerequisite: Take PT-952
3.0 Credit(s)
Didactic Faculty
Lindsey Schilberg, PT, DPT, PCS
Clinical Faculty/Pediatric Residency Director
Donna M. Bowers, PT, DPT, MPH, PCS
Adjunct Instructor
Susan Ronan, DPT
Clinical Associate Professor
Residency Program Graduate Outcomes
Outcome data will be published upon the completion of the first residency cohort.
More Information
Program Director
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