Physical Therapy
Why choose our residency program?
In addition to structured 1:1 mentorship from orthopedic and sports board-certified, fellowship-trained, and experienced clinicians, the residency will also prepare participants to earn American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) certification as an orthopedic clinical specialist following successful completion of the program. The board has published and shown higher board certification passing rates for residency graduates than non-residency graduates.
Program Mission
The mission of the Holy Cross Health Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency is to supply the foundation for clinicians to become leaders who contribute to orthopedic physical therapy as lifelong learners and educators, as well as obtain advanced knowledge to sit for and become Board Certified clinicians in the field of orthopedic physical therapy. The program mission is to develop clinicians who supply compassionate, patient-centered care following standard clinical practice guidelines and recommendations, current and impactful literature, and equipped with the most current evidence-based techniques and interventions. The Holy Cross Residency program strives for continuous improvement of present cohorts, past cohorts, and faculty, by seeking additional certifications, publications, and other academic honors to promote long life learning. 
Program Goals
- Support the mission, vision and core values of Holy Cross Health and its Orthopedic Rehabilitation department.
- Supply advanced and innovative didactic and clinical instruction to residents to become board-certified orthopedic clinicians.
- Facilitate the development of lifelong learners and educators.
- Develop residents into professionals who can adequately analyze and contribute to literature and evidence-based practice.
- Obtain and maintain ABPTRFE accreditation as an orthopedic physical therapy residency.
Residency Program Information
Accreditation: The American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education granted accreditation to the residency program in 2019. Residency graduates will be eligible to sit for the ABPTS clinical specialist exam in orthopedics.
Program Length: 12.5 months
Tuition: There are no tuition costs for the residency program.
Employment: Residents are full-time, exempt employees of Holy Cross throughout the duration of the program despite not carrying a full patient case load due to educational opportunities. Residents will earn a salary of ~85% of an entry-level staff physical therapist and are eligible for benefits including health and dental insurance, paid time off and potential travel reimbursement for presentation at a national or state conference. Residents may be eligible for student loan deferment during their time in the program. Please check with your lender to confirm deferment eligibility.
Curriculum: Residents will partake in weekly didactic and clinical education activities following the most current edition of the ABPTRFE Description of Residency Practice: Orthopedics. The curriculum as created by our program curriculum coordinator, is separated into learning units including, but not limited to, exercise prescription, differential diagnosis, evidence-based practice, upper extremity, lower extremity, lumbosacral, cervicothoracic, and musculoskeletal imaging. In addition to educational activities, residents will also have weekly structured 1:1 mentorship from residency faculty to improve clinical reasoning, manual interventions, and patient outcomes.
*5/7 first-time passage rate on the ABPTS Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) examination.
*All 7/7 residents have fully completed and graduated from the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency
Admission Requirements
- Obtain state of Florida physical therapy licensure prior to the beginning of the program
- Graduate from a CAPTE accredited physical therapy program.
- Complete the online application form
- Three letters of recommendation (two clinical, one academic)
- Panel interview
Program Faculty
- Matthew Waggoner, PT, DPT, MTC, KTCC, FAAOMPT
- Michael Brainerd, PT, DPT, OCS
- Robert Blake, PT, DPT, MTC, FAAOMPT
- Sarah Maceda, OTR/L, CHT
- Oron Fiksel, DPT, OCS, CMFT, COMT, FAAOMPT
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Alex Bonhomme, PT, DPT, DSc, OCS, FAAOMPT (Consultant)
Learn more about physical therapy clinical residency and fellowship programs at http://www.abptrfe.org/home.aspx
For additional information, please contact:
Robert Blake, DPT, MTC, FAAOMPT, MBA