COMT-2: Cervical Spine

NAIOMT has launched a significant educational partnership with Messiah University, specifically through The School of Graduate and Professional Studies, to enhance continuing education opportunities in physical therapy. This collaboration focuses on providing physical therapists with courses and seminars that aim to fulfill licensure requirements and promote post-professional certification. A notable feature of this partnership is the series of two-day courses centered on orthopedic manual therapy, which can be taken individually or combined to achieve post-professional certification. Additionally, Messiah University offers periodic seminars on various relevant topics for physical therapists and other healthcare professionals, ensuring they stay updated on the latest practices in their field.One of the highlights of this partnership is the Certified Orthopedic Musculoskeletal Therapist (COMT) program. This five-course series is designed to be practical and lab-based, emphasizing common diagnoses encountered in outpatient physical therapy. Under the guidance of Borko Rodic, PT, DPT, DSc, OCS, FAAOMPT, participants will learn to efficiently evaluate patient needs, construct evidence-based care episodes, and manage treatment effectively while focusing on functional exercise progressions and manual therapy techniques. The courses are accessible to licensed physical therapists and third-year PT students, with certification eligibility granted upon successful completion of all five COMT courses along with an elective.The program includes a structured pathway to mastery in physical therapy, facilitating the transition from individual courses to certification programs, residency, and even fellowship opportunities. Participants can expect to achieve a high standard of clinical practice through this comprehensive educational model. Feedback from former attendees highlights the effectiveness of the courses, with many noting improvements in their clinical skills and confidence in applying new techniques. For example, participants have praised the COMT-1 Lumbar Spine Manual Therapy course for its thorough content and supportive instructors, while others have found the Trigger Point Dry Needling course to be both informative and practical, enhancing their clinical reasoning skills. The overall experience is designed to empower physical therapists to refine their techniques and improve patient care, making the COMT program an invaluable resource for aspiring experts in manual therapy.