Hand Therapy Fellowship

Program Overview

The Houston Methodist Hand Therapy Fellowship program is a 12 month program for occupational therapists ready to advance their professional growth in the focused area of hand therapy. The program is an approved fellowship program by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and it strongly emphasizes mentoring, didactic education, and refinement of clinical reasoning skills in an outpatient hand therapy setting. Upon successful completion of the program, occupational therapists qualify to submit a professional portfolio to AOTA for board certification in physical rehabilitation (BCPR), after three years of OT practice, compared to five years of practice otherwise required for this credential. The requirement for hand therapy experience in order to sit for the CHT exam is three years, and the fellowship program assists toward preparation for this exam. Also, the fellowship provides a strong entry point into the specialty of hand therapy.

Mission

The Houston Methodist Hand Therapy Fellowship will advance the knowledge and skills of occupational therapy practitioners in the focused area of hand therapy, and will promote professional growth of fellows toward becoming:

• Highly skilled clinicians, providing consistently excellent patient care.
• Proficient consumers and contributors to the scientific literature.

Also, the fellows will be accelerated toward becoming:

• Leaders in the occupational therapy profession with a specialty in hand therapy.
• Board certified in physical rehabilitation (BCPR) and certified hand therapists (CHT).

Goals

Hand therapy fellows will:

• Use evidence-based occupational therapy to establish an individualized plan of care to improve occupational performance for clients with upper extremity pathology.
• Apply advanced occupational therapy interventions for clients with various conditions treated in upper extremity orthopedic rehabilitation.
• Serve as ambassadors to the community by promotion of occupational therapy intervention and promotion of health and wellness as it pertains occupational therapy and specifically to the specialty of hand therapy.
• Demonstrate expertise and creativity in individualized fabrication and use of custom fabricated orthoses for upper extremity rehabilitation with a client-centered approach to occupational therapy.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills and ability to work well in collaboration with other professionals to coordinate care for clients with upper extremity disorders.
• Enhance the occupational therapy profession by way of two or more of the following: publication, teaching, research and /or professional presentations.

Clinical Practicum

This fellowship offers supervised, non-mentored, direct clinical patient care that allows the fellow to integrate knowledge gained from all content areas, and to gain experience in the management of occupational performance impairments affecting the upper extremity.

Clinical Mentoring

The programs supports one-on-one mentoring of patient evaluation and treatment with a hand therapy specialist to advance the fellow’s skill in evaluation and treatment of upper extremity injuries and conditions, including examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention and return to activity.

Research & Investigation

Fellows will develop and present case studies and on specific patients and conditions, and they participate in literature reviews and general faculty and fellow discussions to promote evidence based practice. Additional research opportunities are available based on individual fellow's interest and research skills.

Specialty Observation

Fellows will spend clinic hours with orthopedic surgeons who influence orthopedic care to develop an understanding of current surgical and medical interventions, along with the rehabilitation implications.

Didactics

Weekly lectures are offered to fellows to enhance the fellows’ knowledge of upper extremity rehabilitation.

Lab

The program includes weekly participation in instructional laboratory experiences to increase the fellows’ knowledge and motor skills in examination and intervention for upper extremity rehabilitation.

Topics covered in didactic sessions:

• Foundations
• Anatomy
• Evaluation
• Foundations for Intervention
• Hand
• Wrist
• Elbow/Shoulder
• Tendon
• Nerve
• Special Considerations for Care
• Injured Worker

Minimum Eligibility:

• Graduate of either an Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) accredited/ recognized occupational therapy educational program and have successfully passed the NBCOT exam for initial certification
• Eligible to be licensed as an occupational therapist in the state of Texas (hiring is contingent upon applicant being licensed in the state of Texas).
• CPR Certification

Application Process

Complete an online job application for the Hand Therapy Fellow and attach curriculum vita. The job title for the Hand Therapy Fellow is Rehab Services Fellow on the careers site.

Letter of Intent

Submit an essay describing the following:

• Reason for applying to the fellowship
• Short and long term goals for the fellowship program
• Summary of related clinical and educational experience
• Explanation of why applicant is a good candidate for fellowship

Three Letters of Recommendation

Suggested to be from the following:

• Current or former supervisor (recent graduates may include letter from former instructor)
• Instructor or faculty member from accredited occupational therapy program
• Healthcare provider with whom the occupational therapist has worked in the past year 

Employment Benefits

As full-time employees of Houston Methodist, residents will receive a competitive fellowship salary and will be eligible for benefits:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Flexible spending account
• Short/long-term disability
• Paid time off and holidays