Mission

To train and educate specialized, advanced practicing physical therapists who maximize military readiness and health outcomes through patient care, research, mentoring and teaching.

Vision

A world-class clinical research doctoral program and fellowship with graduates and faculty who are leaders in the field of orthopaedic manual physical therapy and embody the values of integrity, competence, and professionalism.

Aims

1. Attract ethical, competent, highly-motivated and clinically-focused students and faculty
2. Develop and maintain a cutting-edge terminal doctoral degree and fellowship curriculum that produces exceptionally skilled physical therapists, advances the role of physical therapy in the MHS, and meets the requirements for accreditation by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education through APTA, and the Accreditation Council on Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Education through AAOMPT
3. Demonstrate value to the: Department of Defense, Army Medical Command, the Army Medical Specialist Corps, BAMC, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Baylor University, and the civilian profession
4. Produce master orthopaedic manual physical therapists
5. Produce publishing researchers
6. Produce clinical and academic educators
7. Promote advancement in the field of orthopaedic manual physical therapy and professional development by supporting the APTA and AAOMPT mission, vision and standards of ethical practice

The program is divided into five academic semesters. The curriculum is designed to reinforce a body-region learning approach. Didactic courses include anatomy, biomechanics, differential diagnosis, radiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, research design and statistics, literature appraisal, and clinical teaching. Courses are taught by physical therapists with post-professional doctoral degrees who are also board-certified clinical specialists through the APTA, as well as guest instructors from BAMC medical staff.

Students see patients half day and attend classes or conduct research half day. Each student has four hours per week of clinical mentorship.

The program emphasizes military leadership and healthcare considerations throughout the entirety of the curriculum, to include a specific course titled Leadership & Current Concepts in Military Physical Therapy. Students also attend professional development lectures/seminars instructed by military leaders, and they participate in quarterly service-specific physical therapy meetings.

The program emphasizes military leadership throughout the entirety of the curriculum, to include a specific course titled Leadership & Current Concepts in Military Physical Therapy. Students also attend professional development lectures/seminars instructed by military leaders. Throughout the program, students receive consistent mentorship in their development of leadership skills within patient care, academia, and service.

Each student completes an individual doctoral research project that is submitted for publication by the end of the fellowship program and may additionally participate as a co-investigator in program-level research projects.  Students are prepared for this doctoral project through multiple didactic courses that cover evidence-based practice, research design, and statistics.  The program culminates with each student presenting their Research Defense to an assessment board consisting of program faculty and Baylor University representatives.     

At the national level, students attend the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists annual conference and may also have the opportunity to attend APTA Combined Sections Meeting. At the local level, students attend professional development lectures/seminars that may focus upon leadership, patient care, research, and other relevant topics.

Jennifer Moreno Primary Care Clinic – Physical Therapy

Candidates for admission to the program must hold an entry-level Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy from a program accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education. They must have a minimum of four years of experience in orthopedic physical therapy practice upon entry into the program and be a board-certified specialist through the American Physical Therapy Association in Orthopedics, Sports, or Electromyography. Successful applicants must have a current GRE score of 150 points on both verbal and quantitative sections for a minimum total score of 300 for entrance. Candidates must also meet the entrance requirements of the Graduate School of Baylor University. Candidates are selected by a competitive board process by their respective uniformed service. All uniformed service candidates must accept an active-duty service obligation to remain on active duty after completion of the program.

Potential applicants are encouraged to seek specific application details from their service-specific education manager, PT consultant, or career managers.

The application process varies by branch. Potential applicants are encouraged to seek specific application details from their service-specific education manager, PT consultant, or career managers. Currently, there is no program-level interview for acceptance into this program.

Students routinely teach into the Army-Baylor Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy located at the Army Medical Center of Excellence. Additional teaching opportunities typically include clinic in-services, continuing education courses, and national conference presentations.

All core faculty possess DSc or PhD degrees, are current Fellows of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists and are Board-Certified Clinical Specialists. The program’s Director of Research possesses a Master's degree in Statistics and is currently a PhD candidate. Core and adjunct faculty typically possess other certifications to include Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, point-of-care ultrasound, dry needling, and electrodiagnostic testing.

Students receive at least 150 hours of one-on-one clinical mentorship from Fellows of AAOMPT. This tailored mentorship experience provides the student with the opportunity to perform patient care under the expert guidance of clinicians experienced in orthopaedic manual physical therapy. Emphasis is placed on developing advanced competency in patient interaction, patient screening and examination, clinical reasoning, and management. Each mentorship block consists of 4-6 weekly sessions with one mentor. Assigned mentors rotate throughout the duration of the program. Student also receive consistent asynchronous clinical mentorship through patient case presentations and discussion with faculty.

The program incorporates daily documentation time and regular independent study times to aid the students in completing all coursework. As the program’s class size is relatively small, faculty is able to quickly adapt the curriculum schedule and assignments to accommodate student needs when necessary.