Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Belmont University

Program Overview
The Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Belmont University is a 12-month post-professional program designed to enhance the clinician's professional skills both in outpatient orthopaedics.

Program Mission:

The program will provide quality advanced education to orthopaedic physical therapists to develop specialists in Orthopaedics who will demonstrate evidence-based practice and decision making, serve as an educator, clinical researchers, professional role model, and an advocate for their patients and the profession. The program is dedicated to guiding growth, continuous improvement, and strategic initiatives.  

Orthopaedic Residency Program includes:

  • 30 hours per week in direct patient care in outpatient orthopaedics at Vanderbilt Rehabilitation Therapy
  • 8 hours per week assisting teaching orthopaedics lab at Belmont University School of Physical Therapy
  • 3 hours per week of one-on-one clinical mentoring 
  • 546 hours of continuing education

Program start date: September 1

Program length: 12 months

Employment status: full time, full salaried physical therapist

Tuition cost: $0

Financial Fact Sheet

Requirements and Admission/Application Process:

  • Starting 2026-2027 application cycle, completed application via RF-PTCAS
  • Graduate of an accredited physical therapy program
  • Physical therapy license in the state of Tennessee
  • Our program will accept applications from new graduates who are scheduled to sit for the license exam and will be able to verify Tennessee license by September for the start of the program
  • Applications accepted through October through December
  • Interviews are scheduled from January through Spring

ABPTRFE-accredited logo will be inserted here following program approval

Contact Information: 

Shantel Phillips, PT, DPT, OCS

Program Director, Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Belmont University 

Vanderbilt Rehabilitation Therapy – One Hundred Oaks

719 Thompson Lane, Suite 31

Nashville, TN 37204

Shantel.l.phillips@vumc.org 

Contact Me

QUESTIONS? 

Please contact our Program Director: 

Shantel Phillips, PT, DPT, OCS

Shantel.l.phillips@vumc.org 

Faculty Bios

COMING SOON! 

Program Curriculum

COMING SOON!