Occupational Therapy Fellowship in Physical Rehabilitation

To develop specialty practice occupational therapists who are clinical leaders and provide exceptional, equitable, and evidence-based care to their communities.

• The program begins annually in late August and runs for 53 weeks
• Fellows are employed by Corewell Health and will receive a program-adjusted salary with a full benefits package
• Develop advanced practice skills in a variety of settings across the continuum of care
• Receive a minimum of 350 hours of one-to-one mentoring from our highly skilled and dedicated team of mentors
• Prepare to take the AOTA board certification exam in physical rehabilitation through targeted didactic curriculum and specialized educational experiences
• Increase your competitiveness in the job market and open opportunities for leadership roles
• Build professional connections with mentors, peers, and other healthcare professionals

Our immersive, one-year, post-professional occupational therapy fellowship program takes place across the Corewell Health West Michigan rehabilitation continuum of care.  This program is ideal for occupational therapists who are passionate about advancing their clinical expertise, making a meaningful impact on their communities, and becoming leaders in the profession.

The clinical portion of the program is organized into rotations, with fellows rotating through acute care, inpatient rehab (acute/subacute), and outpatient rehab, allowing fellows to follow patient progression across the rehabilitation continuum. This structure offers an in-depth, progressive learning experience that provides exposure to diverse patient populations and enables fellows to develop advanced skills in physical rehabilitation across multiple settings.  

Fellows will also gain exposure to multiple clinical teams and participate in specialized educational experiences with other healthcare professionals. This fosters adaptability, strengthens collaborative skills, and enables fellows to build lasting, meaningful relationships with healthcare providers across disciplines.

The didactic curriculum is strategically sequenced to progress from foundational concepts to advanced clinical integration. Clinical cases align with curriculum content, ensuring that fellows continuously apply and reinforce knowledge while developing strong clinical reasoning skills in real-world contexts.

At each site, fellows are supported by one of our highly skilled and dedicated program mentors who assist and guide their development through personalized mentorship. Fellows receive a minimum of 350 hours of one-to-one mentorship.

All eligibility criteria must be met by the annual program start date. Minimum eligibility requirements are:

• Graduate of an ACOTE-accredited occupational therapy program  
• Successful completion of the NBCOT examination and current membership  
• Licensed to practice occupational therapy in the State of Michigan  
• AOTA Plus Membership (or membership with equivalent access)
• Eligible for employment as an occupational therapist with Corewell Health 

Applications are accepted annually from January 1 – May 1 of the fellowship program year. One fellow will be admitted each year.

Information and instructions can be found on the attached application form: Fellowship Application (PDF)

Competitive candidates will be invited to complete a virtual interview with the fellowship program mentors prior to selection.