AAOMPT Student Local SIG Guidelines
AAOMPT Student Local SIG (ASL) is a student group within the AAOMPT sSIG that further explores the realm of orthopaedic manual physical therapy under the mentorship of a Fellow at individual universities. The mission of each ASL will be to increase awareness and implementation of manual therapy principles while promoting an active learning environment to foster independent clinical decision making.
Group Requirements
- Each ASL will, at a minimum, elect a president, vice president, and secretary who are current members of AAOMPT by April 30th each year.
- Each ASL will fill out the application (found HERE) and submit to AAOMPT sSIG for approval/recognition.
- Each ASL will operate under the guidance of a mentor who is from the program’s faculty, preferably a Fellow of the AAOMPT. Otherwise, a willing local clinician who is a Fellow of the AAOMPT may be permitted as an acceptable mentor.
- Each ASL will formally meet at least twice per semester under the guidance of their mentor.
- Each ASL must provide semester updates in order to stay in good standing as a recognized ASL at the conclusion of each semester.
- Each ASL will participate in a minimum of one philanthropic event per calendar year.
Group Structure
There are three types of meetings that groups can have: a student led meeting, mentor led meeting, and FAAOMPT guest speaker.
- Student led meetings: A meeting that is run by the ASL leadership or delegated peer to review material already provided in the curriculum, under the guidance of their mentor. These meetings are opportunities to explore new literature, therapeutic exercises, share experiences, practice examination flow, or review case studies from clinical experiences.
- Mentor led meeting: A meeting in which the mentor presents on a topic that is further focused than what the current curriculum permits, or is material that was not provided in the curriculum.
- FAAOMPT Guest Speaker: A meeting where a guest speaker who holds the distinction of Fellow of the AAOMPT is invited to discuss a topic within their expertise.
How often should you meet?
During your first meeting, discuss with your classmates how often and at what times you can meet. Each ASL will formally meet at least twice per semester under the guidance of their mentor. However, it is highly recommended that you meet more frequently to maximize the benefits of the group.
What role do mentors play at each meeting?
Mentors must be present at each meeting. Mentors are to assist in establishing effective and useful teaching topics. For example, a third year DPT student may discuss 3 effective shoulder mobilization techniques to increase shoulder flexion that are then demonstrated under the guidance of the ASL mentor. If it is a mentor led meeting or FAAOMPT guest speaker, they are to lead according to their expertise.
Leadership Roles
President:
The president of the group must be a member of AAOMPT, and should be held by a second or third year DPT student. The position involves working with peers to establish a schedule for the semester, communicating with the AAOMPT Member at Large and Associate Director for Program Development about the group, and working directly with the mentor on teaching materials. Furthermore, the president will teach and will delegate teaching materials to peers during student led meetings. Further responsibilities include writing one blog post for the AAOMPT blog per semester about the group. For example, the blog may provide a summary of an interesting topic or discussion the group had, and may provide pictures to engage the audience. Lastly, the president will respond to a quarterly questionnaire to update AAOMPT leadership on ASL group status.
Vice President:
The vice president must be a member of AAOMPT, and should be held by a first or second year student. The vice president will assist the president in communicating with mentors, teaching, generating teaching material, and writing blog posts for AAOMPT.
Secretary:
The secretary must be a member of AAOMPT, and should be held by a first or second year student. The primary role of the secretary is to communicate the schedule for the semester with all associated with the ASL Group. Furthermore, the secretary will be responsible for scheduling times for mentors and guest lectures to teach the group. Thus, it is the secretary’s role to use student and mentor connections to contact guest lectures.
For your convenience, all of the information above can be downloaded via our press kit below.