Clinical Practice

New Collaboration Agreement

We are proud to announce that the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Physical Therapy & Human Movement Sciences (PTHMS), the oldest physical therapy school in the U.S., has signed a historic agreement with Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (NMHC) establishing comprehensive collaboration to integrate physical therapy Education, Research, and Clinical Practice for the benefit of patients, rehabilitation clinicians, and our faculty members, researchers, DPT students, and physical therapy residents and fellows.

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

The faculty of the Department of Physical Therapy & Human Movement Sciences provide patient care through the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab under a comprehensive Collaboration Agreement initiated in 2013. Clinical services provided at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab encompass most areas of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, including neurologic, orthopaedic, pediatric and women’s health physical therapy.

Clinical Training

DPT Students

Doctor of Physical Therapy students receive clinical training and provide care under the direction of physical therapists at close to 500 other hospitals and clinics in Illinois, across the U.S. and globally. Our primary clinical partners include the seven hospitals and many clinics that comprise the Northwestern Medicine system, the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab hospitals and clinics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Physical Therapy Residents

Our department trains neurologic and orthopaedic physical therapists in specialized practice at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab via our orthopaedic and neurologic physical therapy residencies accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education.

Scientists & PhD Students

Physical therapist PhD students and scientists are encouraged to take advantage of part-time clinical opportunities available through Northwestern Medicine, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Lurie Children’s. Interested individuals should inquire with their mentors or supervisors.