Fellowship Mission Statement

The primary purpose of the Kaiser Permanente-Hayward Physical Therapy Fellowship is to prepare physical therapists with advanced knowledge and skills in orthopedic manual physical therapy integrated with a foundation in the basic and applied sciences and scientific inquiry. Furthermore, the program seeks to graduate physical therapists who:

• Will support the Mission and Principles of Responsibility of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program,
  
• Possess strong patient management skills that will enable them to examine and treat patients efficiently, safely, ethically and legally, taking into consideration the best interests of individual patients, maintain high standards in provider-patient interactions, including excellence in relationships with other health care providers, and a commitment to providing courteous, respectful, high quality care,
  
• Possess an appreciation and commitment for lifelong learning,
  
• Will be able to respond to changing health care practices,
  
• Will be knowledgeable and responsive to the social and cultural factors of their practice community,
  
• Will engage in clinical, consultative, and teaching activities that will contribute to the community and to the profession.
  
• Be able to assess the reliability and relevance of clinical evidence
  underlying physical therapy practice and use knowledge of scientific methodology to solve clinical problems in a logical, thorough and critical manner.
  
• Reflect an attitude toward clinical practice that is a blend of art, science, and humanitarian concern.

The program believes that the individual abilities of its graduates facilitate the long term breadth and depth of the curriculum and the program's contributions to the profession. Therefore, the program seeks to attract professionals who demonstrate a balance of academic and clinical pursuits, flexibility, creativity, and commitment to education.

The program seeks to attract and retain clinical and academic faculty who excel in their respective disciplines, and who posses a commitment to clinical practice, to ongoing professional growth, and to the growth of orthopedic manual therapy within the profession.

The program seeks to pursue its primary role as a teaching institution while facilitating the participation of faculty in post-graduate education and professional activities.

The program seeks to serve the community by providing participants with the opportunity to teach and practice within the community and by providing relevant and quality continuing education to community therapists.