OTPT | Student and Professional Opportunities
At Cincinnati Children's, we work hard to ensure that our education content meets the needs of patients, families, and staff members. We invite you to join us in the following education opportunities to enhance your own knowledge, clinical skills, and patient experience.
Imagine This
- Being a part of the largest pediatric hospital in the country which is consistently highly ranked in US News and World Report.
- Being a member of an internationally recognized therapy department which includes over 200 therapists (OT/PT) providing expertise and specialization in pediatric therapy
- Belonging
to a supportive and cohesive team within one of more than a dozen different locations.
- Inpatient (acute care and rehabilitation)
- Sports and orthopaedics
- Outpatient at one of our neighborhood locations
- Home care
- Psychiatry (inpatient, residential, outpatient and partial programs)
- Receiving
extensive orientation, training and mentoring from therapists specializing in
pediatrics
- Training and orientation tailored to your level of experience, competencies, culture of support
- Social onboarding
- Development opportunities
- Support throughout career and personal life changes
- Receiving financial support for both in-house and external educational opportunities
- Working in an environment which supports and encourages career and leadership development experiences and opportunities for all employees
- Having the opportunity to participate in research and evidence-based practice
- Access to the resources of a large pediatric medical center
- Robust benefits
- A place to fit in: Cincinnati Children’s is a diverse and inclusive workplace and we’re proud of it. We offer programs that promote and build a welcoming environment for all employees.
Curious about getting involved in research? The Division of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy offers several hands-on opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
Each summer, our division hosts students for a 10-week, full-time research experience through Cincinnati Children’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program. Students work closely with OTPT faculty to:
- Support ongoing research studies
- Learn data collection and analysis skills
- Contribute to presentations and publications
Research Assistant Positions
OTPT faculty typically hire 2–3 student research assistants each year. These positions offer deeper involvement in lab activities and provide valuable professional experience for students interested in rehabilitation sciences, clinical research, or graduate study. These are 2-3 year positions that require a commitment of 8-10 hrs/wk during the academic year, and 30-40 hrs/wk during the summer.
We are not currently recruiting for these positions, but further information will be posted in this space when available.
Capstone & Independent Projects
Faculty in the division regularly mentor both undergraduate and graduate students completing capstone projects or independent research. If you’re interested in working with a specific faculty member or research area, browsing current OTPT research topics is a great place to start. Learn more about our faculty and research areas.
Physical Therapy Residency Programs
Physical Therapy Fellowship Programs
- Neonatology Physical Therapy (A collaborative program with Rocky Mountain University)
- Contact Us: ashley.pinger@cchmc.org
Occupational Therapy Fellowship Program
- Pediatric Occupational Therapy
- Pediatric Hand Therapy (AOTA Accredited Fellowship Program) - Contact carrissa.shotwell@cchmc.org for more information.
Students are welcomed and encouraged to observe clinical work in the Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) department. This includes graduate and undergraduate students who are working toward OT or PT as a profession. A one-time observation will be provided per person.
All observations must be pre-arranged by scheduling an appointment through the department. To schedule an observation appointment, the student should download and complete the Student Registration Form and Confidentiality Form as well as provide documentation of COVID-19 vaccination. Documentation should be sent to Allison Allgier at allison.allgier@cchmc.org or through fax at 513-803-0044. If observing between October 1st and April 1st, documentation of a flu shot from the current flu season is also required.
Students (undergraduates or graduates) enrolled in an OT/PT program and students interested in OT/PT are offered the opportunity to participate in our Student Volunteer Program. The student is asked to commit a minimum of 20 hours to the volunteer program. While in the department, the student's time is divided equally between observation and volunteer activities. For students obtaining hours to apply to an OT or PT program, documentation of all volunteer hours can be provided through the volunteer department. If a completion letter is needed, please discuss this with your site coordinator.
The following is a list of some of the activities that a student volunteer may be asked to do:
- Provide support during group sessions
- Provide support during intensive therapy sessions
- Assist with setup and cleanup of therapy sessions
- Organize materials
- Clean toys and materials
- Make copies
- Help with research projects
- Make therapy materials
- Assist with planning and implementation of projects
- Complete miscellaneous projects as assigned
Procedure to apply:
Find additional information regarding volunteer opportunities and how to apply. Please note that the 6 month commitment noted on the volunteer website does not apply to OT/PT volunteers.
We deliver exceptional therapy services to children from infancy through early adulthood.
Contact Us
Join us in our vision to become the leader in pursuing the best possible care and in changing the outcomes for the children we serve.
To learn more, contact Elizabeth Roell at 513-636-8396 or email your resume directly to elizabeth.roell@cchmc.org or you may apply online.
To learn more, contact Elizabeth Roell at 513-636-8396 or email your resume directly to elizabeth.roell@cchmc.org or you may apply online.
3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
© 2026 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. All rights reserved.
