Therapy Partners Group University Women’s Health Residency is a 15-month program that includes extensive 1 on 1 mentoring, didactic courses (outlined below), and clinical training. We have multiple mentors that provide different perspectives on approaching patient-centered treatment to assist our residents in developing a holistic and individualized approach to patient care.
Our curriculum is structured to guide our residents in passing the American Physical Therapy Board of Specialists Women’s Health Physical Therapy Certification exam.
Therapy Partners Group University Women's Health Residency prides itself on mentoring residents to promote community education surrounding topics of pelvic health and lymphedema.
The mission of Therapy Partners Group University Women’s Health Residency program is to provide professional development opportunities for physical therapists to receive board certification in Women’s Health Physical Therapy.
The program will encourage the development and enhancement of advanced manual therapy skills, evidence-based treatments, and clinical reasoning to allow the resident to evaluate and treat all patients within the realm of pelvic health physical therapy.
Goals:
The Women’s Health Residency currently has approved sites in Tucson, Arizona. This is through our BodyCentral Physical Therapy chapter of Therapy Partners Group University
Each year the Women's Health residency is anticipated to have additional sites. Please make sure to contact us for specific locations.
Women’s Health Residents are in the clinic treating patients 30 hours per week. Mentoring is included in those 30 hours (about 4 hours per week). Didactic time is built into the schedule to work on article reviews, MedBridge/other courses, research, outreach opportunities, interprofessional shadowing, surgery observation, or attending lab and lecture modules. One morning per week and one afternoon per week are allotted for this. The weekly schedule typically changes and adapts to best fit the needs of the schedule throughout the course of the residency.
Residents are provided with additional training, didactic teaching, coaching in the clinic and on the field to allow them to focus on each resident’s unique requirements. The curriculum is also structured to help therapists pass the American Physical Therapy Board of Specialists Women's Health Physical Therapy Certification exam.
Mentoring Model:
Each resident mentors a minimum of 150 hours 1:1 with a member of our Women’s Health Residency Faculty: Each mentor will spend a period of 1-3 months mentoring a resident on a weekly basis before residents are transitioned to a different mentor. Mentoring slots are typically 4-5 hours with time blocked for patient discussion and planning. Primary mentors are WCS credentialed therapists, but we also have additional mentoring time with some of our faculty with NCS and previous residents prior to WCS certification. This promotes a well-rounded experience.
Women's Health Resident Caseload:
Our residents see a caseload of 90-100% women's health patients. This includes but is not limited to bladder and bowel dysfunction, pre-and post-surgical, sexual dysfunction, pain syndromes, pregnancy, and postpartum care, male pelvic health dysfunction, pain syndromes, pediatric pelvic floor dysfunction, and oncological and lymphedema cases. Our resident's caseload is designed to be inclusive of all ages and genders to promote proper healthcare for all. The remainder of the caseload will be general orthopedic cases.
For more information please contact Melissa Buss, PT, DPT, WCS, CLT- melissabuss@bodycentralpt.net
Women’s Health Specific Residency Curriculum:
Kegel Klub
Case Presentation
Guest lecture for PIMA physical therapy assistant program
Lecture with AZ Village Gatherings
Lumbopelvic hip dry needling (27 hours)
Attendance at ISSWSH conference
CSM attendance
Mentoring
Observation Hours:
“Subject to changes due to COVID-19 rules and regulations within hospitals”
Modules:
Bladder Health Foundations: (4 hours lecture; 4 hours lab)
Biofeedback Foundations: (4 hours lecture; 4 hours lab)
Pregnancy Foundations: (3 hours lecture; 2 hours lab)
Postpartum Foundations: (4 hours lecture; 2 hours lab)
Bowel Foundations: (4 hours lecture; 2 hours lab)
Male Pelvic Floor Foundations: (4 hours lecture; 2 hours lab)
Pelvic Pain: (4 hours lecture; 2 hours lab)
Male Pelvic Pain: (4 hours lecture; 1-hour lab)
Visceral Mobilization: (2 hours lecture; 2-4 hours lab)
Pediatric Pelvic Floor: (8 hours lecture; 2-hours lab)
Osteoporosis: (3 hours lecture)
Female Athlete: (3 hours lecture)
Oncology: (3 hours lecture)
Upper Extremity Lymphedema: (3 hours lecture; 4 hours lab)
Lower Extremity Lymphedema: (1-hour lecture; 3 hours lab)
Topics Specific to Treatment and care of Transgender Patients: (3 hours lecture)
Preconception Care and Infertility: (4 hours lecture; 2 hours lab)
Foundations Courses (all residency programs):
APTA CI Credentialing Course (27 hours)
Dry Needling Foundations Course (27 hours)
Lumbar Module and Lab
Hip Module and Lab
Cervical /TMJ Module and Lab
Chronic Pain Module and Lab
This is a 15-month employment commitment following the residency program. Residents are required to work for 15 months as a staff clinician at one of our locations. Our resident graduates will be paid a staff PT salary during this time and be eligible for bonuses.
We encourage our graduates to participate in our residency program by teaching lectures and mentoring our new residents.
During this time, we also help prepare our graduates to sit for their WCS by providing guidance and study materials. There is no cost for the Payback Period unless you choose to buy yourself out of it at the end of the residency period.
We are looking for someone that is passionate about Women’s Health and clinical education. We want someone who is a “go-getter” on our team. Residents need to be driven and motivated to make their residency experience the best 15 months possible.
It is also very important that our Women’s Health Residents are a good personality fit with our Residency Faculty and our treating staff.
Women’s Health Residency follows the universal application deadline and decision date for Women’s Health Residencies, which is typically a 12/31 deadline, and decisions are announced the week of 3/1.
August 1
We would strongly encourage you to take boards in April if you are applying to this residency program, as your licensure may be delayed otherwise. However, you will still be considered for a position.
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