Do you know about all of the courses and programs NAIOMT has to offer? NAIOMT is proud to present our Orthopedic Residency Program in conjunction with Messiah University! Through the NAIOMT/Messiah University Orthopedic Residency, you can earn your Certified Orthopedic Musculoskeletal Therapist (COMT) and prepare for the Orthopedical Certified Specialist (OCS) examination. In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of our Orthopedic Residency Program and cover some of the questions you may have!
What Can I Expect From the Orthopedic Residency Program?
The NAIOMT/Messiah University Orthopedic Residency, which is an ABPTRFE Accredited Program, is a mix of live, synchronous, and asynchronous coursework conveniently designed to provide all the benefits of residency training without having to relocate. The core courses can be taken at Messiah University, at another location closer to where the resident-in-training resides, or online. Our coursework includes the core NAIOMT courses that will culminate in the resident-in-training earning the "COMT" credential and preparing for the OCS examination, as well as innovative coursework that includes clinical reasoning and differential diagnosis, value-based physical therapy principles, social determinants of health and its influence on orthopedic/musculoskeletal physical therapy outcomes, regenerative medicine, exercise prescription, post-operative orthopedic physical therapy intervention, research opportunities, journal clubs, and script-concordance assessments.
What is the Mission of the Orthopedic Residency Program?
To graduate specialists in orthopaedic physical therapy who are reflective, innovative, evidence-based, and life-long learners built on a foundation of 'PT First' as the solution for orthopedic-based human movement dysfunction by committing to quality advanced education, professional guidance and growth, continuous improvement, and strategic initiatives delivered through a "top of the license" interprofessional practice framework optimizing objectively measurable, value-based patient centered outcomes.
How Many Hours Does the Program Require?
The residency program consists of a total of 1,800 hours. The program is broken down into educational hours, patient-care hours, and one-on-one mentoring hours. Upon completion of the program, residents will have a minimum of 300 educational hours, 1,500 patient-care hours, and 150 one-on-one mentoring hours.
Who is the Program Director of the Residency?
Our Orthopedic Residency Program is directed by NAIOMT faculty member, Austin Sheldon, PT, DPT, DSc, Cert. DN, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT. Dr. Austin Sheldon, PT, DPT, DSc, Cert. DN, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT is a 2008 graduate of Regis University's DPT Program. He completed the NAIOMT/Andrews orthopedic physical therapy residency in 2013, the NAIOMT OMPT Fellowship in 2017, and the Andrews University DScPT program in 2021. Dr. Sheldon is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. He is a clinical assistant professor at Northern Arizona University "Hybrid" DPT program.
Do You Have More Questions Before You Apply?
If you have more questions before applying to our program, we're here to help! On our residency program page, you can find frequently asked questions and residency admission requirements. Don't hesitate to reach out to us through the contact form on our residency page. If you’d like to learn more about the current residents of the program you can learn more about each of their personal and educational backgrounds on our website. Whether you have questions about our Orthopedic Residency Program or any of our other programs or courses, we encourage you to get in touch with us!
