Neurologic PT
Residency
Program
Siskin Hospital is committed to the development of clinical skills and specialized knowledge of its clinicians.
Siskin Hospital’s Neurologic Residency Program prepares therapists to provide our neurologic patients with the highest standard of care. Using the most current evidence-based practices achieves better outcomes and improves patient satisfaction with the therapy services they receive.
Program Mission
The Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation Neurologic Residency Program will provide advanced education and clinical experience to physical therapists in the field of neurology in order to promote improved patient care and outcomes, establish advanced clinicians in the field of neurologic physical therapy, and support growth of the neurologic physical therapy program at this facility.
The residency program is designed to support the hospital mission. Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation is committed to providing a wide range of high quality physical rehabilitation services where positive outcomes are achieved that benefit the individual served, as well as the community at large.
Graduates of the Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation Neurologic Residency Program will complete their residency in preparation to acquire their Board Certification as a Neurologic Clinical Specialist (NCS). The examination for this credential is offered through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in the spring following completion of the residency program.
Program Year 2024-2025
Program length: 12 months in duration
On-site: January 2, 2025-December 31, 2025
Online didactic coursework begins December 2024
Rotations: 4 clinical rotations (12-14 weeks each) (All clinical rotations are at the Siskin Hospital Main Campus, downtown Chattanooga)
Inpatient Brain Injury Unit
Inpatient CVA Unit
Inpatient SCI Unit
Outpatient Department (Neurodegenerative conditions, vestibular pathologies, etc.)
Two 1-week acute care clinical rotations at local acute care hospitals
Clinical Experience
The resident will provide patient care as a part of our inpatient and outpatient clinical staff with a focus on patients that present with neurologic pathologies listed in the Description of Specialty Practice and Description of Residency Practice (DRP). He/she will participate weekly in four hours of scheduled mentored treatment time, two hours of preparation to create an outline for patient treatments during mentored hours and weekly goals and four hours per week of didactic experiences (competencies on use of technologies, planning presentations, development of case study/research, online coursework).
Didactic Experience
Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation uses the program developed by the Institute for Knowledge Translation (IKT) as the main didactic component of the program. The curriculum includes online educational modules developed to provide education on the items identified in the Description of Residency Practice and Description of Specialty Practice; online mentoring; journal clubs; a practice examination; and various onsite learning experiences. The facility will cover the cost of the online curriculum, but all travel expenses for any off-site weekend courses will be covered by the resident. The resident is also responsible for any costs associated with the Neurologic Clinical Specialist Examination. Included in the online curriculum is content that focuses on the most current evidence-based practice, integration of knowledge into practice, leadership, statistics and critical inquiry, and information on neurologic pathologies listed in the primary health conditions chart in the DRP. The IKT will also provide one practice examination, which will be completed in preparation for the NCS Examination.
Technologies
Tilt table
Solo Step
Lite Gait
FES Cycle
Frenzel lenses
Shadowing Experiences and Labs
The resident will have the opportunity to shadow a PT/OT team in specialty movement clinics and area hospitals (ALS, and HD, and pediatrics).
MBSS shadowing experience
Botox/Dysport shadowing experience
Vision assessments
Serial Casting Lab
Seating and Positioning Lab
Community Involvement and Education
The resident will complete an educational presentation on the topic of their choice to a local organization (i.e. Support groups for Brain Injury, Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Spinal Cord Injury, Multiple Sclerosis) or to the IKT residency online group. The resident will be required to attend one meeting for each local support group. Previous residents have worked in a partnership with a local university (The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) to facilitate lectures/labs in the adult neurologic coursework for graduate level students.
The resident will complete an on-site lunch-and-learn presentation on a topic of their choice to provide education to other clinicians or support staff.
Research
Research is important to the growth and development of the field of physical therapy. Siskin Hospital promotes research by requiring the resident to conduct a case study during their residency. The resident will identify a case subject during their first clinical experience in order to complete a case report by the completion of the residency program.
Salary/Benefits
An external candidate resident will be paid a rate equivalent to an entry-level physical therapist salary at the facility. Internal candidates will maintain their current salary and benefits.
The resident will be offered benefits of a full-time employee including health insurance coverage and PTO. The resident will be a part of the weekend and holiday staff rotation.
Program Outcomes
NCS Pass Rate and Residency Graduation Rate
NCS Examination Pass Rate for Program Graduates: 100%*
Residency Program Graduation Rate: 100% *
*As of January 2024
Faculty and Administration
Jody Nix, BA, Vice President of Human Resources and the Chief Administrative Officer
Amy Burba, MS, OTR/L, FACHE, MRMC, Director of Inpatient Services
Matt Annessi, PT, DPT, NCS, CBIS- Clinical Mentor Inpatient Rehabilitation, Brain Injury Unit, and Inpatient Physical Therapy Supervisor & Co-Director of Residency Program
Jorden Watson, PT, DPT, NCS- Clinical Mentor Inpatient Rehabilitation, Spinal Cord Injury, Co-director of Residency Program
Meredith Russell, PT, DPT, NCS, CSRS, CBIS- Clinical Mentor Inpatient Rehabilitation, Stroke Unit
Katherine Gibson, PT, DPT, CSRS, CBIS- Clinical Mentor Inpatient Rehabilitation, Spinal Cord Unit
Andrea Sharrock, PT, DPT, Clinical Mentor Inpatient/Outpatient Rehabilitation, Vestibular
Application Process
Acceptance to the program will be based on the candidate’s ability to provide exceptional patient-centered care, advanced critical thinking skills, and dedication to continued learning and clinical growth. Qualified applicants will have demonstrated professional investment and development through research exposure, evidence-based practice and leadership opportunities. Flexibility, time management and communication skills are highly valued, as is the versatility to work in varying environments with a multidisciplinary team.
Applications will be processed through the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Residency/Fellowship Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS) or through the hospital internal applicant process.
In-person interviews are required.
We will not sponsor Visas for international applicants.
Please submit two letters of recommendation via mailing address listed below. Supplemental content (resume/CV/cover letter) can be emailed directly to the program director.
Applications will also be accepted via American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Residency/Fellowship Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS). The resident will be able to reference the website for instructions on how to apply.
Please submit:
Resume, cover letter, and CV
Two Letters of Recommendation
All materials due by September 13, 2024
Send to:
Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation
Neurologic Residency Program
Attn: Matt Annessi, Program Director
1 Siskin Plz
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Or via email: neuroresidencyprogram@siskinrehab.org
Program Duration: 12 months
Accreditation: Granted five-year accreditation status on November 18, 2020
Application period: October 1, 2023-September 13, 2024
On-site Interview Date: TBD
Admission decision: Following completion of review of candidates and interviews
Program start: January 2, 2025
Online curriculum begins: December 2, 2024
Clinical rotations begin: January 2, 2025
Prerequisites: The applicant must be a graduate from an accredited physical therapy program, have a valid Tennessee physical therapist license, or acquire license prior to residency start date.
The program director may be contacted for further information at: neuroresidencyprogram@siskinrehab.org or mannessi@siskinrehab.org
Note: American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) has granted Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation accreditation. Siskin will be accepting applicants for 2025 beginning October 1, 2023. Also note, residency programs are not accredited by Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.