Physical Therapist - Pediatric Neuromuscular Clinic

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Are you an experienced Pediatric Physical Therapist seeking the opportunity to build expertise in complex neuromuscular disorders while working alongside nationally recognized specialists?

Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt is seeking a skilled Pediatric Physical Therapist to join our multidisciplinary Pediatric Rehabilitation team. This role primarily supports specialty outpatient clinics in the Doctors' Office Tower, with occasional inpatient coverage opportunities at the children's hospital.

This position is ideal for a clinician who enjoys managing medically complex patients, collaborating across specialties, and serving as a trusted resource for children and families navigating lifelong conditions.

This is not a traditional pediatric therapy position. You'll work with children, adolescents, and young adults across a wide range of diagnoses while developing advanced expertise in pediatric neuromuscular care.

Highlights include:

• Specialty outpatient practice with occasional inpatient support
• Collaboration with pediatric neurologists, physiatrists, orthopedic specialists, and rehabilitation teams
• Exposure to complex neurological, developmental, orthopedic, and genetic conditions
• Opportunities to develop expertise in rare and progressive neuromuscular disorders
• Strong interdisciplinary partnerships focused on family-centered care
• A dynamic environment where clinical reasoning and advanced skills are valued

As a Pediatric Physical Therapist, you will:

• →Perform comprehensive evaluations and develop individualized plans of care
• →Provide evidence-based interventions to improve mobility, strength, endurance, balance, gait, and functional independence
• →Collaborate with physicians and multidisciplinary care teams to optimize outcomes
• →Educate patients and caregivers regarding treatment strategies and home programs
• →Recommend adaptive equipment, orthotics, and mobility devices
• →Maintain timely clinical documentation
• →Support care across multiple outpatient specialty clinics and occasional inpatient settings

We are particularly interested in experienced Pediatric Physical Therapists with clinical exposure to:

• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
• Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
• Other neuromuscular disorders
• Cerebral palsy
• Spina bifida
• Developmental delay
• Genetic and congenital conditions
• Medically complex pediatric populations
• Mobility, gait, and balance disorders
• Seating, positioning, and adaptive equipment recommendations

Experience administering specialized assessments is strongly preferred, including:

• North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA)
• Performance of Upper Limb (PUL)
• Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale (HFMS)
• Infant Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (INTEND)

Therapists with related pediatric experience and a strong interest in learning specialized neuromuscular assessments are encouraged to apply.

The ideal candidate:

• Demonstrates advanced pediatric clinical reasoning skills
• Functions independently in complex clinical environments
• Enjoys collaborating with specialty teams
• Builds strong therapeutic relationships with patients and families
• Is adaptable, curious, and committed to lifelong learning
• Thrives in a fast-paced academic medical center

• Graduate of an accredited Physical Therapy program
• Tennessee Physical Therapist licensure or eligibility
• Current BLS certification or ability to obtain within established timeframe
• Strong communication, collaboration, and patient education skills
• Commitment to evidence-based, family-centered care

Responsibilities:

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This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity.  EOE/Vets/Disabled.

At Vanderbilt Health, therapists are empowered to make a meaningful impact every day. You'll join a nationally recognized pediatric healthcare organization known for clinical excellence, innovation, collaboration, and compassionate care.

If you're looking for a Pediatric Physical Therapist opportunity that combines advanced clinical practice, neuromuscular specialization, and the chance to care for some of the region's most complex pediatric patients, we'd love to meet you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Analyzes comprehensive information from formal and informal assessment that is pertinent to the patient's care and management to determine a rehabilitation treatment diagnosis.
• Collaborates with stakeholders in establishing the plan of care, coordinates and implements care delivery while anticipating patient care needs across the rehabilitation continuum.
• Applies appropriate, evidence-based interventions to ensure effective outcomes and re-evaluates performance to assess patient's progress towards goals.
• Employs strategies to promote successful return to home, community, and school/vocational environments.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES
• Treatment Planning & Goal Setting (Novice): Demonstrates sufficient proficiency in developing a plan of care that incorporates treatment interventions focused on meeting objective goals. Develops and documents patient focused short and long term goals that are functional and measurable. Identifies the need for and referral to other services, as needed.
• Rehabilitation Therapist Patient Evaluation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in evaluating patients with physical deficits including impairments, developmental disabilities, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function by obtaining information pertinent to the assessment and administering and scoring standardized tests and objective measures of deficit areas. Selects appropriate measures and performs a functional assessment to document patient's status requiring skilled therapy. Interprets the results of the assessment and their significance to the patient, family, referring physician and other members of the health care team.
• Treatment Implementation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in providing treatment consistent with physician prescription and established plan of care. Able to modify treatment plan as needed to demonstrate provision of skilled therapy services including progression of treatment throughout course of care, and revision of treatment interventions of goals not met. May supervise and direct certified athletic trainers (PT only), physical therapist / occupational therapist assistants, technicians and volunteers and students. Selects and follows correct protocol for care and utilize evidence based treatments. Has completed at least one year of clinical experience in treatment implementation.
• Rehab Therapist Patient Documentation (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in documentation practices. Documents in the appropriate templates and utilizes only approved abbreviations within patient documentation. Meets institutional standards for quality and timeliness of documentation.
• Physical/Occupational Therapist Patient Education (Novice): Demonstrates proficiency in communicating functional impact of assessment findings, treatment interventions, treatment planning diagnosis, and disease process. Considers the communication needs/level of understanding of audience and may share appropriate information/literature. May supervise, educate and train students from professional programs of physical therapy, occupational therapy and athletic training.

Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings.

These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health’s reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid-South.

Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity and compassion.

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