NAIOMT/Messiah University Orthopedic Residency Program
Earn your COMT and prepare for the OCS examination while completing the NAIOMT/Messiah University orthopedic residency program.
NAIOMT is proud to announce our Orthopedic Residency program in conjunction with Messiah University.
The 2025 Application window is now open!
Application Deadline: May 1, 2025
Start Date: July 7, 2025
The NAIOMT/Messiah University Orthopedic Residency 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 on-line. 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 (match your knowledge to "experts!").
Mission Statement
"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."
Residency Details
1,800 total hours of the residency program
Educational hours: 300 minimum
Patient-care hours: 1,500 minimum
Total 1:1 mentoring hours: 150 hours minimum
Admissions Requirements
For more information, please fill out the form below
Program Director 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.
Residency Program Outcomes
Completion (Graduation) rate (2023-):
TBD
Retention rate:
TBD
ABPTS Orthopaedic Specialty Exam pass rate (2023-):
TBD
Presentations:
TBD
Publications:
TBD
Our Clinical Partners
