Physical Therapy Pediatric Residency
Advance Your Practice in Pediatric Rehabilitation
Joining the innovative pediatric physical therapy residency program at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, allows you to accelerate your path to clinical specialization. This intensive experience will immerse you in clinical practice within various settings (outpatient; acute care including NICU, home health and natural environment; and school-based services). You’ll also have the chance to participate in an optional clinical experience in the Dominican Republic. Overall, the program is designed to facilitate clinical reasoning skills through mentorship, while granting you the eligibility to take the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) Pediatrics Specialist Certification Examination.
Pediatric Residency Details
- The 12-month residency begins August 1 and ends July 31
- Program residents are salaried Creighton employees with benefits
- Residents complete 30 hours per week of clinical practice and 12–14 hours of teaching, labs, didactic training and a common curriculum with other PT and OT residency programs
- No additional tuition is required
- Professional licensure in the state of Nebraska is required
Educational Experiences
The program offers opportunities for residents to expand and share their knowledge. Each resident will:
- Serve as a lab assistant in the entry-level pediatric labs across three semesters of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
- Instruct entry-level physical therapy students in a pediatric setting within the Dominican Republic (optional)
- Engage in pediatric clinical practice experiences in outpatient, school-based and early intervention, and acute (primarily NICU) care throughout the year with 3 hours of 1:1 mentoring per week
- Receive advanced didactic instruction in pediatric PT with specialists in pediatric practice
- Provide lecture content in specific pediatric clinical practice areas
- Produce a scholarly project with guidance from a research mentor, which might include submitting a poster/platform presentation to a local, state, regional or national conference (or submitting a manuscript to a journal)
- Access additional experiences in specialty clinics, service opportunities and an optional international experience
- Participate in the Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy’s journal club and a unique interprofessional common curriculum with other PT residents and OT fellows
Clinical Partners
- Creighton Pediatric Therapy: Outpatient and aquatics
- CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Bergan Mercy: NICU
- Key Complete Therapies: Pediatric home health and natural environment
- Boys Town National Research Hospital: School-based; preschool groups
- Children’s Hospital and Medical Center: Acute care, specialty clinics
- Institute for Latin American Concern: Community-based and wound care services delivered in the Dominican Republic
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Mission Statement
The mission is to develop graduates who will advance pediatric physical therapy practice through demonstration of excellent clinical reasoning and clinical teaching skills, dedication to patient advocacy and service, and leadership in the profession. Program faculty, mentors and residents will excel in managing the uncertainty and complexity of clinical practice, utilizing technology to advance patient care and demonstrating clinical innovation in practice. The program prepares its graduates to become recognized specialists and leaders in pediatric physical therapy practice.
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The residency program is based in an academic physical therapy department, using one course with multiple teaching methods for the didactic curriculum. In this innovative model, a “common core curriculum” engages all residents across multiple specialty programs (geriatric, orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics, women’s health). Additionally, residents participate in an interprofessional pediatric curriculum with occupational therapy fellows. Pediatric-physical-therapy-specific residency curriculum provides advanced content in areas not covered in the other two types of curricula.
- Common core curricular module examples include clinical reasoning, medical imaging, foundations of teaching and evidence-based practice
- Interprofessional pediatric modules include co-treat models, feeding/swallowing, autism spectrum disorders and NICU
Program Outcomes
At the conclusion of the program, residents should be able to demonstrate the following:
- Accurate performance of all aspects of the patient management model (examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention and outcomes) in a variety of settings related to advanced pediatric practice
- Proficient clinical reasoning skills necessary for advanced clinical practice
- Effective teaching and communication skills related to patients, peers and students
- Advocacy and leadership skills—at the individual, local, state or national level—to optimally serve children and their families
Additionally, residents will be able to discuss and apply foundational, behavioral and clinical sciences, as well as critical inquiry principles related to advanced clinical practice. They will also have the knowledge and skills necessary to complete the ABPTS Pediatrics Specialist Certification Examination.
First-Time Pass Rates on the PCS Exam
2024
- Non-resident: 87%
- Resident: 94%
- Creighton Resident: 100%
2023
- Non-resident: 87%
- Resident: 88%
- Creighton Resident: 100%
2022
- Non-resident: 81%
- Resident: 96%
- Creighton Resident: N/A*
2021
- Non-resident: 82%
- Resident: 89%
- Creighton resident: 100%
2020
- Non-resident: 71%
- Resident: 92%
- Creighton resident: 100%
2019
- Non-resident: 74%
- Resident: 100%
- Creighton resident: 100%
2018
- Non-resident: 72%
- Resident: 92%
- Creighton resident: 100%
2017
- Non-resident: 73%
- Resident: 77%
- Creighton resident: 100%
*No residents in 2022 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Residency Retention and Completion Rates
Retention rate indicates how many residents were retained for the entire residency program out of the number of available positions. Completion rate indicates how many residents successfully completed all program requirements.
2024
- Retention rate: 0/1
- Completion rate: 0/0
2023
- Retention rate: 1/1
- Completion rate: 1/1
2022
- Retention rate: 1/1
- Completion rate: 1/1
2021
- Retention rate: NA*
- Completion rate: NA*
2020
- Retention rate: 1/1
- Completion rate: 1/1
2019
- Retention rate: 1/1
- Completion rate: 1/1
2018
- Retention rate: 1/1
- Completion rate: 1/1
2017
- Retention rate: 1/1
- Completion rate: 1/1
*No residents in 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Sample Schedule
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Hear from a Pediatric PT Resident
Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Inspired by the Catholic and Jesuit tradition, our community believes that each human being is a profound gift from God, deserving of both dignity and opportunity. We thus seek to acknowledge and celebrate diversity at Creighton—building the spaces and relationships required for every person to thrive. All physical therapist residents are treated with the utmost respect and dignity.
Learn more about justice, diversity, equity and inclusion at Creighton
Contributive Services Faculty
- Vicky McHugh, PT, DPT, Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist
- Rhea Weber, PT, DPT, PCS, Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist
Contact Information
Jennifer Furze, PT, DPT, FAPTA
Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist
Professor
Pediatric Residency Director
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178
402.280.4835
Kimberley Scott, PT, DPT, PhD
Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist
Assistant Professor
Pediatric Program Coordinator
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178
402.280.5690
ABPTRFE-Accredited Program
The Creighton University Pediatric Residency Program is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education as a post-professional residency program for physical therapists in pediatrics.
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