Neurological Physical Therapy Residency Program

Overview

Our program is a 12-month intensive study of neurological physical therapy within a learning health system care model. We emphasize implementing evidence into practice and advancing the profession. Residents spend equal time in acute care, inpatient rehab, and outpatient settings, ensuring a well-rounded clinical experience.

The residency includes structured one-on-one mentoring, with clinical time comprising approximately 90% of a typical week. The remaining time is dedicated to didactic training, knowledge translation projects, educational opportunities, and shadowing physician specialists. The accumulation of didactic and clinical experience prepares the resident to be leaders and pace setters in the management of neurological patients. Our comprehensive approach prepares residents to become advanced practitioners and successfully pass the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties Neurological Clinical Specialist Exam.

Credentialing

Our program is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education as a post-professional residency program for physical therapists in neurology.

Length of Program

The program duration is 12 months, beginning the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Onboarding

Hospital and department-specific onboarding will occur. Each setting will have a ramp-up time before seeing a full caseload.

Clinical Time

Thirty-six hours a week will be dedicated to patient care. Four hours each week are dedicated to specialty observations and/or didactic preparation.

Tuition

An upfront cost is expected for the institute of knowledge translation advanced neurological physical therapy practice curriculum. This cost will be reimbursed after 30 days in the residency program.

Financial Fact Sheet

Please CLICK HERE for our financial fact sheet.

The program will:

1. Support the mission and core values of AdventHealth by fostering excellence in clinical decision-making and neurologic patient care.
2. Prepare residency graduates to contribute to the profession of physical therapy, and the larger health care community through leadership, evidence-based practice, education, and service.
3. Promote professionalism globally in the field of neurologic physical therapy and locally within AdventHealth by incorporating the APTA’s seven core values of professionalism into the curriculum and clinical experiences.
4. Prepare residency graduates to pursue ABPTS certification as clinical specialists in neurologic physical therapy.
5. Prepare residents to be highly skilled critical thinkers who embrace lifelong learning and are grounded in the principles of evidence-based learning relating to clinical guidelines and neurological physical therapy.
6. Maintain program financial stability through AdventHealth Sports Med and Rehab to continually employ three residents for one year.

The clinical time during the residency, which includes one-on-one mentoring, comprises approximately 90% of a typical week. Thirty-six hours a week will be dedicated to patient care.

Onboarding and Training
Can be offered prior to start of the residency program.

Acute Care (4 months)

At AdventHealth Orlando, which:

• Offers neurocritical care, neuro medical and neurosurgical units
• Is stroke-center certified
• Is a recognized U.S. News & World Report leader in neurosurgical care
• Is an Epilepsy Surgery Center

Inpatient Rehab Facility (4 months)

At AdventHealth Rehabilitation at Winter Park, which:

• Has CARF-accredited programs for stroke and brain injury
• Has a spinal cord injury program
• Has treatment technology on the 60-bed unit, which includes virtual and augmented reality, four unique body-weight support harness systems, wireless FES systems and multichannel iFES ergometers

Outpatient (4 months)

At AdventHealth Sports Med and Rehab Orlando – Innovation Tower, which:

• Is a multidisciplinary site with physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and wellness
• Has multidisciplinary clinic days available with neurology physicians
• Has a designated Muscular Dystrophy Association Care Center
• Has a Huntington’s Disease Center of Excellence

Our program offers specialty observation of various healthcare professionals in different settings, providing a unique advantage of working within a large hospital system. This experience not only enhances your interdisciplinary care skills but also broadens your clinical expertise for neurological disease management.

• ICU Rounding
• Neuro Immunology
• EMG/NCS
• PM&R Rounding
• Neuropsychology
• Orthotics/Prosthetics
• Memory Care
• Movement Disorder
• Neuromuscular
• Neurosurgery – Deep Brain Stimulation & MRI Guided Ultrasound
• ENT
• Motion Lab
• Multidisciplinary Clinic Days*
  • Huntington’s
  • Parkinson’s
  • Tremor
  • Lewy Body Dementia
  • Muscular Dystrophy
  • Spinal Muscular Atrophy
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

*Multidisciplinary Clinic Days (MDC’s) are care clinics set up in the outpatient setting designed to provide comprehensive care from a variety of healthcare providers. MDC’s entail a visit with a specialty neurologist followed by visits by PT, OT, SLP, Respiratory, Social Work, Dietitian, and Assisted Technology professionals. The goal of MDC’s is to streamline and connect outpatient services to better outcomes for patients.

Residents will receive didactic training on numerous topics related to neurologic physical therapy, drawn from the Description of Specialty Practice for the Neurological Clinical Specialist. The didactic portion of the residency program includes online webinars hosted by the Institute of Knowledge Translation. Additionally, residents will be required to lead in-services, participate weekly mentoring session and partake in a knowledge translation project. 

Laura Patrick, PT, DPT
Program Director
[email protected]

Laura Patrick is a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy working at AdventHealth Sports Med and Rehab. She been working with patients with neurological conditions with AdventHealth since 2010. Laura Patrick serves as the Senior Manager of Specialty Programs overseeing clinical quality and program growth for Neuro, Lymphedema, Oncology, Pelvic Health, and Pediatrics and as the Director of the Neurological Residency Program. Laura has presented at state and national level on practice of neurological physical therapy as well as on the implementation of the core set of outcomes and high intensity gait training within the outpatient setting. Laura most recently served as a knowledge translation mentor for the Academy of Neurological Physical therapy knowledge translation summit. Her professional roles include clinical practice, mentoring, quality improvement, pathway development, multidisciplinary clinical care, and leadership.

Kyle Reedy, PT, DPT
Program Coordinator
[email protected]

Kyle Reedy is a board-certified specialist in neurologic physical therapy working at AdventHealth Sports Med & Rehab. He has been working with patients in the outpatient neurological setting since he graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2019. Kyle currently serves as the Divisional Neurological Physical Therapy Lead. His professional roles include clinical practice, mentoring, knowledge translation, development of special programs, and best practice advisory. Kyle serves as faculty and an active mentor in the neurological residency program. He has given presentations at state conferences, doctoral level physical therapy programs, and clinical settings on high intensity gait training, dysautonomia, knowledge implementation projects, spinal muscular atrophy, and multiple sclerosis. Kyle is currently involved in research regarding the efficacy of using blood flow restriction to improve function in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Rod Olson, PT
Clinical Manager
[email protected]

Rod Olson is a seasoned Physical Therapist with a Master's degree in Physical Therapy from Andrews University. He has been a licensed practitioner in the state of Florida for many years, bringing his wealth of knowledge and experience to the healthcare field.

Throughout his career, Rod has held various leadership roles, including positions as a Clinical Manager, Lead Physical Therapist, and Program Director. His expertise extends to vestibular rehabilitation, clinical education, and program development.

Rod is dedicated to his profession and maintains active membership in the American Physical Therapy Association. With his diverse background and extensive experience in the field, he continues to be a valuable asset to the healthcare community, particularly in the realm of rehabilitation and physical therapy.

Sunita Ruse, PT
Clinical Manager
[email protected]

Sunita Ruse serves as the Clinical Manager for AdventHealth Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities in Central Florida. She graduated from University of Central Florida in 2003, working with patients with neurological conditions, primarily in the inpatient rehabilitation setting. Sunita is a faculty member for the neurological residency program at AdventHealth. Her professional role includes mentoring, quality improvement, competency development, and program development.

Applications must be submitted through the RF-PTCAS system.

Applications submitted by the deadline are evaluated by the faculty based on the following criteria:

• Graduate of a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy program before the start date
• Hold, in good standing, a current license to practice physical therapy in the state of Florida
• Meet all eligibility requirements to be employed as a practicing physical therapy within AdventHealth Sports Med & Rehab
• Submit a current resume or CV and an up-to-date academic transcript
• Current member of APTA or willing to join a professional organization
• Two references: one must be from an academic setting and one from a clinical setting
• Interest in the advancement of the profession
• Research experience or interest

AdventHealth Human Resources will contact appropriate candidates for initial screening. The admissions committee will interview superior candidates. Following the interview process, the admissions committee contacts Human Resources with the names of the top three candidates. Following a background check, the Human Resources representative offers the residency position.

Any offer is contingent upon obtaining a physical therapy license for the state of Florida prior to the start date. As residents are team members of AdventHealth during their residency, acceptance is also contingent upon meeting all AdventHealth Human Resources hiring process requirements.

The program's policy is to recruit, admit and retain participants on a nondiscriminatory basis. The program does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or health status. Applicants requesting disability accommodations must file a request (detailing necessary accommodations) to the program director in writing.

The typical time frame for the application/ admission process is as follows (may vary slightly due to scheduling of all involved parties):

• Application Deadline: January 31
• Interviews: February
• Selection of residency (take out offer from human resources): Latest March 15

Residents are eligible for benefits through AdventHealth. These include employer-supported health and dental insurance, disability and life insurance and paid time off. This is not a comprehensive list; applicants may receive a full description of benefits upon request.

Program Completion Rate: 100%

• Pass Rate of Neurological Clinical Specialty Board Certification Exam: 100%
  
• Awards and Recognitions:
  • 2022-2023 Cohort
    • Meghan Harper: Poster Presentation at APTA CSM 2024
    • Meghan Harper serves as the Nominating Chair in Academy of Neurological Physical Therapy’s Residency and Fellowship SIG
    • Tatiana Luccani, Meghan Harper, Lindsay Vargas: Submitted for APTA CSM 2025 Poster Presentation
    • Tatiana Luccani: Submitted for APTA CSM 2025 Poster Presentation
      
  • 2023-2024 Cohort
    • Danielle Palmer, Alix Disque, Chloe Millich: Submitted for APTA CSM 2025 Poster Presentation