Curriculum

Page Content

Group of three physical therapists showing a patient something on an ipad

Trainee experience

The Physical Therapy Neurologic Residency is a full-time, 54-week program. You experience more than 1,500 hours of clinical practice, including more than 150 hours of individual mentored time from highly trained and board-certified physical therapists and over 300 education hours.

Didactic and laboratory education is integrated throughout the curriculum and modeled after the neurologic physical therapy description of residency practice in the following areas:

Foundational classes

Clinical reasoning
Communication & quality service
Practice management & professionalism
Evidence based practice & research

Acquired and traumatic brain injury topics

Acquired brain injury intensive handling, facilitation, neurodynamics (non traumatic)
Outcome measures
Balance and fall prevention
Cognitive/perceptual/visual impairments
Motor learning
Traumatic brain injury
Agitated patient management
Orthotics

Spinal cord injury topics

Spinal cord injury patient handling, facilitation
Locomotor training principles
Electrical stimulation
Spasticity management
Wheelchair fitting and prescription
Assistive technology

Miscellaneous topics

Pharmacology
Diagnostic imaging and testing
Serial casting
Functional movement disorders
Teaching and learning

Neurodegenerative disease/pediatrics/neurology topics

Neurodegenerative disorders
Vestibular disorders
Pediatric neurology disorders
Peripheral nerve disorders

Requirements for residency completion include presenting at journal clubs and educational rounds, as well as completing a final research project chosen from one of these options:

A critically-appraised topic, completed in accordance with the instructions for authors in the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, or a systematic review and/or meta-analysis of a clinical topic.
Participation in a defined role in ongoing departmental research activities. The resident must prepare a scholarly product (manuscript or poster) reflecting their contribution to the project.
A self-initiated study, designed and implemented by the resident. Examples of appropriate study designs include:

A retrospective study — analyze existing clinical data or chart review following guidelines for reporting observational studies (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology [STROBE]).
A qualitative study — collect and analyze qualitative data to better understand a clinical concept or experience.
A clinimetric study — examine the clinimetric properties of a clinical measurement procedure used in physical therapy practice.

A quality improvement project that is proposed, designed, and implemented by the resident to address a department need. The resident must prepare a scholarly product (manuscript or poster) reflecting their contribution to the project.

Other curriculum content and directed learning activities include assisting with teaching lectures and laboratory coursework, clinical mentoring and teaching lectures, and observing other medical specialty practices.

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences is committed to developing and maintaining the best education programs. The curriculum and other aspects of this program are routinely assessed and changed as necessary to ensure the highest quality training.

Schedule and hours

For the majority of the residency, the learning schedule includes eight-hour days, five days a week. Independent learning and assignments may occur outside of this time frame.

When considering Neurologic Physical Therapy Residencies, I felt that Mayo Clinic offered the most well-rounded program. As a resident, Mayo allows you to participate in countless continuing education courses, delve into research, gain teaching experience, and receive invaluable insight across the continuum of care from some of the most seasoned mentors. For an institution that boasts of its ability to optimize professional growth, the experience you will have at Mayo Clinic is unmatched.

Nick Staffieri, P.T., D.P.T.
Class of 2024-2025

Department and faculty

The Physical Therapy Neurologic Residency is coordinated and taught by the clinical, scientific, and technical staffs of Mayo Clinic. Faculty members are chosen for their commitment to teaching, as well as their clinical practice and research. Many are board-certified specialists in neurology.

Teaching faculty

Emily Axelson, M.S., CCC-SLP
Allison Bauer, O.T., O.T.D.
Lisa Beck, APRN, CNS, M.S.
Hannah Borup, P.T., D.P.T., NCS
Brandi Brian, P.T., NCS
Heather Buerman, P.T., D.P.T., A.T.C.
Darren Calley, P.T., DScPT, OCS
Mary Claypool, P.T., DScPT, NCS
Darcy Dalen, P.T., D.P.T., NCS
Staci Eischen, P.T., NCS
Leanne Elmer, M.S., CCC-SLP
Dmitry Esterov, D.O.
Nathan Hellyer, P.T., Ph.D.
John Hollman, P.T., Ph.D.
Debra Ness, P.T., DScPT, NCS
Michael Orte, P.T., D.P.T.
Aaron Rindflesch, P.T., Ph.D., NCS
Kristin Sicotte, P.T., D.P.T.
Anna Wahlstrom, M.S., O.T., ATP
Ross Terman
Natalie Woodberry, P.T., D.P.T., PCS
Rebecca Wessel, M.B.A.

Program leadership

Darren Calley, P.T., DScPT, OCS

Dr. Calley is the director of the neurologic, orthopaedic, and sports physical therapy residencies at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, and is a core faculty member for the Physical Therapy Program at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He helped organize and create the clinical and didactic curriculum utilized in the Mayo Clinic physical therapy, orthopaedic, and sports residencies, and serves as a primary mentor and core faculty member for these programs.

He is a 1996 graduate of Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences' Physical Therapy Program. In 2006, he became a board-certified specialist in orthopedics, and in 2009 he earned a DScPT degree through the University of Maryland. Dr. Calley is an assistant professor of physical therapy at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. His research interests include musculoskeletal examination, psychosocial factors, and clinical and residency education.

With a strong background in clinical and residency education, Dr. Calley served 10 years as an outpatient clinical education coordinator and 9 years as the residency coordinator of the Mayo Clinic Physical Therapy Orthopaedic Residency in Rochester, Minnesota, where he has been a primary clinical instructor to more than 175 physical therapy students and a mentor to over 28 residents in an outpatient orthopedic setting. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the Orthopaedic and Education Academies, and several Orthopaedic Academy Special Interest Groups.

Debra Ness, P.T., DScPT, NCS

Profile of Debra Ness Debra Ness P.T., DScPT, NCS has served as the residency coordinator since 2016, and the assistant program director for the Mayo Clinic Physical Therapy Neurologic Residency since 2022. Dr. Ness received her Bachelor of Arts from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, her Master of Physical Therapy from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences, and her Doctorate of Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She received her neurologic clinical specialization in 2009 and recertification in 2019.

Dr. Ness is a core didactic faculty member and mentor in the Neurologic Residency. In addition, she is an assistant professor in Mayo School of Health Sciences and teaches in both the academic and clinical settings for the Mayo Clinic Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Dr. Ness is supervisor for the neurologic practice in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is an invited reviewer for the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the McMaster University online rating of evidence program. She has co-authored or authored seven peer-reviewed articles on neurologic topics. Dr. Ness is a member of the APTA Academy of Neurologic PT and the residency and fellowship special interest groups.