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See what our students are saying about their experience. TESTIMONIALS “Aspire gave me the tools to make me a better practitioner. I actually had a patient that came into the clinic that I was seeing for the day, he was another therapist’s patient and he had multiple rounds of physical therapy in the nearly full year that he had been working through a work injury, with multiple specialists seen, and it was the strategies and education that I learned through Aspire’s COMT program that helped me actually find the underying cause for this patient and it was the first time in almost that full year that he was able to achieve a painfree moment in time that we were then able to build on.” -Yifan I’m just starting my DSc through the Andrews University and Aspire Program. I’ve taken COMT-1 through COMT-4 which I’ve highly enjoyed. The instructors have been amazing! Dr. Coolman is very passionate about what she does and she’s highly knowledgable. The material presented, even for a seasoned manual therapist is very enlightening. I feel that this program will benefit me in both the academic side and certainly on the clinical side. The material being covered is very applicable to a wide range of patient populations, and anyone from a novice therapist to an experience therapist could certainly benefit from the courses. It’s been my absolute pleasure to attend and I look forward to finishing the rest of the courses in pursuit of my COMT and SMT and eventually the DSc. -Kevin O’Brien, DPT, PT, University of North Dakota Faculty “I just graduated from DPT school, so I’m just trying to make my skills better and become a better physical therapist. Aspire courses are a wonderful resource and pathway to get there. If you are passionate about what you do, and want to be a practitioner at another level I highly recommend it!” -Yifan “Sara is very patient, encouraging and helpful. She is perfect for both the advanced, as well as those of us who have been out of school for many years!” -Stacie Chambliss “I’m very grateful to be able to be a part of Aspire and come and learn more. I’m out 1 year from school, I’m grateful to be able to come and learn more and be pushed to better be able to treat my patients.” -Loren "I'm a part of the DScPT program at Andrews University taking Aspire courses as well. My employer is a University and it requires three tiers clinical research, practice in the clinic, and education. I find that this DSc program really helped me combine some of that: research, manual therapy techniques, leadership, education, creating more information for me to take back to my employer and to be a more well rounded person in terms of academia and treating patients altogether. I’m about a year into it and it’s going quite well. I’ve learned alot manually and with clinical research, alot of things have applied directly to my current position. -Tom

Advance your physical therapy career with our hands-on COMT Certification. Join a community of elite PTs, enhance your skills, and achieve excellence in patient outcomes. Enroll now! COMT - 1 COMT CERTIFICATION COMT-1 Lumbar Gateway To Musculoskeletal Therapy Course Number: PTH 841 Credits / CEU's: 1.5 credits / 2.1 CEU’s Format: 1 day online (7 hours) with 2 assessments + 2 days onsite (14 hours)= 21 hours Accelerated Format Option: Andrews University: 4 days back to back. Sun-Wed. Register for Gateway Lumbar and Gateway Cervical together=42 hours Overview This lab intensive course applies clinical reasoning and differential diagnosis through formulating illness scripts based upon a thorough subjective history and a hands-on musculoskeletal assessment of the lumbar spine. This course is designed to equip the clinician with the proper subjective and objective evaluation to determine the appropriateness of physical therapy, recognize the need for a referral for signs and symptoms of serious pathology and generate a provisional differential diagnosis of lumbar spinal dysfunction. Pain science, including acute and chronic nociceptive mechanisms are discussed and applied through clinical scenarios. Furthermore, intervention techniques and management of common spinal pathologies are demonstrated, including soft tissue techniques and joint articulation techniques. Neuromuscular reeducation and therapeutic exercises are introduced to reinforce each manual treatment. Courses can be taken in any order as each course covers different bodily regions. REGISTER COMT - 2 COMT-2 Cervical Gateway To Musculoskeletal Therapy Course Number: PTH 841 Credits / CEU's: 1.5 credits / 2.1 CEU’s Format: 1 day online (7 hours) with 2 assessments + 2 days onsite (14 hours)= 21 hours Accelerated Format Option: Andrews University: 4 days back to back. Sun-Wed. Register for Gateway Lumbar and Gateway Cervical together=42 hours Overview This lab intensive course applies clinical reasoning and differential diagnosis through formulating illness scripts based upon a thorough subjective history and a hands-on musculoskeletal assessment of the lumbar and cervical spines. This course is designed to equip the clinician with the proper subjective and objective evaluation to determine the appropriateness of physical therapy, recognize the need for a referral for signs and symptoms of serious pathology and generate a provisional differential diagnosis of lumbar and cervical spinal dysfunction. Pain science, including acute and chronic nociceptive mechanisms are discussed and applied through clinical scenarios. Furthermore, intervention techniques and management of common spinal pathologies are demonstrated, including soft tissue techniques and joint articulation techniques. Neuromuscular reeducation and therapeutic exercises are introduced to reinforce each manual treatment. Dr. James Cyriax principles are presented, including the application of the selective tissue tensioning examination. Courses can be taken in any order as each course covers different bodily regions. REGISTER COMT-3 Upper Extremity Evaluation And Management Course Number: PTH 842 Credits / CEU's: 1.5 credits / 2.1 CEU’s Format: 1 day online (7 hours) with 2 assessments + 2 days onsite (14 hours)= 21 hours Accelerated Format Option: Andrews University: 4 days back to back. Sun-Wed. Register for both Upper Extremity Assessment, Management & Manipulation and Cervico-Thoracic Spine Assessment and Management together Overview Upper Extremity: This lab intensive course applies clinical reasoning and a hands-on musculoskeletal assessment of the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand, while focusing heavily on biomechanics, introduced by Michael MacConnail and functional anatomy. Based on the recognition of signs and symptoms of upper extremity pathology, the participant will formulate a provisional differential diagnosis while demonstrating how to rule out serious pathology, which may mimic upper extremity musculoskeletal dysfunction. Additionally, the participants will demonstrate appropriate treatment and management skills of the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand utilized by the physical therapist in the clinical setting management including joint articulation stability and mobility techniques, including manipulation, as well as neuromuscular reeducation and therapeutic exercises to reinforce all manual therapy techniques. Courses can be taken in any order as each course covers different bodily regions. REGISTER COMT-4 Cervico-Thoracic Evaluation And Management Course Number: PTH 842 Credits / CEU's: 1.5 credits / 2.1 CEU’s Format: 1 day online (7 hours) with 2 assessments + 2 days onsite (14 hours)= 21 hours Accelerated Format Option: Andrews University: 4 days back to back. Sun-Wed. Register for both Upper Extremity Assessment, Management & Manipulation and Cervico-Thoracic Spine Assessment and Management together. Overview This lab intensive course applies clinical reasoning and a comprehensive biomechanical musculoskeletal assessment and examination skills of the lower thoracic and cervical spines utilized by the physical therapist in the clinical setting. This course analyzes the importance of safely assessing and treating the cervical and thoracic spine by discussing various clinical scenarios which require immediate clinical reasoning and differential diagnostic skills, in order to act efficiently. This course will solidify the importance of a thorough subjective examination and specific objective assessment in order for the participant to formulate a provisional differential diagnosis while demonstrating how to rule out serious pathology. Additionally, the participants will demonstrate appropriate treatment and management skills of the cervical and upper thoracic spine utilized by the physical therapist in the clinical setting management including joint articulation stability and mobility techniques, as well as neuromuscular reeducation and therapeutic exercises to reinforce all manual therapy techniques. Courses can be taken in any order as each course covers different bodily regions. REGISTER COMT-5 Lumbo-Pelvic Evaluation And Management Course Number: PTH 843 Credits / CEU's: 1.5 credits / 2.1 CEU’s Format: 1 day online (7 hours) with 2 assessments + 2 days onsite (14 hours)= 21 hours Accelerated Format Option: Andrews University: 4 days back to back. Sun-Wed. Register for both Lower Extremity Assessment, Management & Manipulation and Lumbar Spine Assessment and Management together. Overview This lab intensive course applies clinical reasoning and a comprehensive biomechanical musculoskeletal assessment and examination skills of the lower thoracic and lumbar spines utilized by the physical therapist in the clinical setting. This course will solidify the importance of a thorough subjective examination and specific objective assessment in order for the participant to formulate a provisional differential diagnosis while demonstrating how to rule out serious pathology. Additionally, the participants will demonstrate appropriate treatment and management skills of the lumbar and lower thoracic spine utilized by the physical therapist in the clinical setting management. The course will introduce lumbar spine locking techniques in order to navigate complex lumbar pathologies. This course will demonstrate specific lumbopelvic stabilization and graded mobilization techniques, as well as neuromuscular reeducation and therapeutic exercises to reinforce all manual therapy techniques. Courses can be taken in any order as each course covers different bodily regions. REGISTER COMT-6 Lower Extremity Evaluation And Management Course Number: PTH 843 Credits / CEU's: 1.5 credits / 2.1 CEU’s Format: 1 day online (7 hours) with 2 assessments + 2 days onsite (14 hours)= 21 hours Accelerated Format Option: Andrews University: 4 days back to back. Sun-Wed. Register for both Lower Extremity Assessment, Management & Manipulation and Lumbar Spine Assessment and Management together. Overview Lower Extremity: This lab intensive course applies clinical reasoning and a comprehensive biomechanical musculoskeletal assessment and examination skills of the hip, knee, ankle and subtalar joint utilized by the physical therapist in the clinical setting. Based on the recognition of signs and symptoms of lower extremity pathology, the participant will formulate a provisional differential diagnosis while demonstrating how to rule out serious pathology, which may mimic lower extremity musculoskeletal dysfunction. Additionally, the participants will demonstrate appropriate treatment and management skills utilized by the physical therapist in the clinical setting management including joint articulation stability and mobility techniques, including manipulation, as well as neuromuscular reeducation and therapeutic exercises to reinforce all manual therapy techniques. REGISTER Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist (COMT) Exam Course Number: PTH 845 Credits / CEU's: 0 Credits Format: 1 review day prior to 1 day on-site Description: This oral practical examination allows the participant to demonstrate proficiency in clinical reasoning and differential diagnosis, including properly screening for serious pathology. Testing content will include assessment and management techniques including: cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacroiliac scanning examinations, Cyriax’s STTT principles, localized spinal stability testing and appropriately graded mobilizations followed by neuromuscular reeducation and therapeutic exercise techniques for all spinal involvement. Additionally, surface anatomy and deep friction massage techniques to localized structures may be assessed, as well as peripheral joint stability and specific graded mobilizations and manipulations followed with the proper instruction of neuromuscular and therapeutic exercise prescription. REGISTER

MEET OUR TEAM Erl Pettman Founder & Senior Faculty Erika Fabian Faculty Nelson Min Specialty Course Faculty Julie Moore Clinical Instructor Bambi S. Penney Clinical Instructor Aaron Fuerst Clinical Instructor Kathy Berglund Faculty & Specialty Course Faculty Jamie Ford Clinical Instructor Randy Casteman Clinical Instructor Gail Elliott Clinical Instructor Joe Nance Clinical Instructor Stacy Soappman Faculty Amber Bell Faculty & Director of Mentorship Pam Kikillus Clinical Instructor Christopher Thurston Clinical Instructor Kayla Robinson Clinical Instructor Marcus Neal Clinical Instructor Michael Miller Clinical Instructor Brock Charleston Clinical Instructor Susan Clinton Clinical Instructor & Specialty Course Faculty Tyrees Marcy Clinical Instructor Erin Vendeland Clinical Faculty Instructor Valerie Coolman Faculty Bruce Franke Faculty Parthasarathy Kumaraswamy Clinical Instructor Brian Macks Clinical Instructor & Faculty-In-Training Jonathan Zecher Clinical Instructor & Faculty-In-Training Karen Greeley Clinical Instructor Desirée Parham Clinical Instructor Phil Plante Clinical Instructor Cameron Gomez Clinical Instructor & Faculty-In-Training Tessa Carson Clinical Faculty Instructor Mary Hughes Clinical Instructor Laura von Wullerstorff Faculty Joe Krugh Clinical Instructor & Faculty-In-Training Bret Swigard Clinical Instructor Kalaisenthil Kalaimani Clinical Instructor & Faculty-In-Training Trent Swoverland Clinical Instructor & Faculty-In-Training Laurie McLaughlin Faculty & Specialty Course Faculty Nick Smith Clinical Instructor & Faculty-In-Training Dina Kramer Clinical Instructor David Musnick, M.D. Specialty Course Faculty Alan Lam Clinical Instructor Amanda Driscoll Clinical Faculty

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REGISTER FOR CEU'S AT ANDREWS UNIVERSITY ANDREWS UNIVERSITY DSc STUDENTS (ACADEMIC CREDITS)

A beautiful person and amazing clinician has passed into legend It is with a heavy and sad heart that I inform you all of the passing of my dearest, closest friend Cliff Fowler. Cliff peacefully passed away early morning Saturday 23rd of October. My relationship with Cliff began in 1974 when I went on an acupuncture course he was teaching in Kingston, Ontario. I was immediately taken in by his unique clinical charisma and knowledge. We bonded on that course and became close friends and kindred spirits for the next 47 years. It was an inescapable fact that Cliff was an innate innovator. New clinical ideas and philosophies seemed to flow effortlessly from his brain and this energy was to overflow into people like myself, Diane Lee, Jim Meadows, Carol Kennedy and so many others. He was certainly the energy behind Canada’s clinical ‘innovative years’ between 1974 and 1994. During this time, along with his lifelong buddies David Lamb and John Oldham they developed the cervical and lumbar “Scanning examinations” which would become the foundations of the assessment procedures within the Canadian Orthopaedic Division. I moved to Abbotsford BC in 1978 and we became neighbors in the same town. So, for the next 43 years we could work together clinically, research together and socialize together. Cliff had an inexhaustible appetite for thinking and talking about manual therapy. Our wives quickly banned us from discussing work when we went out for dinner. As recently as a month ago he was explaining to me how he believed the biomechanics of the SIJ was completely different in weight bearing and non-weight bearing. He sometimes exhausted my brain with his developing ideas. What a wonderful mind! I am sure Cliff will be referred to as one of our clinical ‘giants’, as indeed he was. I prefer to look at him as a clinical force. A force that would forever change an entire generation of orthopaedic manual therapists in the United States and Canada. Through those of us fortunate enough to have him as our mentor that force will continue to influence future generations to come. My sincerest condolences go out to his wife Pat, sons Rick, Dave and wife Kelly, and grandkids. And now, the hardest words I have ever had to write, “Goodbye my friend. A part of my heart has gone with you”. Erl Pettman

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