Acute Care Physical Therapy Residency Program
Program Mission
The mission of the Tampa General Hospital Acute Care Physical Therapy Residency Program is to provide residents with advanced evidence-based education to become leading acute care physical therapists of innovative, patient-centered, and evidence-based physical therapy to hospitalized patients within our community across a broad spectrum of diagnoses, age, and medical co-morbidities.
Program Overview
TGH’s Acute Care Rehabilitation Department, or Hospital Based Rehabilitation, comprises over 75 therapists between physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT) and speech language pathology (SLP). Together, we manage a daily caseload of 450 patients throughout the acute care setting. During the 13-month program, the resident will rotate through the department’s various teams managing patients in various service lines.
- ICU: Multiple Medical, Medical Surgical, Vascular, Cardiac, Cardiothoracic surgery, Neurologic and Burn
- Step-down ICU Units: Medical, Cardiac, Vascular and Trauma
- Floors: Various Oncology service lines, Cardiac telemetry, Medical telemetry, Medical/Surgical, Neurological, Trauma, Orthopedic Trauma, Elective Joint, Transplant, Ante/Post partum, Gastrointestinal surgery, Emergency Department and Observation Units.
- 4-week Elective: Choose your own adventure and return to the service line of your choice
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Provide evidence-based education and clinical training to prepare the acute care resident for successful completion of specialty training for acute care.
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Uphold the shared purpose of Tampa General Hospital by providing the necessary teaching and mentoring opportunities to facilitate the development of leading practitioners in acute care physical therapy.
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Encourage residents to be expert consumers of literature to promote the advancement of acute care physical therapy and drive evidence-based evaluation and treatment approaches.
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Support residents in becoming advanced practitioners of acute care physical therapy to enhance patient safety, patient experience, and the availability of highly qualified job candidates to a growing workforce.
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The program will be sustainable and financially stable.
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The residency program supports the Shared Purpose of Tampa General Hospital.
- 28 hours a week of managing a caseload of patients with mixed diagnoses
- 8-hours of weekly didactic education that is a mix of MedBridge courses, TGH faculty and organization sponsored education, and interdisciplinary opportunities.
- Mentors with extensive experience and certifications including:
- Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, and Geriatric Physical Therapy
- Certified Brain Injury Specialist
- APTA Credentialed CI
- Certified Lymphedema Therapist
- Wound Care Certification
- Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist
- Graduate of a CAPTE accredited PT Program
- Active State of FL PT license on program start date
- 3 letters of recommendation- at least 1 academic and 1 clinical (clinical instructor or supervising therapist)
- Resume or Curriculum Vitas-including education and employment history
- Most up-to-date university transcripts from all universities attended
- Meet eligibility requirements to be a practicing Physical Therapist at Tampa General Hospital
- Active APTA membership, including Acute Care Section Member
- Statement of interest regarding Tampa General Acute Care Residency
- Professional Goals
- Strongly recommended: previous acute care experience
- Notification of special accommodations upon application submission
Program Outcomes
| Year | Graduation Rate |
| 2023 | 100% |
| 2024 | 100% |
Download the Residency Financial Fact Sheet
Employment Information
The resident will be employed by Tampa General Hospital and will qualify for the benefits package provided by TGH. As a TGH team member, all TGH policies and procedures will apply to the resident. The resident will be involved in patient care activities approximately 28 hours a week. The resident will be expected to work weekends in alignment with department requirements. The additional hours will be dedicated to educational opportunities and scholarly activity.
At TGH, equal employment opportunities are ingrained in our treatment of individuals, ensuring that everyone, irrespective of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or other protected characteristics, has an equal opportunity in employment-related decisions and activities. This commitment extends to hiring, promotion, training, and all aspects of the employment relationship, reflecting our dedication to fostering a diverse workplace that offers an equitable environment for all.
TGH is proud to be recognized as one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity, Best Employer for New Grads, and Best Employer for Women. View our full list of employer awards and rankings to learn what makes TGH a top workplace in the U.S.
Contact Information
For additional information, please contact:
Kelly Tucker, PT, DPT, WCC
Program Co-Coordinator
Jessica Zachar, PT, DPT, CLT
Program Co-Coordinator
acutecareptresidency@tgh.org
(813) 844-7226