Symbio Residency

Achieve in 2 years what normally takes 7.

What would it mean to you to become a senior level clinician in 2 years? What would weekly mentoring sessions with a master clinician offer for your learning and growth? What would you do with up to $20,000 in continuing education budget over 2 years? What would this be worth to you?

The Symbio Physio residency is an intensive 2 year journey with one sole aim: forge best-in-class manual therapy clinicians in the shortest time possible. We do not compromise; we do not deviate from that shared goal.

If you are job hunting you know that every clinic is now claiming to offer mentorship and learning opportunities. But can they actually deliver on that promise? Mentoring at such a high level is a huge resource commitment for the clinic and the mentorship team. It takes valuable time away from the mentor’s treatment schedule which is a significant financial loss - the funding for education at this rate is outrageously expensive - it takes incredible energy from all stakeholders to truly push a resident to mastery in 2 years. In reality, whatever promises and claims are made during recruitment and contract offers, most clinics cannot support this rate and level of growth.

The only clinics that can do this with intention and success are clinics that have an unwavering passion to do so. Symbio is that clinic. Our team, led by our CEO and Founder, Dr. Chad Woodard, is that team. We do this because we must. It is a passion and thrill for us which is the only reason why it can work. We do this because we (borderline pathologically) love to do it.

This residency is not for everyone. It isn’t for most, to be honest. This opportunity is for those who unquestionably know they must achieve greatness and are not willing to waste time doing so alone. We are highly selective on who we bring in and only those who are ready are considered. If you believe you are that person, if you have an unwavering need to find excellence, read on.


What exactly are the details and what will i be getting?

With any residency or mentoring program, you should know precisely what you are signing up for. Below is that list:

  • Most clinics, especially high volume mills, pay their clinicians 25-30% of everything they bring in. The most competitive go up to 35%.

    During your residency you will be paid 40% of all income generated by your income generating sessions. This number, as a new grad, is unheard of. There is no salary cap on that percentage. The more you see the more you make, period.

    Your mentor will work tirelessly to help build your caseload, and the entire team will support these efforts.

    You should know that Symbio is a cash-based speciality clinic and it does take time and effort to build a full caseload. If you are looking to make 6-figures directly out of school, this is not the right fit for you (pardon the bluntness).

    That said, we do have clinicians making well into 6-figures. It is possible and your mentor will guide you where you desire to be.

    Beginning the second year of the residency, each resident will be given the opportunity to remain at the 40% commission or have an alternative salary structure of $75,000 annually with structured bonus based on productivity. A busy and full schedule will result in higher compensation at the 40% commission model, but we understand the preference for financial predictability and regularity. The first year of the residency is structured under the 40% commission model without exception.

  • Each resident will chose a distinguished manual therapy certification process based on their learning style and interests. The Symbio team will assist you in choosing the program right for you.

    The two highest quality programs that we endorse are the COMT/SMT certifications through Aspire Orthopedic Manual Therapy Institute, or the CFMT through the Institute of Physical Art. Other high quality programs will be considered upon the residency applicant’s request.

    The course fees and examinations for the above two programs approaches roughly $10,000 in total. Symbio will pay this full expense on your behalf.

    You will be granted an additional $10,000 over the 2 years for courses in your interest and under the direction of your mentor. These courses can range from various topics or be used in an area of concentration to support the resident goals and aspirations for specialty practice or specific patient populations.

    Of the additional $10,000, up to $5,000 can be spent on travel expenses. While we prefer the full amount be allocated to learning, we know that not all courses are local and convenient. This too will be under the direction and guidance of the mentor.

    If a resident has already completed, pre-graduation, coursework towards the manual therapy certifications, those funds will be added to the resident’s discretionary budget. For example, if two of the courses have been completed prior to the start of the residency and totaled $1200, that $1200 will be added to the additional budget for the 2 years. (Course completion certificates and paid receipts must be provided.)

  • This is a 2-year commitment. Please do not apply if you are unable to see the program through it’s completion.

    Early withdrawal from the program will result in the resident repaying all funds spent on their continuing education to that point. This will be contractually agreed to upon acceptance into the program.

  • Full medical, vision, and dental benefits will be offered immediately upon beginning the residency.

    A 6% salary 401(k) match will go into effect at the 6-month date.

    Additional ancillary benefits include: contribution to a Health Savings Account, Citibike membership, and more.

  • Due to the nature of this intensive program, it is expected that you are on-site 45 hours per week. Not all 45 hours are for patient sessions - significant time will be blocked for mentorship, co-consults, group learning, and skill acquisition (see “Mentorship” tab below for a more detailed description).

    The precise daily and weekly schedule will be determined by the needs and availability of the clinic, the schedule availability of the mentor, as well as resident request and preference.

  • Each year of the residency you will meet with you mentor(s) 40 times, each session lasting an hour and a half, for a total of 80 dedicated mentorship sessions with a master level clinician. The monetary value of these sessions, calculated based on lost revenue from the mentor’s clinic time, is $1,000 per session or a total of $80,000.

    Remember the section above discussing how most clinics can’t afford to this? We weren’t kidding…

    Early in the residency these sessions will be directed to specific skill acquisition based on body region. Detailed content covered in the curriculum includes high level anatomy and kinesiology, soft tissue intervention, articular intervention, and exercise/movement prescription.

    As the residency progresses, these sessions will include full-body evaluation and the interplay between body regions to educate the resident on locating the source of dysfunction instead of chasing a list of problems and impairments.

    The mentoring sessions will also strategically review the coursework being completed by the resident. Active learning and practice, as well as critical inquiry, will be applied to the learned content to solidify and fully integrate the skills learned.

    Additionally, these mentorship blocks can and will be used for co-consultation sessions. When a resident has a patient that has plateaued or is complex, they will have full authorization to schedule patients during these times for that incredible learning opportunity.

  • No.

    The benefit of accrediting a residency will allow the graduate to sit for their OCS examination. We have found most clinicians do not value that distinction highly enough to justify the challenges.

    We also chose to not make this residency accredited because we did not want to limit how quickly to move and progress, and we did not want to be limited in what content we could teach. We don’t want to practice with a cookie-cutter approach and we chose to not make such a rigid curriculum for this residency for the same reasons. We have the flexibility to tailor this to your specific needs, while having a structured curriculum to ensure you know what you need to learn.

  • In the second year of the residency you will work with a final clinical experience student from a high quality school. You will be supported in this venture by your mentor and the whole team, but we know often the best way to learn is to teach. By this point in your growth you are ready to share what you know, and most times, will be surprised by how much you know.

  • The residency will formerly begin on September 1 each year.

    For those with availability and interest, opportunities exist to allow incoming resident(s) to begin seeing patients prior to September 1 on a per diem salary basis should they wish to do so.

  • Symbio operates under a partnership model. When a clinician shows they are as passionate as we are, dedicated to excellence and sharing this gift with others in service, they are a candidate for partnership.

    Partnership at Symbio means what it sounds like. Partners are owners of this growing company, owning a portion outright. Partners are also paid 50% of the gross income they generate. Again, there is no cap on that salary and can quite quickly exceed well above any introductory 6-figure salary.

    Upon completion of the residency the board of partners will meet to discuss the candidate’s eligibility to be legally brought in as a partner and owner. Should a mutual decision be made between partnership and the candidate, they will be welcomed and celebrated, launching into the next phase of their professional journey.

  • For those that wish to continue their growth, taking the next steps to personal mastery and leadership, Symbio proudly offers a Leadership Intensive (read more about the program here).

    Upon completion of the Leadership Intensive program, under the direct mentorship and coaching of our CEO and Founder, Dr. Chad Woodard, you will be ready to lead a team of your own.

    Much like what was said about the residency - this isn’t for those afraid to dig in and work. Many people say they want to lead, to own their own clinic, to build their own team. Unfortunately, most fail. This intensive next step is for people who want to expand their impact, to extend the service and value that can be shared through their hard work and mono-maniacal insistence to leave this world better than how they found it.



What we know from research is that focus and dedicated practice built from mentorship and tailored feedback radically accelerate a learner’s growth rate. We also know that you can achieve mastery level without these fundamental tools - it just takes a very long time. You can absolutely take a higher paying, high volume job and get there yourself. But, in full transparency, there is a risk to that path. Burnout in the field of physical therapy is exceptionally high. You likely know, or have worked with, a PT who has lost their passion and is just working to survive. This job is far too thrilling to see so many lose their passion.

We also consider where you are sitting as a recent, or soon-to-be, graduate of a physical therapy program. DPT programs have two objectives: (1) graduate entry-level generalist PT’s who know a little bit about a lot of things, and (2) to get their graduates to pass the NPTE. It is not the job of an entry-level program to create experts in any speciality. As a graduate you are a generalist who is safe to practice PT, and yet most graduates start practicing immediately upon graduation in an area of specialization. No wonder imposter syndrome is rampant in our field.

We have been where you are and know what it feels like to sit in front of a patient and not know what to do. It’s awful. You got this degree because you want to help people. We want to help you help people!

Consider carefully before applying. Talk to our team to see who we really are and how we live this tenet of teaching and mutual growth. Ask the hard questions, both from us and from other potential employers making you promises. This residency is hard - you will be pushed harder than you likely ever have been pushed - growth comes with pain. But the prize at the end is oh so worth it.

We know this works because we have seen it work. Mastering this mentorship and improving our program since 2009, we have seen new clinicians completely transform in 2 years. We have seen their skills surpass the skills of those working in the field for 7-10+ years. We have see them thrive, both professionally and personally. We have seen them stand taller, helping more people move and feel the way they never dreamed possible. We have seen this work, forging masterful confident clinicians faster than any other program we have seen.

We do this because we are passionately dedicated to doing so - we invest this amount of time and money into you because you are worth it. You will achieve greatness if you decide to do so. We want to lock arms with you and do precisely that, together.



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Testimonials

“He has always been a figure that I have looked up to and aspired to model myself after. His influence has continued to shape my professional journey long after graduation and played a critical role in guiding my early career. He allowed me the opportunity to work alongside him in his clinic, where he provided me with mentorship that was essential in my development as a therapist and individual. Dr. Woodard was always encouraging and offered constructive feedback that allowed me to refine my clinical reasoning skills and hands-on techniques. Whenever I found myself doubting my abilities, he was always there to lift me up and inspire my growth. I am incredibly grateful for his unwavering support and guidance throughout my journey.”

-Dr. Veronica Cherne PT, DPT, CMPT, COMT, FAAOMPT

“He gave me an opportunity post graduation to work alongside him and help guide my nascent professional development. Dr. Woodard promoted lots of continuing education courses, but always ensured there was time to review, practice and integrate what was learned, in real time, in the clinic. Many times we would co-treat a patient and work together on cleaning up not only my clinical reasoning, but also, improving hands-on evaluation/treatment techniques using patient feedback as well. It is obvious Dr. Woodard is passionate about helping patients, but more so helping other clinicians reach their full professional potential.” 

-Dr. Stavros Vouyiouklis PT, DPT, CMPT, COMT, FAAOMPT

“Dr. Chad Woodard is an exceptional mentor whose expertise, compassion, and dedication inspire those fortunate enough to work with him. Dr. Woodard encourages his mentees to push beyond self-limiting beliefs, fostering resilience, adaptability, and leadership. Through his roles as an educator and CEO of Symbio Physio, he exemplifies the values of mentorship and inspires others to reach their highest potential.”

-Dr. Kevin Souvenir, DPT 

“Dr. Woodard was a cheerleader and mentor for me, helping me realize that I am right where I belong, doing what I had envisioned for myself. [He] has been a phenomenal mentor for me over the course of my academic career in physical therapy school.  I was able to speak with him privately about my struggles and he helped not only shed light on the situation, but empowered me to believe that I did belong.”

-Kasey Van Doran, SPT (Hunter Class of 2025)

“Dr. Woodard’s mentorship has greatly influenced the clinician I have become. During my time learning from him, he challenged me to think critically, build confidence, and grow through hands-on learning and insightful discussions. Through his expertise, patience, and dedication, he has strengthened my clinical skills and inspired me to strive for excellence. His encouragement and belief in my potential has been invaluable and inspiring, and I am truly grateful to have had him as a mentor.”

-Zachary Amster, SPT, CSCS (Hunter Class of 2025)

“Dr. Woodard has played a crucial role in my journey as a physical therapy student. His mentorship has been nothing short of transformative. [He] has consistently served as a mentor who not only imparts technical knowledge but also cultivates a deeper understanding of patient-centered care. His ability to guide me through these challenges has had a profound impact on my growth as both a student and future clinician. His depth of knowledge, coupled with his thoughtful, supportive teaching style, creates an atmosphere where students can thrive and grow. He is not just an educator—he is a true mentor who invests in the success of his students. 

-Luigi Auriemma (Hunter Class of 2025)