Typical Training Week
Preview a typical training week for the Mentorship and Fellowship
Cervical lateral palpation
Preparation for your study at Kaiser Permanente Hayward
After you are accepted into the program, you begin with a Pre-Mentorship Independent Study in your home state. You'll complete 6-8 weeks of directed reading to prepare you for entry into the program.
Clinical Course Work during the Mentorship and Fellowship at Kaiser Permanente Hayward
Week I: Begin with several days of classroom introduction to set the foundation for clinical examination and treatment. Classes combine lecture/laboratory formats and allow ample time for feedback from faculty.
Ongoing clinical course work: Attend weekend course work approximately every other weekend, including Mondays.
- Mentorship participants will attend weekend course work approximately twice per month.
- Fellowship participants will attend course work 2-3 weekends a month.
Clinical Practice and 1:1 Mentoring --- This is WHY people come to Kaiser Permanente Hayward!
You will be in clinical practice three days a week for a 26-hour work week. During this patient care time, faculty members provide clinical supervision on a 1:1 basis.
Approximately every other week, you will travel to a central classroom for a small group tutorial with classmates and faculty members.
Evaluations and Projects
Periodically, you will take practical examinations with patients, plus written and technique exams. Other requirements include preparation of a clinical project (e.g., case studies or a seminar paper on various clinical syndromes) and critique of the literature.
Additional Requirements for the 6-month Fellowship
Culminating Teaching Project and additional course work
If you take the Fellowship, you are required to design and implement a culminating teaching project in your own community during the 2-3 months after completing the Advanced Fellowship.
Individuals who seek recognition as a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical therapists must complete the Pre-Mentorship Independent Study Period, full-time 3-month Mentorship, full-time 6-month Advanced Fellowship, culminating teaching project, and selected course work in the basic and applied sciences (e.g. anatomy, biomechanics) within a 3-year period to meet APTA standards. Most therapists complete all "fellowship" requirements within 16-18 months. You are only required to be at Kaiser Permanente for 9 months of that time.
Physical Demands
Our program requires that you perform normal outpatient therapist activities. There may also be extended periods of sitting for classroom activities, and some driving to training sites (although carpooling is an option). In addition, you will be practicing a variety of manual therapy techniques on classmates. You are asked to assess your own physical capabilities for participating in the program.
Our Commitment to Your Future
Within our program, you will have access to a wealth of educational materials and resources to support your individual learning needs. Graduates of the program become a part of the alumni association, which offers ongoing advanced course work. Visit our alumni website at : http://www.iaopt.org