An orthopedic manual physical therapy fellowship training’s impact on professional development, involvement, personal lives, and income – A survey study

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Little research exists investigating the personal and professional outcomes of postprofessional physical therapy (PT) training. Therefore, the purpose of the current descriptive, web-based survey study was to determine self-reported outcomes from a postprofessional PT fellowship program, including graduate professional, educational, and research involvement; perceptions of the impact of training on clinical and professional attributes; changes in employment and income; and barriers to training.

Methods: Graduates of a part-time, hybrid-model, multisite orthopedic manual PT fellowship program were invited to complete the web-based survey. Descriptive data analyses were performed for all quantitative data, and responses to questions were analyzed and categorized into themes.

Results: Of the 77 fellowship graduates, 75 (97%) completed the survey. Graduates were involved in teaching; 43% (32/75) filled lead instructor roles in PT education programs. Further, 75% (57/75) were involved in research. The mean (SD) and median (range) increase in annual gross income was $9560 ($17,545) and $2,500 ($0-$125,000), respectively. Perceived areas with the largest impact of training included clinical reasoning, patient-centered and evidence-based practice, and professionalism. Life balance and family commitments were frequent barriers during training.

Discussion: Graduates noted substantial perceived professional, clinical, and financial benefits to fellowship training. Limitations included lack of a control group and surveying participants from a single program. Future research should determine the influence that program and participant-related factors have on personal and professional lives of graduates and on clinical outcomes.

Level of Evidence: Descriptive survey, level 3.

KEYWORDS:

• Education
• manual therapy
• fellowship
• survey

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this paper can be accessed on the here.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that we have no financial disclosures or conflicts of interest to report.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Julie M. Whitman

Dr. Julie M. Whitman is the former program director of Bellin College's Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship and Doctorate of Science in Physical Therapy programs. She has 40+ peer-reviewed manuscripts, and over 30 published abstracts in the areas of orthopaedics and manual physical therapy.

Mark Shepherd

Dr. Mark Shepherd is the program director of Bellin College's Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program.  He serves as faculty with Evidence in Motion.  He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy.

Brett Neilson

Dr. Brett Neilson is the program director of Evidence in Motion's tDPT and Therapeutic Pain Specialist programs.  He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy.

T. J. Janicky

Dr. T. J. Janicky is a physical therapist at Active Life and Sports PT.  He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy.  He serves as faculty with Evidence in Motion.

William J. Garcia

Dr. William J. Garcia is a full-time Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy program at Sacramento State.   He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy.

Seth Peterson

Dr. Seth Peterson is the founder of The Motive Physical Therapy Specialists in Oro Valley, AZ.  He is adjunct faculty in the Physical Therapy program at A.T. Still University.  He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy.

Barbara J. Stevens

Dr. Barbara J. Stevens is faculty for Bellin College's Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship program.  She serves as faculty with Evidence in Motion.  She is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy.