Clinical Placements
STAR Physical Therapy’s mission is “To Serve”. We fulfill this mission by following the see one, do one, teach one model, and giving back to the physical therapy profession. We provide modern-day clinical education to the next generation of physical, occupational, and athletic training students in our many locations across Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri.
Students at STAR receive exposure to our talented group of clinicians who hold clinical specializations such as the Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), the Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS), the Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), Certified in Mechanical Diagnosis and Treatment from the McKenzie Institute (Cert. MDT), Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist (COMT), Certified Integrative Dry Needling (CIDN), and Selective Functional Movement Analysis (SFMA), among others.
The goal of our clinical placement is to provide future therapists and athletic trainers with the following:
- Strong communication abilities
- Clinical reasoning skills
- Evaluative and diagnostic skills
- Prognostic ability
- Entry-level manual and therapeutic interventions
- Research-based treatment selections
STAR has partnerships with many different physical and occupational therapy and athletic training programs thus allowing us to offer clinical placements to students from schools not just in Tennessee but also across the country, making STAR an ideal outpatient orthopedic clinical educational experience.
Clinical Placement Testimonials
“Being a student at STAR was an amazing experience for many reasons. I was always treated respectfully while being placed in an environment that facilitated growth as both a student and clinician. My CI and all other staff at STAR always treated me as a welcome member of the team, and I never felt like an outsider. I also felt like I could always go to any one of the staff for help with any issues, which is very comforting as a student. Overall, these are just a few of the reasons that I couldn’t resist returning to STAR after graduation!” – Dylan Houser, PT, DPT, Temple University Physical Therapy Class of 2020
“When looking for the perfect outpatient orthopedic clinical rotation there were some key things that I was looking for; passionate clinical instructors, variety in patient presentation, fun atmosphere, and a company that truly loves to serve its community. Let me be the first to tell you, that’s exactly what I got when I came to STAR. I did an 8-week clinical rotation at the Franklin East – STAR and I fell in love with this company! They truly follow their mission statement of “hiring good people – people with a servant’s heart”. I have had the pleasure of visiting multiple clinics throughout the company, including interacting with some of the partners, and I can honestly say, these folks love to serve their community. During my rotation, I was pushed out of my comfort zone (in a good way), challenged to critically think through situations that weren’t so “black and white”, educated on new modalities/techniques, and most of all welcomed into the family with open arms. In regards to responsiveness and getting everything set up before my first day, my clinical instructor responded to all of my questions promptly and helped ease my nerves. Out of my 6 clinical rotations, this was hands down my favorite one! In fact, I loved it so much that I moved from Cincinnati, OH to start my career here at STAR!” – April Eisenfeld, PT, DPT, Mt. St. Joseph University Physical Therapy Class of 2020
Clinical Placement Request
I am a PT/PTA/OT/COTA/ATC student seeking a Clinical Placement with STAR.
I am an academic coordinator for a clinical education program seeking a Clinical Placement for students with STAR.