The Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Certificate Program is an online curriculum of post-professional didactic education for physical therapists. Enroll in a single course or complete the full five-course program to earn your certificate. Enhance your knowledge, clinical reasoning and psychomotor skills. Learn from board-certified faculty instructors with a combined 70 years of experience. Healthcare professionals experienced in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal diagnoses are encouraged to apply.

Courses are taught by the Johns Hopkins Hospital Orthopeadic Physical Therapy Residency faculty who have been recognized for their contributions to education, research and practice management. The faculty offer the highest caliber of training and an opportunity for students to become distinguished leaders in evidence-based orthopaedic and manual physical therapy practice.

Information Sessions

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Program Features

• Combination of didactic lectures, guided independent study and skill practice
• Asynchronous activities with optional synchronous lectures
• Regular assessments culminating in a final exam
• Designated virtual office hours
• Opportunities to prove skill development through discussion board posts and video uploads of skills
• Integration of the APTA’s Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy’s Clinical Practice Guidelines

Program Goals

• Establish evidence-informed practice principles
• Develop the content knowledge, clinical reasoning and psychomotor skills to confidently provide care for orthopedic medical conditions
• Promote life-long learning

Curriculum and Schedule

Course 1: Effective Physical Therapy Practice

Course 1 delves into and tackles topics like clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice and medical screening. With an integrated, case-based final, you will demonstrate to the instructors how you have integrated current best evidence to determine whether a patient is safe to evaluate, needs to be referred and evaluated or just referred out due to concerns of a more serious pathology.

Course 2: Cervicothoracic

Course 2 focuses on the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy’s clinical practice guidelines on neck pain. Topics include mobility deficits, neck pain from headaches, neck pain with related upper extremity pain and TMJ dysfunction.

Course 3: Lumbopelvic

Course 3 focuses on the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy’s clinical practice guidelines on low back pain, acute and chronic low back pain. Topics include low back pain with mobility deficits, movement coordination impairments, related or radiating lower extremity pain, generalized pain and cognitive and affective disorders.

Course 4: Lower Quarter

Course 4 focuses on the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy’s clinical practice guidelines on the lower quarter. The course starts with the hip joint and in particular mobility deficits in the hip and the non-arthritic hip. The next topic is the knee and topics include patellar femoral pain, meniscal injuries, in particular cartilage injuries and ligamentous injuries. Last will be the foot and ankle covering Achilles tendon injuries, ankle sprains and heel pain.

Course 5: Upper Quarter

Course 5 focuses on the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy’s clinical practice guidelines on the upper quarter. The course starts with shoulder joint, discussing shoulder pain with mobility deficits, movement coordination impairments and rotator cuff tears. Next will be elbow, wrist and hand, with a focus on mobility deficits, stiffness, movement coordination impairments, hand pain and sensory deficits.

All instructors are either Fellows of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapist (FAAOMPT), Board-Certified Clinical Specialists in either Orthopaedic (OCS) or Sports Physical Therapy (SCS) or Certified Hand Therapists (CHT) by the Hand Therapy Certification Commission.