National board accredits new Neurologic Movement Disorders Physical Therapy Fellowship

A national board has accredited a new fellowship in physical therapy for neurologic movement disorders that is supported by Bellarmine University.

The Neurologic Movement Disorders Physical Therapy Fellowship is the first program of its kind in the United States to be accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE).

The fellowship is a collaboration between Norton Healthcare of Louisville and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, with support from the Physical Therapy programs of Bellarmine's School of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences and the OSU School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

The goal of the doctoral fellowship is to develop physical therapy specialists who can address the rehabilitation needs of patients with movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, ataxia and Huntington's disease.

The 12-month fellowship entails coursework, mentorship and leadership development while working at Norton Healthcare or the Wexner Medical Center. Participants are employed full-time with benefits and pay no tuition. The program began in November 2023.

The accreditation, which runs through September 2029, indicates the value and quality of the program. The action followed an onsite visit and receipt of materials from program administrators.

"In receiving initial accreditation, the program demonstrated its commitment to educational standards and ethical business practices indicative of quality, accountability and continuous improvement that enhances the physical therapy profession," the ABPTRFE wrote.

Dr. Elizabeth Ulanowski (at right in photo), an associate professor in Bellarmine's Doctor of Physical Therapy program who directs the fellowship, said the accreditation was the result of great work by the many stakeholders in the program. "I want to thank everyone for their support during this process," she said.

The fellowship is the most recent result of a long-standing partnership between Bellarmine's Physical Therapy program and Norton Healthcare and builds upon the yearlong Bellarmine-Norton Healthcare Neurological Physical Therapy Residency, which is in its 12th year.