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Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency Program

Our Mission

Our mission is to develop and graduate practitioners who by virtue of their critical thinking ability, clinical skills, diagnostic competence and ethical standards are committed to promoting the optimum health and function of their clients and who will serve the larger society and profession through teaching, administration and research.

What Makes Our Program Unique

Duke’s Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency is unique for several reasons. Perhaps the most important reason is the experience you will have with our multidisciplinary team. This includes the following:

  • A neuroscience core curriculum and grand rounds with attending neurologists in the hospital
  • Interdisciplinary observations with swallowing evaluations, neurosurgery, and medical rounds with physician-led teams and respiratory care practitioners in acute care
  • Multidisciplinary specialty clinics for degenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s Disease and Huntington’s Disease

In addition to these multidisciplinary opportunities, you will also gain clinical experience in multiple settings across the continuum of care. The first half of your residency will be in acute care at Duke University Hospital in the neuro ICU and neuro stepdown units while the second half will be in outpatient neurologic rehabilitation at Duke Rehabilitation Institute. During your time in the outpatient clinic, you will have the opportunity to work with patients in both land and aquatic settings. Regardless of which setting you are in, you are guaranteed to be working with an expert in neurologic physical therapy, as all our mentors are board-certified neurologic clinical specialists. 

Highlights of Our Program

One of the top highlights of our program is the exposure to a variety of specialized clinics you will receive at Duke during your training. Observation opportunites include clinics for concussion, muscular dystrophy, low vision, neuro-oncology, vestibular and dizziness, wheelchair fitting, orthotics and prosthetics, neuropsychology, and EMG/NCV.

Throughout the year of your residency, you will participate in regional journal clubs where you’ll work with other neurologic residents across North Carolina. You will also complete didactic content and journal clubs offered through the Neurologic Physical Therapy Professional Education Consortium.

In addition to these didactic and clinical highlights, you will have mentoring opportunities with Duke DPT students treating community volunteers in the classroom setting. Your role is to facilitate the students’ selection of evidence-based and patient-centered evaluation and treatment techniques to improve patient outcomes in the management of their neurologic deficits.

Another unique component to your residency includes enrollment in a 12-week long intensive cognitive behavioral therapy course which allows for a deeper understanding and ability to help your patients through an emotional and psychological lens.

How to Apply

Anyone with a strong desire to work in neurologic physical therapy should apply.

Applications open October 1st, 2023. Interested individuals can fill out an application via RF-PTCAS to apply.  All applications for the 2024 – 2025 residency are due by December 1, 2023.

Financial Information

Click here to see the ABPTRFE Program Financial Fact Sheet for this program.