NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation offers a Hand Therapy Fellowship designed to train occupational therapists in expert specialty care for patients with hand and upper extremity conditions. The one-year fellowship program is accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association.

The goal of the Hand Therapy Fellowship is to produce world-class clinicians who are aligned with Rusk Rehabilitation’s position as a global leader in physical medicine and rehabilitation. The fellowship’s comprehensive curriculum, mentoring program, and teaching and research opportunities are designed to prepare you to achieve the best clinical outcomes in patients with conditions affecting the hand and upper extremities.

Hand Therapy Training

The fellowship program’s didactic component provides fellows with a novel, cutting-edge approach to academic education during their classroom learning. Fellows participate in presentations and research projects with experienced on-site professionals. The concepts covered in the program’s didactic portion are reinforced during the clinical component of the training.

Fellows complete a 12-month program covering outpatient hand occupational therapy at Rusk Rehabilitation’s outpatient facilities in NYU Langone Orthopedic Center.

Fellows gain experience in treating patients with a wide range of hand and upper extremity conditions and diagnoses, including the following:

• fractures
• nerve, tendon, and vascular injuries
• repetitive strain injuries
• postsurgical upper extremity conditions
• sports-related upper extremity conditions
• arthritic conditions
• ergonomic and work-site challenges

These experiences enable fellows to advance their orthotic skills and manual therapy techniques. Fellows can also observe pediatric rehabilitation and surgical outpatient procedures.

Fellows collaborate directly with world-renowned surgeons and therapists to fabricate orthotics, facilitate therapeutic interventions, and provide home programs. Fellows are also paired with a mentor to enhance their clinical reasoning, elevate their clinical practice skills, and cultivate their professional goals.

Teaching, Research, and Community Outreach Opportunities

Fellows have a number of opportunities to advance their teaching skills which may include departmental presentations, assisting in modules for occupational therapy fieldwork students, and participating in local and national conferences and meetings. Fellows also contribute to ongoing occupational therapy clinical research and quality improvement projects.

An integral part of Rusk Rehabilitation’s culture is engaging with, educating, and supporting our local community. Fellows are encouraged to offer presentations in the community about hand and occupational therapy.

Fellowship Timeline and Application Process and Prerequisites

We accept one fellow per year into our Hand Therapy Fellowship. All applications must be submitted by March 1, along with a $50 non-refundable application fee. Please contact Monica Seu, OTR/L, CHT, fellowship program coordinator, for additional application instructions at Monica.Seu@NYULangone.org.

We invite top applicants for interviews in mid-March.

Applicants must have at least one year of work experience; experience in hand therapy is beneficial but not required. This program is currently available to qualified occupational therapists only.

Applicants are notified of our decision during early summer. Fellows begin the on-site program on or after September 1 and complete it on or before August 31 of the following year. A $3,000 program fee is due at the start of the program

Learn more about our fellowship statistics.

Contact Us

For more information about the Hand Therapy Fellowship, please contact Monica Seu, OTR/L, CHT, at Monica.Seu@NYULangone.org.