Curriculum
The TRIA Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency is designed to accelerate the development of advanced orthopedic specialists through a comprehensive 12-month curriculum grounded in evidence-based practice, mentorship, and progressive clinical skill development. Residents progress through five educational terms focused on the core competencies of orthopedic specialty practice, including clinical reasoning, patient management, communication, professionalism, education, and systems-based practice.
What sets our residency apart is our intentional focus on developing advanced clinical reasoning through live patient care. Residents are challenged to move beyond knowledge acquisition and develop the decision-making skills required for specialist practice through direct observation, structured feedback, and progressive assessment in real clinical environments.
Our curriculum combines:
- 4 hours of weekly hands-on classroom instruction
- 40 hours of clinical practice each week
- 4 hours of weekly dedicated 1:1 mentorship
- Case-based discussions and collaborative learning
- Psychomotor skills training and competency assessment
- Patient-reported outcomes tracking
- Structured learning activities designed to strengthen clinical reasoning and patient management skills
Advanced Clinical Reasoning Through Live Patient Examinations
A defining feature of the TRIA Orthopedic Residency is our progressive Live Patient Examination process. Throughout the residency, residents participate in a series of structured assessments using actual patient encounters. These experiences evaluate and develop a resident’s ability to perform advanced examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment planning, communication, and clinical decision-making in real time.
Rather than relying solely on written examinations or simulated scenarios, our residents receive intensive feedback while managing real patients. This process promotes reflective practice, strengthens clinical reasoning, and helps residents develop the confidence and expertise expected of orthopedic specialists.
Mentorship
Each resident is paired with a dedicated mentor and completes more than 150 hours of structured mentorship throughout the program. During these sessions, residents function as the primary patient care provider while receiving observation, coaching, and feedback from experienced orthopedic specialists.
Key features of our mentorship model include:
- Four hours of dedicated mentorship each week
- Individualized coaching and performance feedback
- Direct observation during patient care
- Progressive development of clinical reasoning and patient management skills
- Exposure to board-certified and fellowship-trained clinicians
- Ongoing evaluation and goal setting throughout the residency year
Learning Within an Integrated Orthopedic System
Residents learn within one of the region’s most comprehensive orthopedic care environments. Through collaboration with orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine physicians, physician assistants, certified hand therapists, fellowship-trained physical therapists, and rehabilitation specialists, residents gain a unique perspective on multidisciplinary orthopedic care.
Additional learning experiences may include:
- Anatomy lab participation
- Surgical observation
- Certified hand therapy collaboration
- Leading journal clubs and technique training labs
- Service Learning, advocacy, and quality improvement experiences
- Professional presentations and leadership opportunities
Why TRIA?
Develop specialist-level orthopedic clinical reasoning through intensive live patient examinations, expert mentorship, and direct feedback within a nationally recognized orthopedic care system.
