The NAIOMT program offers advanced training in orthopaedic manual physical therapy, including didactic and practical instruction in the classroom, clinical fellowship program, supervised clinical instruction, mentoring and a series of examinations. The system is part time, open and flexible. Students choose their own pace and level of training to fit their educational goals, in a comfortable time frame. Not all participants will choose to complete the entire process to certification or graduation from the fellowship program, but all participants will have the tools to develop EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE, and SAFE manual/manipulative physical therapy management for the benefit of their patients and clients.
Manual Therapy Certification
NAIOMT offers a certification program for students who wish to demonstrate their knowledge and skill through examination. The instructional courses, course manuals and home study form the educational foundation of the certification program. More info here.
Qualifying
Continuing Education Unit (CEU)
Provider
NAIOMT courses will qualify for continuing education hours in Oregon and many other states. Call your State Licensing Board or NAIOMT site coordinator for information.
Course Participation Qualifications
NAlOMT courses are principally designed for physical therapists interested in the study of orthopaedic manual and manipulative physical therapy. Physical therapy students and other health professionals may be eligible for participation in basic level or specialty courses on approval of the NAIOMT Executive Committee and the faculty teaching the course. The course syllabus will provide the course participant requirements.
Education Format
Instruction is provided by a variety of methods that include: two, three or six day courses with course manuals, supervised clinical instruction as continuing education or part of the fellowship program, web site discussions and by directed home study utilizing videotape, on line communication and written materials. Testing and examination opportunities are offered to those wishing to demonstrate their attainment of a level of proficiency in the theory and practice of the basic, intermediate and advanced levels in manual and manipulative therapy.
Emphasis
In order to maximize safety, the student will be taught a comprehensive clinical examination and basic medical screening. This will attempt to preclude the treatment of patients with serious or acute pathology that is contraindicated for orthopaedic manual physical therapy. The need to continuously reevaluate the patient's health is emphasized.
Clinical effectiveness is maximized by presenting material and reference resources that enable the student to develop a profound understanding of the underlying scientific principles of manual therapy assessment and intervention, to advance their practical hands-on skills. NAIOMT encourages inquiring minds to continuously critique and analyze the current and changing data and integrate sound clinical and research evidence. Efficiency is taught through scanning examinations, biomechanical hypotheses and algorithms originally evolved from the British and Canadian manual therapy systems and from the faculty's many decades of clinical experience.
Curriculum
The curriculum follows the guidelines of the APTA’s Guide to Physical Therapy Practice (2001) and the AAOMPT’s Description of Advanced Specialized Practice (DASP-OMPT, 2008). Instruction will incorporate the six elements of patient/client management (examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and outcome assessment) that leads to optimal outcomes. The manual therapy approaches taught by NAIOMT instructors will be based on sound scientific principles, enhanced by relevant and applicable clinical and research evidence, and primarily by advanced clinical reasoning and judgment that will manifest the Institute's concern for safety, effectiveness and efficiency.
