OTRF Athletic Training Residency Program

Description and Curriculum

The mission of the OTRF Athletic Training Residency Program is to provide specialized post-professional training to certified athletic trainers in clinical and surgical orthopaedics, develop the ability to evaluate and apply evidence-based practice techniques, and to promote efficiency and value in the orthopaedic health care setting. This 13-month program allows certified athletic trainers to expand their education, improve their clinical evaluation skills, increase their knowledge as allied healthcare professionals and interact with orthopaedic surgeons. Other opportunities include assisting in surgery, conducting research, educating patients and leading educational conferences for medical professionals.

Program Goals

Promote the resident’s depth of clinical knowledge within the orthopaedic specialty.
Develop the resident’s clinical and surgical skills within the physician practice setting.
Increase the resident’s ability to critically appraise, apply and teach evidence-based concepts.
Involve the resident in ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration and quality improvement efforts.

Learning Objectives

Demonstrate increased depth of knowledge in orthopaedics through advanced and flexible educational programming.
Develop the resident’s clinical and surgical skills within the physician practice setting.
Increase the resident’s ability to critically appraise, apply, and teach evidence-based concepts.
Involve the resident in ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration and quality improvement efforts.

Athletic Trainer Requirements and Eligibility

A commitment to provide excellent patient care serving as an extension of the physician
in the clinical setting.
A strong desire to learn and develop skills within the field of orthopaedic surgery and
sports medicine.
An ability to uphold and maintain the highest standards of professionalism.
Capable of maintaining all codes of professional conduct, including protection of
patient information.
A strong desire to be a member of multidisciplinary sports medicine team.
Bachelor’s degree
BOC certification
Athletic Training Licensure in the state of Illinois.
CPR certification (equivalent to BOC standard).
Experience with Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs

Physician Responsibilities

Educate and mentor the resident athletic trainer so he or she may master the above skills and competencies.
Uphold and abide by the highest standards of professionalism.
Supervise all actions of the resident athletic trainer to insure a proper standard of care.
Be receptive to questions from the resident athletic trainer and be willing to explain the thought process behind diagnosing patients and developing treatment plans.
Teach the resident athletic trainer how to interpret diagnostic tests and labs.
Communicate daily with the resident athletic trainer as to his/her clinic performance.
Complete quarterly evaluation forms and clinical competency checklists.
Communicate weekly with the program director regarding the progress and competency of the resident athletic trainer.

Residency Program Features and Benefits

A $35,568 stipend with paid healthcare, dental, vision, life and short-term disability insurance.
Up to ten paid vacation days in addition to paid regular holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Memorial Day and Fourth of July). Vacation requests must be submitted at least six weeks in advance to allow for clinic and OR schedule coverage.
Reimbursement for Illinois State licensure fees and Orthopaedic Technologist Certification exam fee.
Musculoskeletal radiology training
Surgical assist
Weekly Sports Medicine, Grand Rounds, Basic Science and Journal Club conferences (see list and description below.)
Elective exposure to sports teams and clubs, events and athletic training coverage.

Residency Retention and Completion Policy

To receive a certificate of completion for the OTRF Athletic Training Residency Program, residents must participate fully in all clinical and didactic experiences for the 13-month period and maintain satisfactory clinical evaluation scores demonstrating appropriate learning, engagement and professionalism during the program.

Athletic Trainer Responsibilities and Core Competencies

Under the direction of the supervising physician, the resident athletic trainer will be held accountable for:

Maintaining professionalism and the ability to successfully interact with physicians
and patients.
Rooming patients.
Taking a thorough patient history.
Physical examination skills to complete musculoskeletal system assessment.
Radiographic interpretation skills to develop a working diagnosis and treatment plan.
Organization of all clinically relevant information such as studies, films, medical records, etc.
Case presentation skills to succinctly inform the supervising physician about the patient’s history, physical exam, pertinent test results, working diagnosis and a suggested treatment plan.
Proper initiation of the final treatment plan determined by the physician.
Ordering of X-rays, MRIs, CT scans and other diagnostic tests or labs.
Removal of sutures and staples and performance of simple wound care.
Fitting casts, braces and other assistive devices.
Instructing patients on gait training or therapeutic exercises.
Providing patients with post-visit educational materials.
Educating/instructing patients.
Management of clinic flow, paperwork and chart management, EMR documentation and coding for patient visits.
Assist in surgery including positioning, prepping and draping patients; retracting tissue; directing the arthroscopic camera; checking setup, holding instruments; closing wounds; applying post-operative dressings, immobilization and splints; preparing surgical grafts; and other related duties.
Surgical documentation with video and photographs for teaching and/or research purposes.
Post-operative education and instructions to family members.
Facilitation of community educational programs (seminars, handouts, newsletters, other outreach programs, etc.)
Participating in an annual research/educational project to deepen the focus and understanding of evidence-based clinical orthopaedics.
Preparing presentations and lead weekly Sports Medicine Conferences under the supervision of the program director on topics that include clinical practice cases, current peer-reviewed journals and orthopaedic areas of interest.
Patient care within the scope of the athletic trainer’s credentials.
Attending weekly educational conferences (minimum five hours per week.)
Maintaining satisfactory clinical evaluation scores that measure learning growth, responsibility and professionalism through the duration of the program.
If applicable, renewal and/or initial memberships in state/national professional associations.

Educational Programs

Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Conference – Westmont office
A weekly, Friday morning conference is moderated by the program physician. Athletic training residents participate by preparing and presenting clinical practice cases, journal review articles and orthopaedic topics of interest. Athletic training residents also send weekly conference invitations, maintain attendance and award certificates for CEU/CME credits.

Weekly In-service Training – Westmont office
Weekly in-service training exclusively for the athletic training residents are led by the athletic training residency program director and occur Friday afternoons. Topics and skills related to orthopaedic and sports medicine conditions are taught in a private setting with an opportunity for skills practice and questions.

Weekly Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship Education Lectures – Webinar
Webinars are held for medical residents and fellows and free of charge for the OTRF athletic training residents. They are viewed weekly during lunch and cover educational topics required within the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) curriculum.

Weekly Loyola Orthopaedic Grand Round – Loyola University Medical Center, SSOM 460
Orthopaedic grand rounds are held each Thursday morning from 7:30-9 a.m.

Basic Science Conference – Loyola University Medical Center, Maguire 1768
Basic Science Conferences are held the second Thursday of the month from 10-11 a.m. The curriculum is based upon the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Orthopaedic Basic Science text.

Orthopaedic Journal Club – Loyola University Medical Center, Maguire 1768
This one-hour monthly conference, held on Thursday mornings focuses discussion on six or seven recent journal articles. The attending physician responsible for the month’s Journal Club selects articles from a recent Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and from a recent specialty journal of their choice. Orthopaedic residents are assigned articles for discussion.

Annual OTRF Research/Education Project
Each OTRF athletic training resident is assigned an annual project at the start of the residency year to deepen his/her focus and understanding of evidence-based orthopaedics. Examples of past projects include creating and maintaining a custom patient education database, and establishing and updating outcomes collection software for post-operative patients.

Application Process

Download, print and complete the OTRF Athletic Training Residency Program application available at https://www.otrfund.org/athletic-trainer-residency-program/. Send the completed application along with the following items:
- - Resume/curriculum vitae.
  - Official undergraduate transcripts.
  - Two letters of recommendation.
  - Proof of certification, or BOC scheduling receipt documenting date of test prior to May of the application cycle.
  - Proof of Illinois licensure, or copy of completed application forms.
  - Proof of CPR certification (equivalent to BOC standard.)
Obtain OTC certification upon completion of the OTRF Athletic Training Residency Program.

Send your completed application, required documents and materials to:
OTRF Athletic Training Residency Program
c/o Dr. Steven Chudik
1010 Executive Court, Suite 250
Westmont, IL 60559

Please direct all questions to our email, contactus@chudikmd.com

Applications are accepted for the OTRF Athletic Training Residency Program between December 1 and March 15, prior to the August 1 residency start date.

All materials must arrive by the due date. Incomplete submissions will be discarded.