Advanced orthopedic training informed by our accredited residency curriculum - designed for clinicians seeking structured, specialist-level development with flexibility.
This is not generic manual therapy education. It's structured, reasoning-driven development aligned with the highest standard in our ecosystem — and one of only two COMT programs in New England.
184 EDUCATIONAL Hours
Hybrid · Virtual + Labs
14–24 Months
Licensed PTs
1 of Only 2 in New England
OCS pass rate among participants who sat for the exam
Average participant rating for clinical impact
Overall program rating from verified participants
COMT exists for the clinician who wants structured, advanced orthopedic training without stepping away into a full residency. It's informed by our residency curriculum, on a schedule built around a full-time caseload.
Specialist-level development without pressing pause on your career or your paycheck.
PTs seeking advanced orthopedic training without committing to a full residency.
Clinicians balancing full-time clinical work with serious professional development.
Therapists pursuing OCS preparation through structured education.
Professionals aiming for clinical leadership or advanced roles.
There is no national accrediting body for COMT programs. Most providers build to whatever standard they choose. We chose to build ours around our ABPTRFE-accredited orthopedic residency — informed by its curriculum, built on the same clinical-reasoning philosophy, and taught by many of the same faculty. COMT participants share selected coursework and weekend labs with residents.
That’s the real distinction. Nationally, a COMT is often a technique-accumulation course — a stack of manual skills to collect. Here it’s the opposite: manual therapy is taught inside a framework of clinical reasoning, examination specificity, and efficient decision-making. The goal isn’t more techniques. It’s precision — knowing when to intervene, how, and why.
You’re not buying a certificate. You’re entering a program built to change how you think, examine, and treat.
184 educational hours, delivered in a blended model built around a working clinician's life. Self-paced virtual coursework you complete on your own schedule, paired with mandatory in-person weekend lab intensives where the hands-on work happens. Most participants finish in 14–24 months while working full-time throughout.
Advanced therapeutic pain management
Lumbopelvic, cervicothoracic, upper extremity, and lower extremity specialist coursework
Residency-informed examination, differential diagnosis, and complex case management across the spine and extremities
Advanced manual therapy — HVLAT, LVLA, mobilization with movement
Capstone / competency assessment
Self-paced virtual coursework — video curriculum plus live case reviews with faculty, on your own schedule
Mandatory weekend lab intensives — in person, where the hands-on work happens
14–24 months to complete, working full-time throughout
Capstone assessment to demonstrate competency
OCS Prep Course access — — all domains of the ABPTS OCS exam, with case-based practice, question banks, and review sessions
The COMT designation — a credential that signals residency-informed clinical competency
Hybrid — self-paced virtual modules plus multiple in-person lab weekends
184 educational hours
14–24 months, alongside a full-time caseload
APTA Massachusetts — recognized in all New England states
Highbar Physical Therapy, Cranston, RI
Licensed physical therapists in good standing
COMT — Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist
OCS Prep Course access upon completion
$4,800 for external clinicians · full salary for internal participants
Course schedule, live discussions, and labs
Live virtual discussions: 7:00–9:00 PM ET
2026–2027
| Course | Course dates | Live virtual discussions | In-person lab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic Pain Management | Nov 2–Dec 27, 2026 | Wed, Nov 11 Mon, Nov 23* Wed, Dec 9 Mon, Dec 21* | No in-person lab |
| Management of the Lumbopelvic Region | Dec 28, 2026–Feb 21, 2027 | Wed, Jan 6 Wed, Jan 20 Wed, Feb 3 Wed, Feb 17 | Feb 20–21, 2027 |
| Management of the Cervicothoracic Region | Mar 1–Apr 25, 2027 | Wed, Mar 10 Wed, Mar 24 Wed, Apr 7 Wed, Apr 21 | Apr 24–25, 2027 |
| Management of Upper Extremity Disorders | May 3–Jun 27, 2027 | Wed, May 12 Wed, May 26 Wed, Jun 9 Wed, Jun 23 | Jun 26–27, 2027 |
| Management of Lower Extremity Disorders | Jul 5–Aug 29, 2027 | Wed, Jul 14 Wed, Jul 28 Wed, Aug 11 Wed, Aug 25 | Aug 28–29, 2027 |
* Holiday-adjusted calls: Nov 23 and Dec 21 move to Monday of the same week. Dates are subject to change; participants will be notified of any schedule updates.
Access opens Oct 1, 2027 and remains available through Mar 1, 2028.
Full salary while training is a compensation structure, not a discount.
COMT is open to both Highbar clinicians and external PTs, and the two paths work differently enough to spell out clearly. Highbar clinicians complete COMT on full salary — developing at a specialist level without sacrificing financial stability. External clinicians enroll at $4,800 tuition.
That’s what a teaching practice looks like from the inside, and it’s one of the more honest reasons to consider working at one.
Highbar clinicians (internal) — you complete COMT on full salary. Not a waived fee: paid time to train at a specialist level.
External clinicians — tuition-based enrollment at $4,800, including OCS Prep Course access at completion.
Employer reimbursement — we provide a detailed receipt and full course documentation for a CE stipend request.
Prospective hires — this is part of the offer, not an add-on. See careers →
Both programs are built around Highbar’s evidence-informed orthopedic curriculum and emphasize clinical reasoning, examination, treatment selection, progression, and reassessment.
The difference is how deeply you want to immerse yourself in the experience.
Advanced orthopedic training with greater flexibility.
Designed for clinicians who want substantial orthopedic development without the time, mentorship, and clinical-integration requirements of a full residency.
184 hours of structured education built around the five core orthopedic management courses shared with Highbar’s residency curriculum.
Faculty guidance through scheduled case discussions and laboratory instruction without the 150-hour one-to-one mentorship requirement of residency.
Self-paced online coursework, scheduled faculty-led virtual discussions, and focused in-person laboratory intensives.
14–24 months, allowing greater flexibility in how the program fits around clinical and personal responsibilities.
Residency-informed; COMT is not itself ABPTRFE-accredited.
$4,800 for external participants. No tuition for eligible Highbar clinicians.
You want advanced orthopedic training and hands-on development in a flexible, focused pathway without committing to the full immersion and extensive mentorship requirements of residency.
The most immersive pathway.
Designed for clinicians who want orthopedic development integrated into their day-to-day clinical practice, with extensive mentorship, structured assessment, and progressive responsibility throughout the program.
Full ABPTRFE-accredited orthopedic residency curriculum, including advanced coursework, clinical application, assessment, and additional residency-specific learning experiences.
150 hours of one-to-one clinical mentorship with experienced orthopedic clinicians.
Full-time residency experience integrating clinical practice, mentorship, coursework, live discussions, labs, and competency assessment.
14 months.
ABPTRFE-accredited orthopedic residency.
No tuition. Residents remain salaried throughout the program.
You want the highest level of immersion, individualized mentorship, and structured clinical development—and are ready to make residency a major focus of your professional growth for 14 months.
Choose COMT if you want access to the core orthopedic curriculum and hands-on training with substantially more flexibility and a lower overall time commitment.
Choose Residency if you want orthopedic development embedded into your clinical practice with intensive mentorship and the structure of an accredited residency.
Both are designed to make you a better orthopedic clinician. The difference is how much immersion you want along the way.
Still weighing it? Don’t force the decision on this visit. A 20-minute conversation with a member of our clinical faculty will get you further than another hour of reading.
Most participants complete COMT over about 14–24 months, depending on pace, sequencing, and scheduled in-person labs.
COMT is not a formal ABPTRFE-accredited residency, but its scope and rigor are residency-informed – it’s informed by our accredited residency curriculum, built on the same clinical-reasoning philosophy, and taught by many of the same faculty – but it is not equivalent to the residency, delivered in a format accessible to working clinicians.
It signals that you’ve completed 184 hours of advanced orthopedic clinical education and demonstrated competency through a capstone assessment — distinguishing you from clinicians with standard CEU credits.
COMT graduates get access to Highbar’s OCS Prep Course — all domains of the ABPTS OCS exam, with case-based practice, question banks, and review sessions — included at no additional cost.
Yes. Virtual modules are fully self-paced; in-person labs are on weekends. Most participants work full-time throughout.
Highbar clinicians complete COMT on full salary; external clinicians enroll at $4,800 tuition. See how the two paths work →
Rolling enrollment — you begin the virtual coursework as soon as you register, and join the next scheduled lab weekend.
Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist (COMT) Program
✅ APTA MA approved
🔒 Secure registration
5 course reviews
I decided to take this course after practicing for about 10 years. This was an amazing decision! I learned so much and had to critically think in a different way and learn techniques that were new to me. It was a great way to stay up to date on upcoming research and vastly helped prepare me for taking my OCS.
I began the COMT program 3 months post-graduation. It helped me to gain confidence when speaking with patients, coworkers, and other health care professionals. I am extremely proud of my professional and personal growth through this program.
I received my OCS prior to this course through self-study and am happy I took this course. I never had mentorship while attaining my OCS and the COMT program helped fill many gaps with treatment and with knowledge as well. Bobby and his team offer a comprehensive review of orthopedic and systems reviews to help remove some of the barriers that occur with evals and treatments, especially with more nuanced treatments. I never felt comfortable with C-spine manipulations prior to this course, and will now integrate it when appropriate into treatments. The coursework makes you think comprehensively of the injury site and other possibilities that can be contributing to their symptoms. If you have ever had a case where the pieces don't quite fall in line with your previous PT knowledge, chances are this course will help fill the gaps. Great course with great instructors, highly recommend to anyone wanting answers to general and more orthopedic complex presentations.
Participating in the COMT program was the the single best decision I have made in my professional career. My level of clinical decision-making sharpened immensely. My efficiency with patients, documentations and plans of care improved to a new level. I truly cannot speak more highly of the COMT program. Not only did it make me a stronger orthopedic provider; it also made me a stronger pelvic health provider as the concepts carry very strongly to all body regions. I recommend this program wholeheartedly!
I had been working in outpatient PT for about 5 years and was looking for something to help refine my manual skills and elevate my comprehensive evaluation approach; and this course did just that! It provided me with the latest insight on EBP, enhanced my clinical decision making and added more manual skills into my tool box. It is a long commitment but broken down into manageable sections and I am so glad that I took the course. Not only has it been reflective in my personal confidence as a primary MSK provider, but it is also seen in my patient's overall outcomes.
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Advanced orthopedic certification built from the ground up for PTAs — not a PT course adapted down.
Go deep in one region over 8 structured weeks. Five specialty tracks with a hands-on weekend lab.
Two full days of hands-on regional skill work, built for immediate Monday-morning carryover.
312 hours built to change how you think, examine, and treat — with OCS Prep Course access waiting at the end of it.