Academic Certificate
Reach further.
The post-professional Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy is grounded in a values-centered, Jesuit Catholic tradition and designed for licensed physical therapists who are ready to lead in clinical practice, research and education. While you continue working full-time without relocating, you will develop advanced manual therapy expertise alongside a network of internationally recognized faculty dedicated to producing graduates who are leaders in orthopaedic manual physical therapy and experts at integrating evidence-based practice into daily clinical care. Graduates receive an academic certificate from Regis University and are eligible to apply for the Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT) designation, a globally recognized credential representing the highest level of achievement in orthopaedic manual physical therapy.
The program delivers four online orthopaedic management courses over eight-week terms, covering lumbopelvic, cervical and thoracic, lower extremity and upper extremity disorders through the most evidence-supported techniques in the field, including high-velocity low-amplitude manipulation, joint and neurodynamic mobilization, muscle energy techniques, soft-tissue management and dry needling. Each course includes a weekend intensive running from Friday through Sunday afternoon, giving you fellowship-level training built around your career and your life.
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Program Format
Online courses, with four on-campus weekend intensives
Time Commitment
Minimum of 12 months
Program Starts
Offered in August each year
Complete a minimum of 850 hours of clinical practice focused on orthopaedic physical therapy, including 700 hours in virtual rounds and 150 hours of direct one-on-one clinical work with AAOMPT fellows, 20 of which take place during weekend lab sessions on campus.
Virtual rounds place you in structured case discussions with fellowship faculty and fellow fellows in training, reviewing active de-identified patient cases to develop your clinical reasoning and OMPT patient care skills. Secondary topics include regulation, teaching, research development, advocacy and non-patient OMPT questions.
Attend four weekend intensives running Friday through Sunday, one associated with each of the four management courses, on the Regis campus in Denver. One additional campus visit is required for the final practicum examination, bringing your total to five campus visits. Relocation is not necessary.
Complete 150 hours of one-on-one clinical mentor time with an AAOMPT fellow, with 20 of those hours taking place during weekend lab sessions on campus. Find your mentor through your professional network, the Regis alumni network or a search based on location or expertise.
Learn alongside our award-winning faculty who are internationally recognized leaders in the profession and who genuinely care about who you become, professionally, academically and personally.
Grounded in the Jesuit values of magis and cura personalis, our curriculum challenges you to seek your very best in service of the patient and the broader community, evolving with the field as OMPT knowledge and practice continue to grow.
Get all the details on our Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy program, including course requirements, ranking and advising.
All application materials for the OMPT Fellowship program should be submitted through the Residency and Fellowship Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS), including:
Eligibility
Tuition for the 2026-2027 academic year: $780 per credit hour
Total program credits: 18
Tuition is one part of the overall cost of attendance, which includes all expenses students may have, including basic living costs. For more information about tuition, fees and your estimated cost of attendance, visit our Cost of Attendance for Adult Undergraduates and Graduate Students page. Tuition and fees are subject to change.
Additional fees may include an RF-PTCAS application fee, background check, APTA and AAOMPT membership fees, travel and lodging for on-campus intensives and other technology fees. For more information about the costs associated with residency and fellowship education, see the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education's (ABPTRFE) Financial Fact Sheet. Regis offers a variety of scholarships, grants and other programs to help you pay for school. Visit Financial Aid for more information.
Regis University's Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy (FOMPT) is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) and the Accreditation Council on Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Education (ACOMPTE) as a post-professional clinical fellowship program for physical therapists in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy.
The Regis University Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy is not accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), which accredits entry-level physical therapist education and not post-professional programs.
Program Completion Rate
FAAOMPT obtained 226/279 = 81% as of Jan. 2026 (since 2005)
Program Student Retention Rate
277/331 = 84% as of Jan. 2026 (since 2005)
Earning the Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists credential is an internationally recognized mark of advanced competence in orthopaedic manual physical therapy, awarded to licensed U.S. physical therapists who complete a credentialed fellowship program or demonstrate equivalent expertise through a portfolio review. Fellows are recognized for their advanced clinical, analytical and hands-on skills in treating musculoskeletal disorders and their commitment to excellence in clinical practice, education and research.
Visit aaompt.org for more information about the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists.
Regis University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, meaning courses are graded with official letter grades posted to a Regis transcript, a requirement for many employer tuition reimbursement programs at hospitals, universities and military branches. The final practicum is graded pass/fail, though a supplemental letter documenting the passing standard is available for employers who require it.
Whether university-level course work counts toward continuing education requirements depends on your state licensing board. Because Regis is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and courses are posted to an official transcript with a letter grade, university credit has historically been the most recognized form for employer and licensing purposes. A CEU certificate is also available for weekend intensive sessions upon request.
In Colorado, continuing education courses are not required to be credentialed but must meet APTA educational standards to qualify as Level I continuing education. Students are responsible for determining the appropriate education level and reporting credits to their respective state board or association.
The Fellowship is designed for working clinicians. Most fellows maintain full-time clinical positions while completing the program, with many serving as clinic supervisors, directors or owners. A hybrid online format lets you complete course work on your own schedule, typically requiring four to six hours per week for management courses and two to three hours per week for virtual rounds.
The program requires five visits to the Regis campus in Denver: four Friday-Sunday weekend intensives and one additional visit for the final practicum examination. Additional travel may include attendance at a national conference such as the AAOMPT Annual Meeting or CSM if your research project is selected for presentation, as well as travel related to 150 hours of one-on-one clinical practice under the direct supervision of a Fellow.
The Fellowship requires a minimum of 850 clinical practice hours, including 700 hours of indirect mentoring through virtual rounds and 150 hours of direct one-on-one mentoring with two or more AAOMPT Fellows. Of the 150 direct hours, 20 take place during weekend lab sessions on campus, with the remainder beginning after the first management course and continuing throughout the program. During direct mentoring hours, fellows in training serve as the primary clinician for at least 130 of the 150 hours, with the remaining 20 available for observation or case discussion.
Fellows in training find mentors through personal connections, the Regis alumni network or a search based on location or expertise, and Regis provides admitted students with a list of more than 100 program graduates to support the process. Mentors must be licensed AAOMPT members in good standing in the USA, and Regis establishes a clinic agreement with each. Fellows in training are responsible for arranging state licensure, travel and accommodations for off-campus clinical hours. Regis students have historically not been charged for direct mentor time, though any reimbursement arrangement is between the fellow in training and the mentor and does not involve Regis.
Regis students have historically not been charged for direct mentor time, though reimbursement is at the mentor's discretion, and any arrangement is between the fellow in training and the mentor. With a strong network of eligible mentors, you are encouraged to work with multiple mentors to customize your experience around your clinical interests and patient population. We recommend that at least one mentor be a Regis Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy graduate, though any Fellow in good standing with the AAOMPT is eligible, pending a straightforward site contract.
No. The Fellowship is open to all U.S. licensed physical therapists regardless of degree level. If you do not hold a doctorate, we encourage you to consult with the program coordinator to discuss your readiness. A strong professional record, OCS certification, relevant experience and PT licensure in good standing are all strong indicators of preparedness.
The Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy certificate is offered by the School of Rehabilitative and Health Sciences in the Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions.