Residency & Fellowship Special Interest Group

APTA Geriatrics Clinical Residency or Fellowship Scholarship

Deadline: March 31, 2021

The APTA Geriatrics promotes lifelong learning and the transition to clinical specialization. The mission of APTA Geriatrics is to promote physical therapist best practice and to advocate for optimal aging. Therefore, the Academy supports physical therapists interested in geriatric study interested in pursuing clinical residencies and or fellowships.

APTA Geriatrics takes pride assisting in the development of young professionals interested in advancing their careers through working with older adults. To foster the growth of Geriatric Physical Therapy Specialty Practice, APTA Geriatrics is offering scholarships to physical therapists in a geriatric clinical residency or fellowship programs.  

The scholarships are intended to assist in offsetting the costs associated with residency and fellowship programs. The Board of Directors (BOD) of APTA Geriatrics has determined that up to $10,000 will be awarded each year depending on the applicant pool and decisions made by the scholarship committee. For 2021, $4,800 will be awarded in scholarships.  Each scholarship will be a minimum of $1,250 and no greater than $2,500.  Scholarship funds may be used for costs related to professional study including but not limited to moving expenses, professional conference fees, geriatric specialty exam fees, textbooks, or other study materials.  This is a merit-based scholarship that will be awarded based on the review of applicant essays, resumes, and professional letters of recommendation. Applications will be reviewed by a subcommittee of the Residency and Fellowship Special Interest Group of APTA Geriatrics and brought to the BOD for approval. 

Eligibility Criteria:  

• Interested applicants must be current members of APTA Geriatrics. 
• Applicants must be accepted to or enrolled in an ABPTRFE accredited geriatric clinical residency or fellowship program. 
• Applicants must submit responses to the attached questions.  Responses are written in 11-point font and not exceed one page for all questions. 
• Applicants must submit one professional letter of recommendation from an APTA/APTA Geriatrics member as well as a curriculum vitae demonstrating commitment to geriatrics and experience with older adults.  
• Include a copy of the acceptance letter from accredited residency or fellowship awarding the resident/ fellow candidacy by the deadline March 17, 2021.
• If granted a scholarship the awardee must sign a commitment letter to complete their residency. Scholarship recipients are expected to complete progress report in one year.
• Complete and return the following essay questions and commitment letter.

Click here for information and application forms