Physical Therapist, Advanced Specialist - Runner's Clinic

Advanced Specialist-Therapy Services

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

MUST OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM COMPENSATION BEFORE USING THIS JOB CODE. The Advanced Specialist-Therapy Services works with the departmental and interdisciplinary health care team to develop and provide patient care that is integrated and compatible with patient-centered goals and objectives. This position is responsible for leading system level programming within a specialty area and develops, implements, and evaluates outcomes of a specialty program. This position participates in the planning, organization and data collection related to patient outcomes and ensures the standardization of care in multiple sites. This position must work in one of the following specialty areas: NBICU, Oncology, Informatics, Women's Health, Running, Hand Therapy, Cardio-Pulmonary Care, LVAD program, Lymphedema, Aquatics, Assistive technology Out-patient, Assistive Technology In-patient, 3D printing, Emergency Care, Robotics and emerging technologies, Dysphagia, Concussion, Ortho Sports Injury, TKA/THA care, Residency oversight and other areas approved by the Therapy Services leadership team.

Corporate Overview: The University of Utah is a Level 1 Trauma Center and is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. Our five hospitals and eleven clinics provide excellence in our comprehensive services, medical advancement, and overall patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Performs all essential functions of the Physical Therapist.
• Schedules and leads quarterly system level program meetings.
• Implements and sustains standardized outcome measure collection.
• Utilizes Quality Improvement strategies to continuously enhance patient centered outcome measures.
• Participates in the annual competency evaluation for staff working in the assigned specialty area.
• Ensures standardized best practice standards are implemented and adhered to in each clinical area.
• Involvement in marketing and outreach including but not limited to educating the University System and the public regarding the specialty area through multi-media venues such as radio, TV, and internet platforms.
• Act as source of information and knowledge for the University System related to the therapy specialty.
• Act as source of knowledge for procurement of necessary equipment and space needs.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined above.
• Demonstrated human relation and effective communication skills. Current knowledge of safety issues needed in the treatment of patients, especially regarding body substance precautions and body mechanics to protect self, patients and personnel working with therapists.
• Ability to participate in rotations of work area, weekends and week-day hours and assigned holidays.
• Ability to follow ethical guidelines outlined by the APTA.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of life span growth and development and the ability to assess data regarding the patient's status and provide care under the practice principles of the APTA.

Qualifications

Required

• 5 years clinical/practical experience as a licensed physical therapist.

Licenses Required

• Current RQI Healthcare Provider eCredential through the University of Utah Health RQI system. The eCredential is to be obtained within 30 days of hire.
• Current license to practice as a Physical Therapist in the State of Utah, or obtain one within 90 days of hire under the Physical Therapy Compact if switching residency to State of Utah. Must maintain current Physical Therapy Compact (multi-state) license if residency is not being changed to Utah.

* Additional license requirements as determined by the hiring department.

Qualifications (Preferred)

Preferred

• Advanced experience with instrumented running gait analysis, including use of force-instrumented treadmills, force plates, plantar-pressure systems, wearable sensors, and/or 3D motion-capture technology.
• Experience interpreting kinetic and kinematic running data, including variables related to ground-reaction forces, loading, joint motion, spatiotemporal characteristics, and running mechanics.
• Experience developing or leading a running medicine, sports medicine, biomechanics, or other specialty clinical program.
• Experience supervising or mentoring physical therapists and other clinical personnel.
• Board certification as an Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) or Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS), or comparable advanced training.
• Running-specific coaching education or certification.
• Experience with clinical research, including study design, data collection, biomechanical analysis, publication, or presentation of research findings.
• Peer-reviewed publications or professional presentations related to running, biomechanics, sports medicine, or rehabilitation.
• Experience collaborating within an academic medical center or interdisciplinary sports medicine environment.
• Experience developing clinical protocols, outcome measures, quality-improvement initiatives, or evidence-based specialty programming.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced clinician who combines excellent patient care with intellectual curiosity, leadership ability, and a strong understanding of running biomechanics. This individual should be comfortable moving between the clinical and technical aspects of running medicinefrom evaluating an injured runner and interpreting gait data to mentoring clinicians, collaborating with researchers and physicians, and helping determine the future direction of the Runner's Clinic.

Just as importantly, the ideal candidate has a genuine connection to running and understands the sport, its culture, and the athletes who participate in it. This position is particularly well suited for a physical therapist who wants to contribute not only as a clinician, but also as an educator, mentor, and leader within an academic running medicine program.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This position involves intermediate working conditions in a healthcare setting that may exert up to 50 pounds and may consistently require lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or otherwise moving patients or objects, such as medical equipment, while providing patient care. Workers in this position may be exposed to infectious diseases and may be required to function around prisoners or behavioral health patients.

Physical Requirements

Carrying, Climbing, Color Determination, Crawling, Far Vision, Lifting, Listening, Manual Dexterity, Near Vision, Pulling and/or Pushing, Reaching, Sitting, Speaking, Standing, Stooping and Crouching, Tasting or Smelling, Walking