NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation offers a Pediatric Occupational Therapy Fellowship designed to train occupational therapists in expert specialty care for pediatric patients in acute inpatient and outpatient settings. The one-year fellowship program has been granted candidate status by the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Our goal is to cultivate industry leaders who advocate for patients and families and promote the field of pediatric occupational therapy. This aligns with Rusk Rehabilitation’s vision to be a global leader in physical medicine and rehabilitation creating a world of limitless accessibility.

Pediatric Occupational 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 both inpatient acute and outpatient hospital-based pediatric occupational therapy at Rusk Rehabilitation’s outpatient facilities in NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital as well as in an inpatient acute setting at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone.

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

• neurologic/neuromuscular
• orthopedic
• congenital
• genetic
• oncological
• general developmental disorders
• cardiac
• transplants

Fellows collaborate directly with a multidisciplinary team of therapists and physicians to provide holistic, patient- and family-centered care. Fellows are also paired with clinical mentors 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 during 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 pediatric occupational therapy.

Fellowship Timeline and Application Process and Prerequisites

We accept one fellow per year into our Hand Therapy Fellowship. All applications, along with a $50 nonrefundable application fee, must be submitted by April 15, 2024. Please contact Lori Ragni, MS, OTR/L, BCP, fellowship program coordinator, at Lori.Ragni@NYULangone.org, or Andrea Mastrogiovanni, MA, OTR/L, OT Program Manager, at Andrea.Mastrogiovanni@NYULangone.org for additional application instructions.

We invite top applicants to interview in May. All applicants who receive an invitation must participate in the interview, pending COVID-19 restrictions, to be considered for admission to the program.

Applicants must have at least two years of work experience; experience in pediatric therapy is preferred. 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.

Contact Us

For more information about the Pediatric Occupational Therapy Fellowship, please contact Andrea R. Mastrogiovanni, MA, OTR/L, at Andrea.Mastrogiovanni@NYULangone.org, or Lori Ragni, MS, OTR/L, BCP, at Lori.Ragni@NYULangone.org.