Please complete and submit the following:
Applicant Contact Information Sheet (pdf)
To submit completed information sheets, proof of vaccinations, and inquire about an observation opportunity, please contact:
Name: David Kurbatsky
Email: David.Kurbatsky@VailHealth.org
Phone: (970) 845-9600
Residency/Education
Our Physical Therapists and Certified Hand Therapists are well rounded and experienced with both Sports and Orthopaedics and are committed to providing evidence-based practice, and the latest in educational resources. We pride ourselves in excellent clinical care that focuses on the patient’s goals. We have 11 locations in Eagle County, Summit County and the Roaring Fork Valley with 4 locations providing Hand Therapy.
Whether you are a recent physical therapy graduate or an experienced clinician, our sports physical therapy residency gives you the specialized skills and hands-on experience to provide high-quality physical therapy to athletes in the clinic and on the field.
Guided by knowledgeable faculty and mentors, you will receive rigorous training in physical therapy for athletes, expand your knowledge by conducting and publishing clinical research, make lasting contributions to your community and prepare you to become a leader in Sports Medicine.
CURRICULUM AND TRAINING
Our rigorous sports residency curriculum uses a combination of formal and informal educational, clinical and academic activities, as well as mentored direct care of patients at affiliated clinics, including The Steadman Clinic and Vail Summit Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery. Supervised on-field experience is a key component of the sports residency and will be conducted with local high school athletics, Club sports, and US Ski and Snowboard Teams.
The sports residency consists of key modules for each joint: knee, hip, foot/ankle, shoulder and spine. With addition of adjunct modules that is specific to the Sport Specialist: running analysis, injury reduction strategies, performance improvements, surgical observation/lab, and many others.
A Sports Resident’s typical week includes:
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for the HHSMR program you must be a graduate of an APTA-accredited program in Physical Therapy and eligible for licensure as a Physical Therapist in Colorado.
You must also have one of the following designations for emergency response prior to beginning the residency:
HOW TO APPLY
All sports residents must have a Colorado State License prior to beginning the residency in July.
To apply for the sports residency, visit the Residency and Fellowship Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS), create a login and indicate that you are applying for the HHSMRP.
Applications are due on January 10th. Interviews will be held in early March for the upcoming class.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
At Howard Head Sports Medicine we measure success with APTA specialty exam pass rate, academic and scholarly achievement, professional growth, and employment status. Since inception in 2007, our residency graduates SCS specialty exam first-time pass rate is 95%, and our program pass rate is 100%. We have had 21 sports residents, six former residents are currently working at Howard Head Sports Medicine in various leadership, staff, and faculty roles. Two former residents are working with professional sports teams, one PhD in exercise physiology, one is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAMOPT), one is a dual credentialed specialist in Sports and Orthopaedics, and the remaining HHSMSRP are all employed as full time physical therapists.
CONTACT US
For more information, please contact Devyn Kammert, the coordinator of the Howard Head Sports Physical Therapy Residency, at devyn.kammert@vailhealth.org.
FORMER HHSMRP RESIDENTS THAT WORK FOR HOWARD HEAD
Guided by knowledgeable faculty and mentors, you will receive rigorous training in physical therapy for athletes, expand your knowledge by conducting and publishing clinical research, make lasting contributions to your community and prepare you to become a leader in Sports Medicine.
CURRICULUM AND TRAINING
Our rigorous sports residency curriculum uses a combination of formal and informal educational, clinical and academic activities, as well as mentored direct care of patients at affiliated clinics, including The Steadman Clinic and Vail Summit Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery. Supervised on-field experience is a key component of the sports residency and will be conducted with local high school athletics, Club sports, and US Ski and Snowboard Teams.
The sports residency consists of key modules for each joint: knee, hip, foot/ankle, shoulder and spine. With addition of adjunct modules that is specific to the Sport Specialist: running analysis, injury reduction strategies, performance improvements, surgical observation/lab, and many others.
A Sports Resident’s typical week includes:
- 20–30 hours of direct patient care
- 1:1 mentored clinical practice in physical therapy
- On-field experience in athletic settings
- Physician clinic observation and grand rounds
- Discussion in theory, technique and literature reviews, Journal Clubs, contribution to on-going research, and other didactic areas.
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for the HHSMR program you must be a graduate of an APTA-accredited program in Physical Therapy and eligible for licensure as a Physical Therapist in Colorado.
You must also have one of the following designations for emergency response prior to beginning the residency:
- Certified Athletic Trainer
- Certified Emergency Responder (through the APTA sports section)
- Licensed Emergency Medical Technician
HOW TO APPLY
All sports residents must have a Colorado State License prior to beginning the residency in July.
To apply for the sports residency, visit the Residency and Fellowship Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS), create a login and indicate that you are applying for the HHSMRP.
Applications are due on January 10th. Interviews will be held in early March for the upcoming class.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
At Howard Head Sports Medicine we measure success with APTA specialty exam pass rate, academic and scholarly achievement, professional growth, and employment status. Since inception in 2007, our residency graduates SCS specialty exam first-time pass rate is 95%, and our program pass rate is 100%. We have had 21 sports residents, six former residents are currently working at Howard Head Sports Medicine in various leadership, staff, and faculty roles. Two former residents are working with professional sports teams, one PhD in exercise physiology, one is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAMOPT), one is a dual credentialed specialist in Sports and Orthopaedics, and the remaining HHSMSRP are all employed as full time physical therapists.
CONTACT US
For more information, please contact Devyn Kammert, the coordinator of the Howard Head Sports Physical Therapy Residency, at devyn.kammert@vailhealth.org.
FORMER HHSMRP RESIDENTS THAT WORK FOR HOWARD HEAD
- Matt Mymern, PT, DPT, SCS, TPI-C
- Brittney Huntimer, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, FAAOMPT
- Rachel Rourke, PT, DPT, SCS, OCS
- Nate Neff, PT, DPT, SCS, MTC
- Hank Scholtz, PT, DPT, SCS
- Brett Muller, PT, DPT, SCS
- Matt Mymern, PT, DPT, SCS
- Paul Westgard, PT, DPT, SCS, OCS, CSCS
- Ana Robinson, PT, DPT, OCS
- Laurie Griffin, PT, DPT, OCS
- Jenna Jones, PT, DPT, OCS
Whether you are a recent physical therapy graduate or an experienced clinician, our orthopaedic physical therapy residency gives you the specialized skills and hands-on experience to provide high-quality physical therapy to a broad spectrum of patients with orthopaedic issues within a clinical setting.
Guided by knowledgeable faculty and mentors, you will receive rigorous training in physical therapy for all ages, expand your knowledge by conducting and publishing clinical research, and practice your collaboration skills with physician teams to make lasting contributions to your community and prepare you to become a leader in orthopaedics.
CURRICULUM AND TRAINING
Our rigorous orthopaedic residency curriculum uses a combination of formal and informal educational, clinical and academic activities, as well as mentored co-treatment of patients at affiliated clinics, including The Steadman Clinic.
The orthopaedic residency consists of key modules for each joint: knee, hip, foot/ankle, shoulder and spine. With addition of adjunct modules that is specific to in depth specialty in orthopaedics.
An Orthopaedic Resident’s typical week includes:
- 20–30 hours of direct patient care
- 1:1 mentored clinical practice in physical therapy
- Co-treatment with physician teams
- Grand rounds
- Discussion in theory, technique and literature reviews, Journal Clubs, contribution to on-going research, and other didactic areas.
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for the Vail Health Howard Head Orthopedic Residency program, you must be a graduate of an APTA-accredited program in Physical Therapy and licensed as a Physical Therapist in Colorado prior to the first day of the program.
In residency candidates, we are looking for highly skilled PT’s; a desire to advance clinical knowledge in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, strong communication skills, initiative, adaptability, and responsibility.
HOW TO APPLY
All orthopaedic residents must have a Colorado State License prior to beginning residency in July.
To apply for the orthopaedic residency, visit the Residency and Fellowship Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS), create a login and indicate that you are applying for the 'Vail Health Howard Head Orthopedic Residency'.
Applications typically open beginning to mid-October and close early January each year.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Although the orthopaedic residency is new, Howard Head Sports Medicine has a history of success in our long-standing sports residency. The same high standard of success is expected of our future orthopaedic residency classes.
At Howard Head Sports Medicine we measure success with APTA specialty exam pass rate, academic and scholarly achievement, professional growth, and employment status. We are collecting data starting with our inaugural year occurring in the class of 2023. Our goal is to achieve 100% orthopaedic specialty exam rate year over year.
CONTACT US
For more information, please contact Sonya Greider PT, DPT, OCS, Residency Program Lead of Howard Head Sports Physical Therapy Residency, at sonya.greider@vailhealth.org.
HHSM ORTHOPAEDIC RESIDENCY FACULTY
- Matt Mymern, PT, DPT, SCS
- Paul Westgard, PT, DPT, SCS, OCS, CSCS
- Ana Robinson, PT, DPT, OCS
- Laurie Griffin, PT, DPT, OCS
- Jenna Jones, PT, DPT, OCS
- Sonya Greider, PT, DPT, OCS
- Rachael Rourke, PT, DPT, SCS, OCS
- Devyn Kammert, PT, DPT, SCS, OCS
Whether you are a recent occupational therapy graduate or an experienced clinician, our Hand Therapy Fellowship in the mountains of Colorado gives you advanced skills and hands-on experience in the management of hand and upper extremity orthopedic conditions and orthosis fabrication through application of evidenced based practice and clinical reasoning.
PROGRAM GOALS
Through mentoring and training with our clinical specialists, in addition to hands on clinical practice, our program is designed to:
Our rigorous fellowship curriculum uses a combination of formal and informal educational, clinical and academic activities, as well as mentored direct care of patients at affiliated clinics, including The Steadman Clinic and Vail Summit Orthopaedics and Neurology.
A Fellows typical week includes:
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
In fellowship candidates, we are looking for highly skilled OT’s; a desire to advance clinical knowledge in Hand Therapy, strong communication skills, initiative, adaptability, and responsibility.
To qualify for the Hand Therapy Fellowship Program, you must be a graduate of an occupational therapy educational program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®), and licensed, or be eligible for licensure, in Colorado
Current American Red Cross Basic Life Support certification or documentation demonstrating intent to obtain the certification prior the start of the program.
HOW TO APPLY
All fellows must have a Colorado State License prior to beginning the fellowship in July.
Application submissions will need to contain the following information to be considered for a position:
CONTACT US
Please contact the Hand Therapy Fellowship Coordinator, Andrea Shannon, OTR, CHT, CMLDT at andrea.shannon@vailhealth.org or 970-569-7770 for application instructions, essay and additional questions.
PROGRAM GOALS
Through mentoring and training with our clinical specialists, in addition to hands on clinical practice, our program is designed to:
- Provide Occupational Therapists with minimum of 1500 hours to apply towards the required hours to sit for the Hand Therapy Certification Examination and the knowledge and skills to obtain employment within a hand therapy setting.
- Develop advanced manual therapy skills and ability to excel in custom orthosis fabrication for upper extremity conditions.
- Develop skilled hand therapy practitioners to become premier healthcare providers through a patient centered approach, innovative ideas, evidence-based diagnosis, and collaboration with the patient and other healthcare professionals.
Our rigorous fellowship curriculum uses a combination of formal and informal educational, clinical and academic activities, as well as mentored direct care of patients at affiliated clinics, including The Steadman Clinic and Vail Summit Orthopaedics and Neurology.
A Fellows typical week includes:
- 30 hours of independent patient care
- 1:1 mentored clinical practice in hand therapy
- Physician clinic and surgery observation
- Discussion in theory, technique and literature reviews and other didactic areas
- Teaching responsibilities
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
In fellowship candidates, we are looking for highly skilled OT’s; a desire to advance clinical knowledge in Hand Therapy, strong communication skills, initiative, adaptability, and responsibility.
To qualify for the Hand Therapy Fellowship Program, you must be a graduate of an occupational therapy educational program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®), and licensed, or be eligible for licensure, in Colorado
Current American Red Cross Basic Life Support certification or documentation demonstrating intent to obtain the certification prior the start of the program.
HOW TO APPLY
All fellows must have a Colorado State License prior to beginning the fellowship in July.
Application submissions will need to contain the following information to be considered for a position:
- Evidence of graduation from an AOTA accredited occupational therapy program or the equivalent.
- Copy of current CV
- Proof of Occupational Therapy licensure OR documentation demonstrating your intent to sit for licensure prior to the program start in July (a copy of your registration to sit for the April NBCOT exam).
- Current Basic Life Support Certification OR documentation demonstrating intent to obtain prior to the program start.
- Letter of intent
- Essay Response
- 3 Letters of recommendation with at least one from a licensed occupational therapist who can comment on your skills, proficiency, and professionalism in a clinic environment.
CONTACT US
Please contact the Hand Therapy Fellowship Coordinator, Andrea Shannon, OTR, CHT, CMLDT at andrea.shannon@vailhealth.org or 970-569-7770 for application instructions, essay and additional questions.
Thank you for your interest in Howard Head’s student of physical therapy clinical education program. Unfortunately, due to issues with worker’s compensation insurance law in the state of Colorado, entering into new contracts with schools and universities has been extremely challenging. As a result, we are not entering into any new contracts with institutions for student placements at this time. If your school has a current contract with Howard Head and Vail Health Hospital, and you are interested in a rotation, please contact our center coordinator for clinical education using the information provided below. If you school does not have a current contract and you would like to have the opportunity to learn at Howard Head, we would encourage you to look into our sports residency program as an option for post graduate education once you gain licensure as a therapist.
For more information please contact Center Coordinator for Clinical Education, Shayna Graham.
Email: Shayna.graham@vailhealth.org
Phone: (970) 328-6715
For more information please contact Center Coordinator for Clinical Education, Shayna Graham.
Email: Shayna.graham@vailhealth.org
Phone: (970) 328-6715
Looking to explore the day to day experience of a physical therapist? At Howard Head we open our doors to community members interested in observing at any of our clinics throughout Eagle and Summit Counties. From high school students exploring career options, to adults making a career change, we will match you with a professional to shadow for hours, days, or even weeks to gain insight in our field. During your observation experience you will examine a variety of musculoskeletal injuries, learn about our culture here at Howard Head, and have the opportunity to ask any questions of the experts. This is an amazing opportunity for those individuals interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy.