Frequently Asked Questions

• Participating in a residency improves critical thinking skills, improves patient care, provides mentorship, and speeds the track to expertise in practice. Residency care promotes a culture of excellence, improves evidence based practice, and improves leadership in PT practice.
• Upon completion of the program, residents will have advanced training in the evaluation, PT diagnosis, PT prognosis, plan of care development, and treatment strategies in the acute care patient. Residents will be able to function in the fast-paced, high acuity, variable, and ever-changing environment of the acute care hospital including intensive care units and the emergency department.

Several items are required for application:

• Application via RF-PTCAS
• Curriculum Vitae
• Proof of graduation from an accredited doctorate of physical therapy program
• Proof of licensure in the state of Tennessee
• Two (2) letters of recommendation
• CPR/BLS Certification
• Proof of APTA Membership
• Strong communication skills as evidenced by interview process (in-person or via Zoom)

The application deadline is March 31, 2027.

• Salary based on 32 hours of patient care per week commensurate with experience.
• Residents will be offered medical and dental insurance through their employment (premiums apply)
• There are no tuition fees.  Financial Fact Sheet
• Residents will be required to provide their own attire consistent with Erlanger dress code (silver scrubs).

Residents are required to rotate throughout the hospital including orthopedics, neurology, oncology, emergency department, cardiopulmonary, intensive care, etc. There will be ample opportunity to learn with many experienced mentors and multiple disciplines.

• Yes, there will be opportunities to teach in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
• Residents will be expected to be clinical instructors for physical therapy students on clinical rotations and will be expected to provide in-services for the Erlanger rehabilitation department for evidence based practice and participate in multidisciplinary rounding in applicable areas of the hospital.

• Program policies, procedures, and practices related to resident recruitment and admission are based on appropriate and equitable criteria and applicable law, are written and made available to prospective residents, and are applied consistently and equitably.
• The program welcomes and respects people of all races, creeds, cultures, and sexual orientations. The residency program values intellectual curiosity, pursuit of knowledge, and academic freedom and integrity. In keeping with those values, Erlanger and University of Tennessee expressly prohibit the following discrimination against employees, students, or applicants for employment or admission, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual harassment, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status), national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status.