Date of Conferral

8-13-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Kathy Zientek

Abstract

Orthopedic manual physical therapy (OMPT) fellowship programs focus on improving clinical skills and professional development in physical therapy. OMPT fellowship programs are 1–3-year postprofessional subspecialty training programs in manual physical therapy requiring prior orthopedic clinical experience. The problem that was addressed in this study is that professional competencies are not adequately assessed after program completion of an OMPT fellowship in the Southern United States. Grounded in Dreyfus’s skill acquisition model, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore OMPT fellowship graduates’ perceptions of the professional competencies developed and recommendations for assessing these competencies in future graduates. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 12 OMPT fellowship graduates. Through Moustakas’s modification of van Kaam’s phenomenological method, five key themes emerged: Graduates noted the profound benefit of mentorship; emphasized the development of teaching competence and educator identity for educating other physical therapists; strengthened leadership abilities; enhanced professional communication skills; and heightened commitment to lifelong learning and continued professional growth. Findings showed fellowship participation enhanced leadership, teaching, scholarship, and communication skills, shaping graduates' professional identities and careers. Participants suggested structured, longitudinal assessments to track competencies, resulting in a white paper. The implications for positive social change are that the strengthening of accountability and transparency in fellowship programs might align education with professional standards, which, in turn, might enhance OMPTs’ skills and ultimately patient care.

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