Acute Care Residency Program

The Emory University Acute Care Residency Program is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) as a post-professional residency program for physical therapy in acute care physical therapy. 

The acute care residency is a 52-week program committed to preparing physical therapists who will engage in clinical, academic, scholarship and professional teaching activities that will contribute to community and the advancement of the physical therapy profession.

The mission of the Emory University Acute Care Physical Therapy Residency Program is to prepare physical therapists with advanced knowledge and skills in acute care physical therapy practice with a solid foundation in the application of evidence-based practice. Preparing physical therapists that are critical consumers of the relevant scientific literature and the integration of new techniques are key to innovative clinical practice.

• Complete a minimum of 1500 clinical hours
• Complete 150 hours of 1:1 mentoring
• Complete 300 hours combined didactic, research, teaching
• Achieve a passing score on all residency assessments

• Weekly Didactic classes
• Monthly journal club combining online networking as well as the onsite residency programs
• Flexible mentoring schedule
• Teaching at the Emory University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
• Participation in hospital and department-based quality improvement and research activities

• Provide the necessary content and clinical experiences to prepare the resident for successful completion of ABPTRFE residency requirements.
• Provide the necessary teaching and mentoring opportunities to facilitate the resident’s skills in teaching and consulting activities.
• Promote the advancement in the field of acute care physical therapy practice by engaging residents in activities that support clinical excellence, research and utilization of new evidence that guides clinical decision making
• Commit to the health and well-being of each resident while striving to achieve the highest standards in education and clinical care.

• Complete didactic online coursework in collaboration with our partners at the University of Southern California, Neurologic Physical Therapy Professional Education Consortium and PT Cardiopulmonary Educators
• Attend the Johns Hopkins Hospital Critical Care Conference
• Attend the APTA Combined Sections Meeting
• Complete additional didactic coursework through the orthopedic residency program (pain science and diagnostic imaging) as well as other specific acute care focused material on oncology, early mobilization and validated functional tools

Clinical Partners

• Emory Healthcare hospitals provide the sites for development of clinical experience in the area of acute care
• Rotations through integumentary, musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiopulmonary, and complex medical/surgical areas including multiple ICUs.
• Emory University Hospital
  • 751 licensed beds, with 651 in service
  • 120 ICU beds, a Serious Communicable Diseases Unit; 23 neuro ICU beds
  • EUH is known for transplantation, cardiology, cardiac surgery, oncology, and neurology/neurosurgery
• Emory University Midtown Hospital
  • 529 licensed beds
  • 86 ICU beds, a level III 48 bed - neonatal ICU, and 4 hyperbaric oxygen units
  • 3-bed hospice unit
  • Winship Cancer Institute at Emory Midtown (National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center)
  • EUHM is known for cardiology, cardiac surgery, gastroenterology, neurosurgery, cancer, orthopedics, emergency medicine, and women’s services
• Resource

Clinical Mentor Requirements

All mentors have a minimum of three years of clinical experience in an area of acute care practice and/or are board-certified in an American Physical Therapy Clinical specialty. Mentors are required to participate in annual training sessions.

• Residents participate in a research project that is to add value back to the clinical partners and promote the profession of physical therapy

• Residents teach in the fall in two different electives: Advanced Acute Care and Advanced Oncology.
• In the spring residents teach in the General Medical Conditions course and one elective: Critical Thinking and Integration into Clinical Practice.
• In-services are provided by the resident following the Johns Hopkins Hospital Critical Care Conference and the annual APTA Combined Sections Meeting

• 32 – 40 hours of clinical practice per week
• 3 hours of 1:1 clinical mentoring per week
• Monthly mentoring by research faculty
• > 2 hours of teaching per week in the Emory University DPT program
• Weekly didactic coursework and monthly journal club
• Weekly reflective narrative
• Twice a month check in with residency director

• Application process is open from October 1, 2024, through March 14, 2025
• Selected candidates are invited for a panel interview in mid to late February
• Application Criterion:
  • Graduate of an accredited APTA entry level physical therapy program
  • Hold a current PT license in the state of Georgia and considered to be in good standing from the Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy. Residents must have a Georgia PT license prior to the start of residency (must have taken the NPTE by July exam date)
  • Apply through RF-PTCAS to include all of required documentation
    • 3 Letters of recommendation
    • 1 Personal essay
    • Educational history
    • All academic transcripts
    • Employment history
  • Additional Requirements
    • Career statement
    • Current curriculum vitae or resume
    • Current BLS-CPR
    • ACLS certification strongly encouraged
    • APTA membership strongly encouraged

Krieger B, Whitlock KC, Creel-Bulos C, Zalesky C, Geyer E, Sharp J, Physical therapy intensity and functional outcomes for critically ill patients who required ECMO support.  APTA Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2025 (poster).

Whitlock KC, Collins KM, Coles AG, Coleman E, Crane SL, Nozum C, Moore M, Stacy AG, Complex LVAD patient outcomes following prolonged hospitalization and 1 year of interrupted physical therapy treatment. APTA Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2024 (poster).

Driscoll J, Whitlock KC, Elkins J. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Education in United States Physical Therapy Programs: Results of a National Survey.  APTA Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2023 (poster).

Whitlock KC, Bishop KL, Sharp JJ, Gill RB, Patel D, Ghazzawi A, Krishnan S. Exploring Functional Outcomes Post-COVID-19 Hospitalization. Poster presented at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2023.

Whitlock KC, Rzewnicki D, Krieger B, Miller C, Creel-Bulos C. Wake, Walking, and Active Rehabilitation in ECMO Patients: A Case Series. Perioperative and Critical Care Conference, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. September 2022 (poster).

Whitlock KC, Sharp JJ, Krishnan S, Bishop KL, Collins KM, Hasan H, Welch SA.  Rehabilitation Utilization and Functional Outcomes Among Individuals Diagnoses with COVID-19.  Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2022 (poster).

Sharp JJ, Whitlock KC, Krishnan S, Bishop KL, Williams C, Fuhr AK, Uy K.  AM-PAC “6-Clicks” Basic Mobility Score Association with Discharge Destination in a Medical Intensive Care Unit. Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2022 (poster).

Corridon K*, Rowe N, Rodriquez Vinces J, Bishop KL. Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy in a Patient with Right MCA Ischemic Stroke, American Physical Therapy Association, Combined Sections Meeting, Denver, Colorado, February 2020 (poster).

Corridon K*, Bishop KL, Krishna S. AM-PAC “6-Clicks” Basic Mobility Score Predicts Discharge Destination in a Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, American Physical Therapy Association. Combined Sections Meeting, February 2020. Denver, Colorado (oral).

Lipinski JE*, Bishop KL, Carter V, Krishnan S, Nicaise E, Collins KM, Master VA, Ogan, Predictability of Skeletal Muscle Index on Physical Therapy Utilization for the Renal Cell Carcinoma Population, American Physical Therapy Association, Combined Sections Meeting, February 2025, Houston, Texas (oral) . Recipient of the APTA Oncology Academy Student Residency Platform Award.

Lipinski J, Bishop KL, Carter V, Krishnan S, Nicaise E, Collins KM, Master VA, Ogan K, Predictability of skeletal muscle index on physical therapy utilization for the renal cell carcinoma population. APTA Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2025 (oral).

Collins KM, Bishop KL, Carter V. Understanding effects of rehabilitation utilization with oncology patients post renal surgery: a retrospective study.  Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2023 (oral).

Corridon K*, Bishop KL, Krishna S. AM-PAC “6-Clicks” Basic Mobility Score Predicts Discharge Destination in a Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, American Physical Therapy Association. Combined Sections Meeting, February 2020. Denver, Colorado (oral).

Whitlock KC, COVID-19 for the rehab therapist (Part ½): Make an Impact CE Learning Systems Pathophysiology and presentation in acute and ICU environment.

Whitlock KC, Creel-Bulos C, Miller C, ECMO Rehabilitation: how far have we come and how far do we have to go? APTA Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2024 (2-hour oral).

Fein BD, Gehrig Salsberry MJ, Wang S, Whitlock KC, Stein KL, Fostering research in acute care residency education, APTA Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2025 (2-hour oral).

Whitlock KC, Krieger BB, Miller CF, Creel-Bulos MC. Rehabilitating the ECMO Patient: Building a Program and Lessons Learned From Patient Outcomes. Educational Session APTA Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2023 (oral).

Whitlock K, Active rehabilitation in patients requiring advanced mechanical circulatory support and ECMO, February 2023 (oral)  (CEU - Allied Health Education).

Whitlock K, Best practice in acute care - optimizing treatment in the setting of invasive lines, tubes, and monitoring, March 2022 (oral) (CEU - Emory DPT).

Corridon K, ​COVID-19: Acute care and beyond. APTA Georgia Student FIN, 2020.

Corridon, K, COVID-19: Live panel presentation. APTA Georgia ImPact Conference 2020.

Whitlock K, A miracle of modern medicine and mobility. The Journal of Humanities in Rehabilitation. 1 Oct 2023 at jhrehab.org.

Geyer, Emily & Whitlock, Katelyn & Krieger, Brianna & Creel-Bulos, Christina. (2023). 340: PHYSICAL REHABILITATION IN PATIENTS REQUIRING EXTENDED ADVANCED MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT. Critical Care Medicine. 52. S145-S145. 10.1097/01.ccm.0000999548.40895.93.

Whitlock, Katelyn & Rzewnicki, Daniel & Krieger, Briana & Miller, Casey & Creel-Bulos, Christina. (2023). "Beyond waking and walking. Intensive rehabilitation in patients requiring extended durations of advanced mechanical circulatory support: A case series". Perfusion. 39. 2676591231159570. 10.1177/02676591231159570.

Whitlock (Corridon) KC, Mandala M, Bishop KL, Moll V, Sharp JJ, Krishnan S. Lower AM-PAC 6-Clicks Basic Mobility Score Predicts Discharge to a Postacute Care Facility Among Patients in Cardiac Intensive Care Units, Phys Ther 2022 Jan 1;102(1): pzab252, doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzab252, PMID: 34723327.

Residency Program Outcomes (PDF)

Download the Acute Care Residency Program financial fact sheet (PDF). 

View the Residency FAQs.