Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency Program | MedStar Health

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Physical therapists work with a patient in the rehabilitation gym at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital.


Welcome

The MedStar Health/The George Washington University (GW) Neurologic Residency program is accredited by the American Physical Therapy Association as a post-professional residency program for physical therapists in neurology.

The 14-month specialty residency program will develop advanced neurologic physical therapy practitioners and educators who:

  • Demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning, assessment, and intervention skills for individuals with neurologic disorders across the spectrum of acuity/chronicity and practice setting
  • Demonstrate collaborative and evidence-based care across practice settings
  • Provide education for other healthcare professionals, students, and the community related to neurologic physical therapy
  • Contribute to scholarly advancements in the field of neurologic physical therapy
  • Demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of healthcare through advocacy, service, or leadership activities
  • Embody the highest ethical and professional standards of physical therapy
  • Residents will be prepared to sit for the Neurologic Clinical Specialist (NCS) Board Examination through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). We are proud of our 100% first-time pass rate on the NCS Board Examination by all of our residency graduates who have signed up to complete the examination.

Residents are part-time employees of MedStar Health Physical Therapy and are eligible for health and dental benefits. Residents are also adjunct faculty members within the GW Physical Therapy program.

ABPTRFE Accreditation Logo

Program locations

  • Inpatient Rehabilitation Services at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital

    MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital has been treating adults and children with disabling illnesses or injuries for more than 25 years. The 137-bed hospital offers the very best in rehabilitative services through the MedStar NRH inpatient and outpatient centers. Its specialty rehabilitation programs for individuals with stroke, brain injury, and spinal cord injury are CARF-Accredited. Research initiatives in neuroplasticity are ongoing through the Georgetown University/MedStar National Rehabilitation Network Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery.

  • MedStar Health: Physical Therapy at Irving Street – Neurorehabilitation Center

    MedStar Health: Physical Therapy at Irving St-Neurorehabilitation Center provides comprehensive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language pathology services to a wide variety of patient populations, including individuals with stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, persistent pain, concussion, vestibular disorders, neuromuscular disorders, cancer, and orthopedic injuries. Therapists at this site have expertise in treating individuals with neurologic conditions as well as those with complex medical histories. In addition to their general therapy services, they also have a CARF-accredited Day Program for individuals with spinal cord injury, as well as other interdisciplinary clinics such as Seating and Mobility Clinic, Post Polio Clinic, Driver Training, and Amputee Clinic.

  • MedStar Washington Hospital Center

    MedStar Washington Hospital Center is a not-for-profit, 926-bed, major teaching and research hospital in Washington, D.C. The hospital is renowned for the treatment of stroke and neurologic illness and injury. MedStar Washington Hospital Center's Primary Stroke Center, the first stroke program in the area accredited by The Joint Commission, admitted 968 patients in 2023. Through its affiliation with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Center, the hospital's stroke neurologists have access to leading-edge research protocols and interventions not available at other hospitals.

  • MedStar Health: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

    MedStar Health: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital provides comprehensive physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology services. These individuals work hand-in-hand with other rehabilitation professionals to design treatment plans tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Treatment features state-of-the-art technology and advanced medical treatment based on the latest rehabilitation research. 

    This site is designated as a Huntington’s Disease Center of Excellence and is the only hospital in Washington, D.C., designated as a Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence, the most respected and sought-after designation for movement disorders.

  • George Washington University

    GW’s Physical Therapy program is committed to residency education. The GW PT program has 3 post-professional residency programs. The neurologic residency program was accredited in 2015 and reaccredited in 2020 by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency & Fellowship Education. 

A physical therapist works with a spinal cord/brain injury patient as he learns to walk with crutches and leg braces in the rehabilitation gym at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital.


Curriculum

The MedStar Health/The George Washington University (GW) will prepare residents to achieve our mission through a full-time, fourteen-month program including:

Clinical Practice

  • 24+ hours of weekly clinical practice across neurologic diagnoses and acuity via rotations in acute care at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, inpatient rehabilitation at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital, and outpatient rehabilitation at MedStar Health: Physical Therapy at Irving Street – Neurorehabilitation Center and MedStar Health: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
  • 4 additional hours of 1:1 mentored clinical practice per week with residency mentor faculty
  • Participation in the physician clinics at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital and MedStar Health: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Clinics may include: neuromuscular disorders, movement disorders, concussion, spinal cord injury, spasticity, and orthotic/prosthetic clinic, among others.


Teaching

  • 4-8 hours teaching per week in neurologic courses in the GW’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, including neuroscience and neurologic patient management courses. Hours vary depending on course demands.
  • 1-2 additional hours per week of mentored teaching with instruction in educational theory, assessment methods, and instructional design.


Didactic Coursework

  • 2 hours weekly didactic education and networking through the Neurologic Professional Education Consortium’s virtual webinars and online labs.


Scholarly Project

  • 2-4 hours weekly “independent study” time to develop a scholarly project
  • Examples may include: clinical research, case report or paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, contribution to a book, health care quality improvement project, or other approved work
  • Past resident research projects have included quality improvement related to interdisciplinary training for early mobilization post-stroke; collaboration with the MS Society related to a falls prevention program*; development of fitness recommendations for individuals with chronic spinal cord injury; analysis of spatiotemporal gait changes in individuals with multiple sclerosis*; development of a clinical decision-making algorithm for individuals with disorders of consciousness;* case reports; development of an algorithm for Post Covid-19 weakness; and use of OPTIMAL motor learning framework in DPT education*.

*Projects have been presented at regional and national professional conferences

 

Sample Weekly Schedule

   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday  Friday
 A.M.

 Patient Care at MedStar NRH

 Patient Care at MedStar NRH

 Patient Care at MedStar NRH

 Patient Care at MedStar NRH

 Patient Care at MedStar NRH

 P.M.

 Patient Care at MedStar NRH with mentor session

 Teaching in the entry-level DPT Program at GW

 Physician Clinics at MedStar NRH & Georgetown

 Teaching in the entry-level DPT Program at GW

 Independent study time for scholarly project

 

 

 Didactic Webinars

 

 

  

MedStar Rehabilitation network has an adaptive fitness gym which helps patients improve muscle strength conditioning.

Outcomes

Since its inception in 2013, the MedStar & GW Neurologic Residency Program has had excellent outcomes across its graduates. To date, we have graduated 15 residents and have a 93.75% program completion rate. 100% of program graduates who registered to take the neurological specialty examination have successfully completed it on their first attempt.

Resident Employment

Residency graduates have obtained clinical neurologic-focused PT positions across the continuum of care. The data for employment location post-graduation for all program graduates is listed below:


 Acute Care Inpatient Rehabilitation  Outpatient Rehabilitation  Other
 27%  27%  33%  13%

 

Teaching-related outcomes show that 40% of graduates have continued to teach in DPT programs through adjunct faculty appointments. Another 40% of graduates are involved in residency programs as mentors or in residency administrative leadership roles. 40% of graduates have presented at a national level, and 27% are continuing research endeavors.


Admission

All applicants must:

  • Complete an online application through the Residency-Fellowship Centralized Application System (RF-PTCAS) of the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE).
  • Be eligible for and obtain licensure as a physical therapist in the District of Columbia prior to the start of residency.

Application Deadline

  • January 5, 2026

Application Fee

All applicants pay a centralized application fee directly to RF-PTCAS. In addition, the supplemental, non-refundable application fee is $40. Only checks are accepted. Checks should be made payable to MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital with a note in the subject line "PT Neurologic Residency Training" and sent to:

MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital
c/o Katherine Brundage
102 Irving Street NW
Washington, DC 20010

Interview Selection and Process

Qualified candidates may be selected to interview for the MedStar/GW neurologic residency. The interview process is designed to evaluate each candidate's communication skills, professionalism, match to the MedStar/GW mission, and his or her understanding of the role of neurologic physical therapy in today's health care environment. Residents will develop and present a case study to highlight their neurologic clinical decision-making process with a past or current patient. The virtual interview occurs in February or early March.

Admissions Timeline

January -  Application materials due

February/March  -  Candidate Interviews

March  -  Accepted residents notified

Mid-June  -  Neurologic Consortium didactic webinars begin

August/September  -  Clinical & teaching positions begin

Residency Costs: There is a $1,000 program fee.

Each resident is also responsible for the purchase of personal textbooks, scrubs, and incidental supplies. Residents must plan for living expenses and transportation to clinical and teaching facilities across the D.C. metro area.

Download Financial Fact Sheet

Contact us

Rachel Wilcox PT, DPT, NCS
Director, Neurologic Residency
rachel.o.wilcox@medstar.net
(202) 994-3699

Karen Goodman, PT, DPT, NCS, CBIS
Academic Coordinator, Neurologic Residency
karengoodman@gwu.edu
(202) 994-0705