Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Physical Therapy Residency

The Michigan Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation offers a residency program designed to train and develop skills in the growing field of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy. You’ll be guided by experienced mentors, gaining knowledge and experience at state of the art facilities including University Hospital, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, and CS Mott Children’s Hospital. Nationally recognized as a premier teaching hospital, Michigan Medicine offers diverse patient populations, state of the art procedures, and top notch therapy education resources. Michigan Medicine is a Cystic Fibrosis Care Center, Center for Circulatory Support (VAD), and Extracorporeal Life Support Program. Your clinical experience, didactic modules, and individualized mentoring will support your preparation to sit for the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist (CCS) Examination. 

Accredited by ABPTRFE, Michigan Medicine’s Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Residency Program is 12 months in length. Residents spend approximately 40 hours per week in a mix of didactic education, clinical mentoring, and patient care. Residents receive a monthly stipend, and are eligible for health benefits. 

The primary purpose of the University of Michigan-Michigan Medicine Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Residency Program is to prepare entry level or general physical therapists with advanced knowledge and skills in this specialty area of practice. This program will foster leaders in this field by utilizing scientific inquiry, clinical decision making and evidence-based practice to be able to achieve optimal outcomes for every client.

• Program will prepare physical therapists with the skill and knowledge necessary to qualify to sit for the ABPTS board certification exam in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy.
• Program will utilize current and advancing evidence-based research for evaluation and treatment of patients with Cardiovascular and Pulmonary dysfunctions.
• The program will produce skilled practitioners who contribute to the profession through advanced patient care, education, and research.
• The program will produce skilled practitioners who become a resource for the community in prevention and rehabilitation of CVP diseases.
• To support the mission of Michigan Medicine to advance health of Michigan and the world, achieve excellence in education and patient care.
• Program will provide multi-specialty clinical (or post-professional) education, delivered in a consistent format with excellent instruction that adheres to continuous improvement practices.

• Residency Director:  Christina Fields, PT, MPT, CCS [email protected]
• Emily Houser PT, DPT, CCS, NCS
• Natalia Fernandez PT, DPT, CCS
• Lisa Haggitt PT, DPT, CCS
• Jessica Miller PT, DPT, CCS
• Laura Pink PT, DPT, CCS
• Evan Haezebrouck PT, DPT, CCS
• Sara Seitz PT, DPT, CCS
• Kate Tales PT, DPT, PCS 

• Participation in at least 150 hours of mentored clinical care and 300 hours of didactic coursework from content experts in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy.
• Exposure to all Diagnostic Groups/Categories listed in the Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Description of Specialty Practice (DSP) and Description of Residency Practice (DRP).
• Clinical care ranging across the lifespan, from neonatal to geriatric, intensive care to outpatient cardiac rehabilitation.
• Integrating foundations of research and quality improvement, in order to prepare for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary board certification application.  

• 2024 cohort size: 1
• Fill rate for 2023-2024: 33%
• Number of Program Graduates in 2024: 1
• Percentage of Program Graduates who pass OCS Exam: 100%
• Percentage of Program Graduates working in Orthopedics after graduation: 100%

Minimum eligibility requirements for acceptance into the Residency include eligibility for Michigan Physical Therapy licensure (if applicants have not yet taken the NPTE or need to transfer PT license from another state, their acceptance will be contingent on this requirement being met), as well as compliance with all UM-Michigan Medicine employment requirements (background check, physical, drug screen).

Applicants must have a completed application with all essays, letters of recommendation, and a current curriculum vitae (CV). Begin your application at RF-PTCAS: https://rfptcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login. The interview process includes meeting with the Program Director, Coordinator and Mentors either in person or via videoconferencing.

Desirable applicants include those who have completed an extended clinical internship or have work experience in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy, possess superior verbal and written communication skills, show initiative in furthering their education and dedication to the field of physical therapy, and exhibit strong fundamentals in the principles of clinical reasoning and the application of examination.

The University of Michigan-Michigan Medicine Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Residency is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE). Accreditation status can be verified at www.abptrfe.org.

There is no tuition for residency training. The health system provides access to resources, journals, and textbooks. Some resources will need to be purchased for the program, but most will be available for use during the residency as needed. Resident is responsible for APTA membership, including Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Section membership for the full course of their residency training.

Residency Program Fact Sheet (MS Word)

For further questions about the program, requirements, and application procedure, please contact the director of the Michigan Medicine Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Residency Program.