General Information

Kaiser Permanente, Southern California Region is proud to offer a clinical fellowship designed to provide highly trained orthopaedic physical therapists with advanced knowledge and have experience with a concentrated clinical environment.

The curriculum of this fellowship is designed to provide physical therapists with advanced training in clinical reasoning, examination, treatment and management of patient’s with sports related injures. This program utilizes a broad-based, eclectic curriculum that aims to provide graduates with the ability to apply advanced orthopaedic manual therapy techniques combined with advanced skills in movement analysis, motor control and biomechanics to the injured sports population. The small group classroom and lab training sessions and one-on-one clinical supervision allow the clinical faculty to focus their instruction toward the individual needs of each fellow. This program is recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association as a Credentialed Postprofessional Clinical Fellowship Program. Graduates of this program qualify to become Fellows of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT).

This fellowship begins in March of each year and runs for 52 consecutive weeks. The clinical training in this fellowship program is fulfilled in two ten-hour days per week and the classroom and lab training occurs during 45 weekend days. This format allows the fellows the time and flexibility to maintain or pursue their individual research, academic, clinical practice or personal commitments. Up to six fellows are accepted to participate in the program each year. Fellows are employed and provide patient care at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles, Orange, South Bay and West Los Angeles facilities. The fellows are paid for the hours that they provide patient care at the Clinical Specialist Fellow rate (In 2022, the minimum pay rate for a fellow is  $49.449/hour with benefits, or $59.338/hour without benefits. The registration fee for the program is $2000.00.

Curriculum Outline

Each fellow receives:

  • 360 hours of classroom/lab instruction
  • 150 hours of 1:1 supervision while treating patients
  • 790 hours of unsupervised clinical practice
  • Up to 100 hrs of patient care – collaborating with the medical, surgical, training, coaching professionals at the Kaiser Permanente Sports Family Medicine and Orthopaedics Department clinics

The content of the classroom instruction in this fellowship encompasses the following areas:

  • Clinical Reasoning
  • Movement Analysis
  • Motor Coordination
  • Medical, Surgical, Training, Coaching, and Patient Collaboration
  • Rehabilitation and Return to Sport Specific Activity with an emphasis on Walking, Running, Throwing, Swimming, Cycling, and Golfing
  • Primary and Secondary Injury Prevention and Community Health
  • Manual examination and treatment of the extremities
  • Basic sciences and clinical research

The director of the program is Aleem Dinani MPT.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

Prospective Applicants

All applications for the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Residency and Fellowship Programs will now be submitted using the Residency and Fellowship Physical Therapy Centralized Application System (RF-PTCAS).  Additional information and tutorials regarding use of the RF-PTCAS can be accessed through the ABPTRFE website.

To begin your application, you can directly access  RF-PTCAS using the following link:  RFPTCAS

(Program listed under Manual Therapy Fellowships)

Letters of Recommendation

Your letters of recommendation will be directly submitted by the author to RF-PTCAS.  You will be required to submit contact information regarding you references into RF-PTCAS.  The author will be sent a link to electronically access and submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf.  Once submitted, the letter will be automatically linked to your application

*** You are encouraged to follow up with the author to ensure the letter is completed and submitted.

Application Evaluative Criteria

The applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee consisting of the Department Administrator(s), Clinical Faculty, and Chiefs of Service of the Kaiser Permanente Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department where your application is submitted.

    1. Academic
    2. Post graduate training
    3. Clinical experience in orthopaedic / sports therapy
    4. Teaching experience
    5. Research experience
    6. Community Service

Kaiser Permanente is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, and disability or health status.

Minimal eligibility requirements for acceptance into the program include:

    1. Licensure as a Physical Therapist by the Physical Therapy Board of California.
    2. Comply with all Kaiser Permanente employment requirements.

Desirable applicants include those who…

    1. Have completed a clinical residency in orthopaedic physical therapy.
    2. Have attained Board Certification as a Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy.
    3. Possess superior verbal and written communication skills.
    4. Have experience with being a clinical supervisor of therapists and therapy interns.
    5. Have experience in data collection, analysis, and publication.
    6. Have participated in activities that have positively addressed a need in the community.

The application deadline is August 31st of each year.


Download 2024/25 Fellowship Handbook

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Aleem Dinani MPT  | Program Director
Jason Tonley DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT | Program Coordinator

 

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

Program Graduation Rate:

  • Since 2009:
    • Enrolled:       71 Fellows
    • Graduated:   66 Fellows
    • Graduation Rate 100%
Updated Mar 2024