Neurologic physical therapy residency

Our residency program

Our year-long advanced neurologic physical therapy residency offers licensed physical therapists an exceptional path towards Neurologic Clinical Specialist certification. The VA Puget Sound Neurologic Physical Therapy program is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) as a post professional program for physical therapists in neurology and is funded by the VA Office of Academic Affiliations.  This program offers 2 salaried resident positions annually with leave and medical benefits.  Our post-graduate residency focuses on developing skills in the evaluation and treatment of the neurologic population through structured mentoring (150+ hours), didactic education (300+ hours), and interprofessional practice collaboration. Learning opportunities occur within VA Puget Sound’s Spinal Cord Injury Unit and Rehabilitation Care Service.  Residents who successfully complete an ABPTRFE accredited program are eligible to sit for the Neurologic Clinical Specialist exam.  

Accreditations and programs

VA Puget Sound Health Care System accreditations

CARF Inpatient Rehabilitation Programs:

• Spinal Cord Specialty Program (Adults)
• Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program (CIIRP)
• ABPTRFE accreditation 2024-2029

CARF Interdisciplinary Outpatient Medical Rehabilitation Program in:

• Spinal Cord Specialty Program (Adults)
• Amputee Specialty Program (Adults)
• Stroke (Adults)
• Blind Rehabilitation

VA Puget Sound nationally recognized programs

• Center of Excellence for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Amyotrophic Lateral Scerosis (ALS) Association Certified Center of Excellence
• Northwest Regional Amputation Center and the Northwest Parkinson’s Disease Research, Clinical Education Center (PADRECC along with Portland)

VA Puget Sound’s Rehabilitation Care and Spinal Cord Injury services provide a full complement of teaching levels, including advanced practice spinal cord injury medical fellowship, quality and safety fellowship, chiropractic residency, clinical psychology internship, and rehabilitation psychology fellowship. This allows the physical therapy resident ample opportunity for advanced practice interprofessional learning experiences.

Mission

The mission of the VA Puget Sound Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency program is to support the Veterans Integrated Services Network and facility missions to honor Veterans with world class health care by preparing neurologic physical therapists with advanced knowledge and clinical practice, teaching, and leadership skills in the area of neurologic physical therapy. These residents in turn will provide outstanding service to Veterans with neurological diagnoses. The program will be active in continuous improvement processes and strategic initiatives to assure program excellence and sustainability.

Program goal and outcomes

Goals

This residency program will contribute to the mission and goals of VA Puget Sound by providing advanced evidence-based education and experiences to residents in neurologic physical therapy and rehabilitation care.  

• Recruit high quality, dedicated, and motivated candidates with a passion to advance the physical therapy profession and the potential to become board-certified professionals.
• Educate residents for successful completion of the neurologic clinical specialty examination (i.e., APTA board certification).
• Train residents to become fully capable of contributing to the physical therapy practice and health care through active roles in clinical practice, clinical education, and patient advocacy.
• Cultivate a workplace environment to retain successful graduates within the local federal health care community.
• Maintain approval and funding by the VA Office of Academic Affiliations through demonstrated high quality outcomes.
• Maintain sufficient faculty staffing with teaching knowledge and depth of experience to ensure high quality outcomes.
• Maintain American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) accreditation requirements for VA Puget Sound.

Outcomes

• Residency pass rate: 100% (4/4)
• Neurologic Clinical Specialist exam pass rate: 100% (2/2)
• Rate of residents hired into a neuro position: 100% (4/4)

Residency curriculum and experiences

Our curriculum is composed of paced modules reflective of areas of importance in the care of the patient with neurologic dysfunction. The modules are comprised of independent readings, 1:1 didactic instruction, and integrated learning projects with opportunities for teaching, research and community service. These modules compliment weekly mentored advanced clinical practice in assessment and treatment of neurologic diagnoses.

Spinal Cord Injury Service

• Across continuum of care from acute, to rehab and outpatient
• Wound care
• Respiratory care
• Annual health evaluation/screening
• Home safety and equipment evaluations
• Telehealth
• Custom Seating

Rehabilitation Care Services - Acute Service

• Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• Early Mobility
• Acute and chronic neuro conditions
• Discharge Planning
• Palliative / Hospice
• Emergency Department
• Medically complex

Rehabilitation Care Services - Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program

• Inpatient acute rehabilitation
• High Intensity Gait Training
• Caregiver Training
• Community Outings
• Aquatics
• Coordination of care admissions
   

Rehabilitation Care Services - Neurologic Outpatient

• MS clinic
• ALS clinic
• Movement disorders clinic
• Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Vestibular
• Telehealth
• Home care evaluation
• Interdisciplinary mobility clinic

Additional experiences

• Webinars
• Readings: articles, clinical practice guidelines and textbooks
• Journal club
• Interdisciplinary didactics
• Opportunities to observe specialty clinics: wheelchair clinic, movement disorder clinic, prosthetics and orthotics, ergonomic assessments, EMG clinic, Botox injections, surgery and acupuncture

Residency completion checklist

This is a list of all components to the residency program that must be completed prior to graduating from this program.

• At least 1500 hours clinical care
• At least 150 hours of mentoring hours, of which at least 100 hours must have the patient present and the resident as the primary provider
• At least 300 hours of didactic educational hours (may be completed outside of tour of duty)
• APTA membership including neurology section
• Provide self-assessment on preferred learning styles to mentors via handoff form
• Daily log to track exposure to the diagnoses listed in Description of Residency Practice (DRP) during clinical hours
• Daily log of productivity
• Fill out mentoring forms prior to 1:1 mentoring sessions with patient present
• Provide at least 3 presentations on specialist-level material
• Pass all rotation written examinations
• Pass all written case reports
• Pass all live patient practical examinations
• Achieve at least a “level-4 Graduation Target” on the clinical competency by the end of the program
• Provide DPT student education sessions with provision of feedback
• Pass scholarly project assessment
• Complete service to profession and provide a written reflection to Program Director
• Participate in greater than 75% of journal club sessions (includes IKT and VAPS journal club)
• Completion of APTA Credentialing Clinical Instructor Level 1 course
• Complete weekly SOAP note to outline progress toward objectives, didactic material and program goals
• Complete feedback forms for each primary mentor
• Complete feedback form for program director
• Complete feedback form for each rotation
• Provide feedback form for residency program
• Perform exit interview
• Complete graduate outcome survey annually for 5 years

Recommended items

The following items are highly recommended, however, graduation from the program is not contingent on completion:

• Attend at least one national conference or approved course that covers specialist level material
• Sign up for specialist certification examination
   

Benefits and costs

Residency benefits:

• $60,787 salary (2026-2027))
• Zero-dollar tuition
• Health insurance
• Paid leave days: 13 vacation; 13 sick; 11 federal holidays
• Personal workspace and computer
• Scrubs
• Office supplies/support personnel
• Medical Media services
• Medical Library access
• Free parking
• Teaching experience
• Residency employment is applicable to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program

Costs to resident: 

• APTA Level 1 Clinical Instructor course
• APTA and neurology section membership
• Contact us to request the financial fact sheet

Applicant requirements

• Citizen of the United States
• English language proficiency
• Licensed physical therapist or a physical therapy student from a CAPTE (Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education) accredited physical therapy program with the intention of becoming licensed within one month of the residency start date. A minimum of a temporary physical therapy license is required by the onset of the program.

How to apply

VA Puget Sound uses the APTA Residency/Fellowship Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS).   Apply at the RF-PTCAS (https://rfptcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login). Applications will be due February 1, 2026. Interviews will be conducted mid-late February 2026. Top applicants will be offered residencies until both positions are filled. The program starts September 8, 2026.

For questions or additional details please contact one of the program co-directors: 

Kelsey Gliesing, PT, DPT, NCS; Kelsey.Gliesing@va.gov;

Marina Briscoe, PT, DPT; Marina.Briscoe@va.gov;