Post-Graduate Physical Therapy Programs
Our programs are committed to developing stewards of the physical therapy profession, evidence-based practitioners and clinician scientists. Graduates will be critical thinkers, reflective, empathetic, and lifelong learners.
Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy (OMPT) Fellowship
Bellin College’s OMPT Fellowship is an evolution of the highly regarded Evidence in Motion™ (EIM) OMPT Fellowship which has been a hallmark of the physical therapy profession in elevating clinical leadership. The AAOMPT-recognized Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy helps therapists gain the highest-level skills in the integration of advanced manual physical therapy techniques, educating students and fellow PT’s, performing clinic-based research, and leading in the business of PT.
The Bellin College OMPT Fellowship program is a 40 credit, flexible, cost-effective, and achievable program from a work/life balance perspective. This program can be paced to accommodate personal life and spread over 18 months to 4 years. Data demonstrates that past-EIM Fellows perform in the top 10% of the profession (based on Focus on Therapeutic Outcomes™ scores). Graduates are primed for leadership in the teaching of orthopaedic manual physical therapy, as well as active participation and contribution to clinical research.
The Fellowship is accomplished through a dynamic fusion of didactic, collaborative, and clinical education experiences using a combination of distance learning, online courses, weekend intensive hands-on courses, and clinical practice hours.
The value of the Fellowship
View the article authored by past and current Bellin College program directors and faculty regarding the value of participation in the Fellowship.
The OMPT Fellowship program is flexible, achievable from a work/life balance perspective, and cost-effective. Students may have already completed significant coursework towards Fellowship. This feasible program can be paced to accommodate personal life and spread over 2 to 3 years. DSC 610: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE I – 1 credit DSC 611: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE II – 1 credit DSC 612: INTRODUCTION TO OMPT AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIALIZATION – 1 credit DSC 615: Precision-Based Exercise Prescription – 1 credit DSC 621: PAIN SCIENCES & PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPLICATIONS IN MUSCULOSKELETAL CARE – 2 credits DSC 630: Lifestyle Medicine & Behavior Change in Musculoskeletal Care – 1 credit DSC 640: WRITING CASE REPORTS & CASE SERIES – 1 credit Elective DSC 641: OMPT PATIENT MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK/ADVANCED CLINICAL DECISION MAKING – 6 credits DSC 642 TA: TEACHING PRACTICUM 5 – OMPT PATIENT MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK/ADVANCED CLINICAL DECISION MAKING – 2 credits DSC 650: MANAGEMENT OF LUMBOPELVIC DISORDERS – 3 credits DSC 651: MANAGEMENT OF LOWER EXTREMITY DISORDERS – 3 credits DSC 652 TA: TEACHING PRACTICUM 1 – MANAGEMENT OF LUMBOPELVIC DISORDERS – 1 credit DSC 653: MANAGEMENT OF CERVICAL AND THORACIC DISORDERS – 3 credits DSC 654 TA: TEACHING PRACTICUM 2 – MANAGEMENT OF LOWER EXTREMITY DISORDERS – 1 credit DSC 655: MANAGEMENT OF UPPER EXTREMITY DISORDERS – 3 credits DSC 656 TA: TEACHING PRACTICUM 3 – MANAGEMENT OF CERVICAL AND THORACIC DISORDERS – 1 credit DSC 658 TA: TEACHING PRACTICUM 4 – MANAGEMENT OF UPPER EXTREMITY DISORDERS – 1 credit DSC 667 WI: Advanced Manual Therapy Technique – 1 credit Lab hours may be accumulated throughout their enrollment as a fellow in training. Several college-sponsored weekend intensives will be offered, which students may attend at no additional tuition cost. Students may also choose to gain lab hours through outside opportunities with prior approval from the program director. DSC 767: FELLOWSHIP VIRTUAL ROUNDS – 6 credits DSC 769: FELLOWSHIP MENTORED CLINICAL PRACTICE – 2 credits DSC 799: Fellowship Program Capstone Examinations – Capstone credit Graduation Requirements Tuition charges listed are for planning purposes only and are subject to change. Tuition and Fees Schedules are updated and published annually. Fellowship courses are delivered through a combination of online learning, as well as personal interactions within clinical and classroom/lab environment. Delivery of the online learning content may occur through a blend of face-to-face activities, or asynchronous means. Onsite weekend intensives are required for all management and technique courses. Students will have the option of attending weekend intensives at sites throughout the United States. Courses are taught by world-class faculty, many of whom are internationally recognized for their contributions to education, research, and practice management. Bellin College cannot accept/transfer credits toward completion of the OMPT Fellowship unless completed through Evidence in Motion ™. If you have already completed a Fellowship through another credentialed program, you may be eligible for transfer credit toward our Doctor of Science (DSc) degree. See the Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy section below for further information . Students who are only completing the OMPT Fellowship are not eligible for federal financial loans, but may be eligible for private educational loans. Students who commit to the entire DSc in PT program, which includes the fellowship, may be eligible for federal loans. Yes, contact Bellin College’s school certifying official, Mary Jo Moore at (920) 433-6640, maryjo.moore@bellincollege.edu or view the Bellin College veteran’s information page. Yes, a $500 tuition deposit is due with return of the student acceptance contract and is credited toward tuition. Individual payment plans may be developed in conjunction with the Bellin College Bursar. For more information contact Mary Jo Moore, Bursar, maryjo.moore@bellincollege.edu or (920) 433-6640. The Bellin College Fellowship typically takes 24-36 months to complete, although fellows in training have 4 years (48 months) of enrollment to complete the program. Exceptions to the time frame may be made by the Program Director on a case-by-case basis, with a firm limit of 60 months. Depending on the specific course, the fellow in training (FiT) should plan on spending on average 12-20 hours per week devoted to their studies. This varies based on prior education preparation, which courses the FiT is enrolled in, and academic efficiency of each FiT. FiT’s are required to attend the four core management class weekend intensives (WI’s) as a student, with sites available across the United States. FiT’s may attend additional WI’s as desired at no additional cost. There are also two required FiT-only weekend intensive courses to attend. The Bellin College Fellowship is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship Education (a division of the American Academy of Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapists) as a post-professional fellowship program for physical therapists. Please contact admissions@bellincollege.edu or (920) 433-6650. Go to the mentorship resources pageCurriculum Calendar Examples
Students with prior EIM credits
Students with no prior EIM credits
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
This course is designed to improve the participant’s understanding and use of evidence-based practice and its impact on physical therapy. Participants learn how to ask clinically relevant questions, find and interpret the evidence, and apply this evidence to clinical practice. The goal of this course is to develop consumers and users of clinical research that will improve the quality and impact of the participant’s clinical practice on the patients they serve.
This course builds on the foundational content of EBP I and covers key concepts related to research design and statistics. Emphasis is on practical interpretation, understanding, and integration in the clinical reasoning process.
This course provides an introduction into what it means to be a manual physical therapy fellow. A variety of professional topics are discussed including the history of manual therapy, professional organization(s), and current and emerging issues.
This course reinforces the importance of evidence-informed, person-centered exercise prescription. The learner will investigate specific dosage parameters related to strength, endurance, motor control, power, and agility exercises and how to adapt these parameters to reach a person’s functional goals. The goal of this course is to distinguish basic dosage prescription strategies within a person-centered reasoning approach.
This course provides an in-depth review of the current concepts in pain sciences. The course challenges presuppositions and provides evidence-based insight into the current myths and gross misunderstandings of pain.
This course will explore the physical therapist’s role in optimal health promotion and wellbeing through select lifestyle medicine topics. Learners will investigate the impact that sleep and nutrition have on pain, health, and disability. Learners will review strategies to empower people to adopt behaviors that support a healthy lifestyle and address pain. The goal of this course is to empower the fellow-in-training to take an active role in inspiring healthy behaviors within in a person-centered approach to meet the needs of society.
This course reviews the steps involved in completing a case report suitable for publication, including examination of foundational material and critique of the initial submission of a published case report. Students complete the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research online training program titled “Protecting Human Research Participants.”
This course is designed to teach an advanced patient management framework by combining the interpretation of basic science knowledge with an evidence-informed clinical reasoning approach. Students develop dynamic critical thinking skills needed to complete a high-quality differential evaluation, resulting in identification of key interventions to manage patients safely and efficiently. This course highlights important aspects of the examination, such as the use of effective communication strategies, the test/retest approach to evaluate the effectiveness of each intervention, and selection of targeted home exercise and educational interventions.
The purpose of this course is to provide mentored teaching experience in multiple learning environments. Students develop and apply skills through continued clinical application in a supportive teaching environment.
This course provides an in-depth review of current concepts and published evidence related to the clinical examination, evaluation, diagnosis, and interventions for patients with disorders of the lumbopelvic spine and hip. Evidence-based classification systems, diagnosis, and outcomes tools, are addressed. An intensive laboratory weekend is included.
This course integrates manual therapy and exercise intervention techniques in the management of individuals with lower extremities musculoskeletal disorders. The course includes discussion of radiology rules for acute lower extremity injuries as well as diagnostic information for systemic and vascular disorders affecting the lower extremities. An intensive laboratory weekend is included.
In this course students function as teaching assistants for students enrolled in DSc 650 Management of Lumbopelvic Disorders. Under faculty oversight, students participate in course oversight, instruction, student evaluation and mentorship.
This course integrates manipulative intervention techniques in the management of individuals with cervical-thoracic spine and ribcage disorders. It includes the application of diagnostic imaging as a component of the diagnostic process. Classification systems and outcomes assessment tools, within the framework of evidence-based practice are included. An intensive laboratory weekend is included.
In this course, students function as teaching assistants for students enrolled in DSc 651 Management of Lower Extremity Disorders. Under faculty guidance, students participate in course oversight, instruction, student evaluation and mentorship.
This course integrates manipulative intervention techniques in the management of individuals with upper extremity disorders and dysfunction. Classification systems and outcomes assessment tools, within the framework of evidence-based practice, are included. Diagnostic information for the medical screening of systemic and vascular disorders is discussed. An intensive laboratory weekend is included.
In this course students function as teaching assistants for students enrolled in DSc 653 Management of Cervical and Thoracic Disorders. Under faculty guidance, students participate in course oversight, instruction, student evaluation and mentorship.
In this course, students function as teaching assistants for students enrolled in DSc 655 Management of Upper Extremity Disorders. Under faculty guidance, students participate in course oversight, instruction, student evaluation and mentorship.
The student will complete 160 hours of supervised lab hours focused on advanced examination/interventions, including mechanical diagnosis and therapy concepts, adverse neural dynamics, mobilization/manipulation techniques, and therapeutic exercise. Lab hours should include discussion on optimizing patient history, key differentiation testing in the physical exam, and strategies to select optimal intervention procedures.
This course focuses on advanced clinical decision-making regarding clinical care in a collaborative virtual environment. Synchronous live virtual case tutorial sessions are typically conducted in the evenings (usually 4 sessions monthly) for approximately 2-3 hours. This course includes one lab intensive weekend for students.
This Clinical Practicum is an advanced clinical practice experience in orthopaedic manual physical therapy in which students are mentored in both live 1:1 clinical practice hours and orthopaedic manual physical therapy clinical practice hours based on current American Physical Therapy Association requirements. Emphasis is placed on advanced clinical decision-making, outcomes evaluation and autonomous patient management.
This capstone course consists of the final examination process. Students complete a final comprehensive written examination that focuses on medical screening, clinical reasoning, decision-making, and the application of manual physical therapy concepts. Students complete 4 regional technique examinations to demonstrate mastery of selected manual physical therapy interventions. Finally, 2 live patient examinations are completed, one with a spinal/axial focus and another with a peripheral/appendicular focus.Fellowship Certificate Program Goals
Fellowship Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, the graduate is able to:
Mark Shepherd,
PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT
Program DirectorAre transfer credits accepted?
Is financial aid available?
Am I able to utilize my Federal Veteran’s Administration (VA) Benefits?
Is there a tuition deposit?
What sort of payment plans are available?
How long will it take me to complete?
How many hours per weeks should I set aside?
How much travel is required?
Is the Fellowship accredited?
Additional questions?
Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy (DScPT)
**Please note the Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy degree at Bellin College is not an entry-level degree. It is designed for currently licensed physical therapists who wish to excel in areas of clinical care, research and teaching. Further information on the entry-level Bellin College Doctor of Physical Therapy program may be found here.
Bellin College’s DScPT program is committed to developing evidence-based physical therapist practitioners and clinician scientists. Graduates will be critical thinkers, reflective, empathetic, and lifelong learners. Lastly, graduates will become highly skilled autonomous practitioners who are prepared to become leaders in the areas of teaching as well as participants and contributors to clinical research.
The Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy (DSc) track is a 66-credit program, consisting of three foundational cores: clinical excellence, teaching and learning excellence, and research excellence. Students may choose to fulfill their clinical excellence core by completing the Bellin College Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy (OMPT) Fellowship. Students may also transfer credits into the Bellin College DSc program from any physical therapy fellowship program (including non-OMPT programs). Once the clinical core is completed, students progress to specialty courses focusing on research, biostatistics, curriculum development, assessment, and leadership.
The Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy (DSc) is a 66-credit program. Students fulfill the clinical core by completing an ABPTRFE or ACOMPTE-accredited fellowship program, which is then followed by specialty courses focusing on research, biostatistics, curriculum development and assessment, and leadership. The DSc program at Bellin College consists of three core areas: The clinical core requirement is met through completion of an American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) or Accreditation Council of Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy Education (ACOMPTE) approved fellowship program. This Fellowship may be completed at Bellin College, or students who have already graduated may request a credit evaluation. The following classes comprise the Teaching/Leadership and Research core of our curriculum. Please refer to the OMPT Fellowship section for more information regarding the Bellin College clinical core classes. DSC 680 Leadership in Higher Education – 2 credits DSC 751 Biostatistics I – 3 credits DSC 752 Biostatistics II – 3 credits DSC 800 Curriculum Development – 3 credits DSC 810 Science and Design of Educational Assessment – 3 credits DSC 990 Educational Comprehensive Capstone – 1 credit DSC 900 Research Methodology and Doctoral Project Continued – 1 credit DSC 901 Research Methodologies and Doctoral Project I – 2 credits DSC 902 Research and Methodologies and Doctoral Project II – 2 credits DSC 903 Research Methodologies and Doctoral Project III – 2 credits DSC 904 Research Methodologies and Doctoral Project IV – 2 credits DSC 905 Research Methodologies and Doctoral Project V – 2 credits Upon completion of the program, the graduate is able to: View the admission requirements for the DScPT program. Students who have completed or are in the process of completing an American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) or Accreditation Council of Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy Education (ACOMPTE) approved fellowship program can request an evaluation to indicate accepted courses and credits as transferable to satisfy Bellin College DSc requirements. Tuition charges listed are for planning purposes only and are subject to change. Tuition and Fees Schedules are updated and published annually. While the fellowship component of the DScPT program requires onsite lab coursework, weekend intensives and clinical mentorship hours (see the OMPT Fellowship Program description for more details), the DScPT courses are delivered pre-dominantly within an online learning environment. Delivery of the online learning content may occur through a blend of face-to-face activities, or asynchronous means. Individuals who have completed the Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy (OMPT) Fellowship Program in 2018 or prior through Evidence in MotionTM may transfer credits to the Bellin College DSc program. Individuals who graduated from other credentialed Fellowship programs may be eligible for transfer credits toward completing the DSc based on a portfolio review. Refer to the “Transfer of Credits” section for further details. No, at this time completion of an accredited Fellowship serves as the clinical core content of our DSc program. Students who are completing the DSc degree may be eligible for federal financial loans, as well as private educational loans. Federal student loans require at least half-time enrollment (5 credits per semester). Please note that the typical DSc curriculum calendar includes 5-6 credits per semester for the first three semesters, and then 2 credits per semester for the four remaining semesters. In other words, students may not be eligible for federal financial loans during the final four semesters. Bellin College DSc students are not eligible for Wisconsin Student Aid. Yes, contact Bellin College’s school certifying official, Mary Jo Moore at (920) 433-6640, maryjo.moore@bellincollege.edu or view the Bellin College veteran’s information page. Yes, a $500 tuition deposit is due with return of the student acceptance contract and is credited toward tuition. Individual payment plans may be developed in conjunction with the Bellin College Bursar. For more information contact Mary Jo Moore, Bursar, maryjomoore@bellincollege.edu or (920) 433-6640. Students who have completed the prerequisite Fellowship program should complete the remaining DSc curriculum within eight semesters or two and a half years. A survey of DSc students indicated that they spend an average of 15 hours per week on DSc coursework, although this can vary considerably for each individual, and by each course. We advise students to set aside 15-20 hours per week for DSc studies. Generally, the PhD and DSc degree are considered equivalent degrees, with the main difference being the specific field of study. The PhD may pertain to any chosen field, while the DSc is restricted to the fields of science and engineering. Typically, research in a PhD program tends to be based in foundational science, while DSc research agendas may have stronger applications to clinical practice. The Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) considers the DSc a terminal academic degree and helps entry level PT programs meet the requirement of 50% of core faculty needing to hold a terminal academic degree. Typically, in the PT profession, the DSc is a qualified degree for holding ranked faculty academic positions, and provides strong educational preparation for conducting and disseminating research and for entry into academics. Additionally, a person with a DSc degree should be competitive for grant funding. Note that, in the PT profession, it is commonly believed that high-dollar grant funding from large organizations, such as the NIH, are preferentially given to those with PhD degrees over DSc degrees. However, strong research track records can work to combat this potential bias. Yes, the DSc program at Bellin College has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission(TM).Curriculum Calendar Examples
This course provides graduates with the skills necessary to be a visionary leader by improving the performance of colleges and universities by using active research to drive continuous improvement, collaborative decision making, and strategic planning. Graduates will address contemporary and future educational issues impacting higher education through the application of effective change theory.
This course will provide a foundation for understanding biostatistics and basic proficiency with running basic biostatistical models. The course will cover such topics as simple descriptive statistics, basic probability concepts, probability distributions, sampling distributions, t-tests, and confidence intervals.
The purpose of this course is to build upon the topics of Biostatistics 1. This course will cover such topics as correlation, analysis of covariance, post-hoc testing, factorial designs, simple linear regression, and reliability analyses. Students will present doctoral research questions, hypotheses, methods, and data analysis plans for critique and discussion. (Pre-requisite: DSC 751)
A deep understanding of the development and implementation of curriculum will be explored by examining the philosophical and theoretical perspectives of the science of teaching and learning. This is the 2nd course in a 2-part series that will utilize an in-depth analysis of curricular design models and application congruent with identified curricular objectives, goals and learner outcomes. Development of curriculum will systematically address technology integration, evidenced-based practices, and innovative and collaborative learning experiences.
Through the study of the basic principles of curriculum development and assessment this course is designed to provide the learner with knowledge, skills, and experiences to be actively involved in multiple facets of the curricular process. This is the first course in a 2-part series that will focus on developing the knowledge and skills to identify, develop, and design assessment instruments and strategies for effective evaluation of student learning through both formative and summative assessment methodologies.
This course provides a comprehensive learning assessment by integrating the learning experiences of DSc 680, DSc 800 and DSc 810. Students will complete a final teaching project with oral defense.
This course will assist students in facilitating completion of their systematic or scoping review. Students will be required to complete all screening of included studies in their systematic or scoping review and complete 50% of their data extraction by the end of the course.
This course will provide a foundation for the principles of evidence-based practice and research design so that the student may immediately integrate scientific knowledge with practice and complete a clinically relevant research proposal. This course is the first phase of the doctoral project and is designed to prepare doctoral students to develop and defend a research project.
This course will familiarize students with the steps required to successfully complete a systematic or scoping review, which are considered the gold standards for appraising and evaluating the scientific literature. Students will also continue to work on their group research project.
This course will require students to submit a fully completed draft manuscript of a systematic or scoping review. Students will also continue to participate in ongoing work on their group research project.
The goal of this course is to focus on the completion of the systematic review and continue with the group research project. This will be largely project-dependent, but will include data preparation and cleaning, data analysis, and creation of a manuscript draft. This is a hybrid course including 15 weeks of online coursework and bi-weekly virtual meetings.
The goal of this course is to finalize the research project, and independently defend a presentation of their research before a scientific panel. This is a hybrid course including 15 weeks of online coursework.DScPT Program Goals
DScPT Program Outcomes
Eric Chaconas,
PT, DPT, PhD, FAAOMPT
Program ChairDan Rhon, PT, DPT, DSc, OCS, FAAOMPT
Research ChairJodi Young,
PT, DPT, PhD, FAAOMPT
Research DirectorRebecca Bliss,
PT, DPT, DHSc
Adjunct FacultyAre transfer credits accepted?
Can I complete the DSc in PT without completing the Fellowship?
Is financial aid available?
Am I able to utilize my Federal Veteran’s Administration (VA) Benefits?
Is there a tuition deposit?
What sort of payment plans are available?
How long will it take me to complete the DSc degree?
How many hours per week should I plan to spend on DSc coursework?
What is the difference between a PhD and a DSc?
Is the DSc in PT degree accredited?
Questions?
Please contact Bellin College Admissions at Admissions@bellincollege.edu,
(920) 433-6650, or use our online contact form.
