Eligibility & Application

Criteria for Admission:
To be considered for admission to the Houston Methodist Hospital Acute Care Residency, applicants must fulfill certain requirements. Qualifications include the following:

• Current licensure in good standing or eligibility for licensure as a physical therapist in the State of Texas. Active licensure in Texas is required prior to the start date.
• Current APTA membership
• Current Basic Cardiac Life Support certification
• Meet criteria for employment at Houston Methodist Hospital
• Demonstrate characteristics of a team player with high standards of professional behavior
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong candidates will have one or more of the following:
  
  • Successful completion of a full-time clinical internship in an acute care hospital
  • Letter of recommendation from a clinical instructor from an acute care rotation.

Application Process:
Application to the Acute Care Residency is through the RF-PTCAS, the centralized application service of the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE). Applicants are required to include the following items in order to be considered for admission to the program:

• Three professional references are required. Prefer at least one from a past clinical instructor, supervisor, and/or academic instructor.
• Curriculum vita
• Copy of current Texas Physical Therapy license (or date for taking licensing exam)
• Copy of APTA membership card
• Copy of driver’s license
• Copy of current BCLS card

Applications are accepted anytime throughout the admission cycle but all documents must be submitted prior to April 1 for a September start date. The program director will review all applications. Those meeting minimum criteria will be forwarded to the application committee for review. The application committee utilizes a criteria-based tool to assess each application based on the admissions criteria and includes academic performance, clinical experiences, letters of recommendation, applicant interviews, and essays. 

Finalists are provided with a residency handbook that includes a sample employment agreement and program policies and procedures, and will be interviewed prior to acceptance. Final determination on admission will be made by the residency application committee and the accepted applicant will be notified no later than 5 weeks preceding the start date. 

The signed letter of agreement and completed application for employment at Houston Methodist Hospital must be returned to Houston Methodist Hospital within 10 days of receipt. The applicant must complete all pre-employment obligations as directed by Houston Methodist human resources department.