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THE MCKENZIE INSTITUTE INC
SYRACUSE, NY · EIN 330088906 · Form 990 · FY2025 · Medium ($1M-$10M) · mckenzieinstituteusa.org
revenue
$1.7M
expenses
$1.9M
net assets
$1.7M
employees
4
program ratio
70%
mission · from form 990

THE ORGANIZATION HAS JUST ONE PURPOSE, SPONSORING SEMINARS AROUND THE U.S.TO EDUCATE PRACTITIONERS IN SPINAL MECHANICAL THERAPY AND TREATMENT. THE ORGANIZATION SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVED THAT EXEMPT PURPOSE.

profile · synthesized from sources

The McKenzie Institute Inc is a nonprofit organization based in New York that provides postgraduate education and certification in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) for clinicians. It offers training seminars across the United States, both in-person and online, focused on spinal and extremity musculoskeletal assessment and treatment. The organization supports practitioners through continuing education, clinical resources, and a professional referral network.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

MDT Clinical Integration Webinars
Post-course webinars designed to support clinicians in integrating MDT principles into practice and connecting with peers and thought leaders.
MDT Forum
Online professional community hosted on LinkedIn for clinicians to discuss cases, share insights, and engage with MDT thought leaders.
Part A – MDT: Lumbar Spine
Introductory course in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy focusing on the lumbar spine, covering classification, examination, and management of spinal syndromes.
Part B – MDT: Cervical and Thoracic Spine
Course that extends MDT principles to the cervical and thoracic spine, including assessment and treatment of neck and upper back conditions.
Part C – MDT: Advanced Lumbar Spine and Extremities – Lower Limb
Advanced training in MDT for the lumbar spine and introduction to lower limb conditions, emphasizing clinical reasoning and technique proficiency.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Medical Professional Education & Training 3 activities
    • Administers credentialing and professional recognition for MDT practitioners
      Administers a global credentialing exam with written and practical components to assess clinical competency in MDT. Clinicians who pass are added to an online Therapist Locator for patient referrals and receive formal recognition. The organization maintains standards for basic competency and supports professional advancement, including integration of graduates into faculty and mentorship roles.
    • Distributes educational materials and resources to course participants and members
      Provides physical and digital educational materials to course participants, including books such as *Treat Your Own Back*, *Treat Your Own Neck*, and related self-treatment guides, along with lumbar and cervical rolls. Also issues digital certificates of completion and CEU attendance, comprehensive digital course manuals, and maintains access to archived journals, newsletters, and research databases.
    • Offers continuing education and professional development for MDT clinicians
      Provides ongoing learning opportunities including Clinical Integration Webinars, an MDT Forum, advanced online courses with clinical cases, and access to a tiered video library of MDT procedures. The organization also delivers faculty-guided online training via the Schoology platform and offers an APTA-accredited postprofessional residency program in orthopaedic physical therapy with high completion and certification rates.
  • Medical Research & Education Dissemination 1 activity
    • Conducts and supports research in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy
      Invites credentialed clinicians to participate in ongoing outcome studies and research projects. Maintains an online research database with clinical abstracts and reviews, and provides access to the *Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy* and its archive for members.
  • Professional Certification in Healthcare 1 activity
    • Delivers training and certification programs in the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT)
      Provides a structured post-graduate certification program in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) for physical therapists and other clinicians, including Part A through D courses covering the lumbar, cervical, and thoracic spine and extremities. The program includes in-person and online instruction, digital course manuals, and leads to credentialing through a worldwide examination. The organization also offers Parts C and D to physical therapist assistants under supervision and allows students in foundational musculoskeletal training to enroll in Part A.
  • Scientific Conference & Symposium Management 1 activity
    • Hosts MDT educational conferences and seminars
      Organizes and hosts regional and international MDT conferences, including the 15th International Conference in August 2024 in Ottawa, featuring workshops, lectures, panels, and case presentations. The organization also sponsors seminars across the U.S. to educate practitioners in spinal mechanical therapy and maintains photo galleries of past events.
  • Professional Job Board & Career Placement Services 1 activity
    • Supports member engagement and professional networking
      Offers a free online Therapist Locator listing for credentialed members, which receives over 24,000 monthly visitors, and provides free job listing services on its website. Also facilitates professional networking through the MDT Forum and Clinical Integration Webinars.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$1.69M
Contributions & grants$42K2%
Program service revenue$1.61M95%
Investment income$41K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.88M
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead30%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$348K
Grants paid out$54K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.94M
Cash$217K
Investments$1.61M
Liabilities$194K
Net assets$1.74M
Liquid reserves11.7 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -8.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
STACEY A LYON EXECUTIVE DI 40 $113K
board members · 7
  • CHRISTOPHER PLASTARAS MD — DIRECTOR
  • JULIE MARLEY PT DIP MDT — SECRETARY
  • MARGAUX LOJACONO — DIRECTOR
  • ROBERT MEDCALF — TREASURER
  • RONALD SCHENK PT PHD CERT MDT — CHAIRMAN
  • THOMAS WALSH PT PHDOCSDIP MDT — DIRECTOR
  • VIKAS AGARWAL MD — DIRECTOR
relationships · 15

Who they work with

  • ACSM Partner — Recognizes Exercise Physiologists (RCEP) certified by ACSM as potentially eligible for certain components of the MDT program.
  • Accreditation Council on Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Education Government — Accredits the MIUSA Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship Program through 2034.
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists Network — Graduates of the MIUSA Fellowship Program are eligible to apply for Fellowship status with AAOMPT.
  • American Physical Therapy Association Government — Accredits the McKenzie Institute USA Orthopaedic Residency Program.
  • LinkedIn Network — Hosts an MDT Forum on LinkedIn to facilitate professional conversation among practitioners.
  • MICanada Partner — Collaborates with MICanada on regional conference planning and execution in the Americas.
  • MICanada Partner — Collaborates with MIUSA to provide professional development and clinical practice support for MDT clinicians and members.
  • McKenzie Institute International Network — Licensor of McKenzie Global Limited and copyright holder of the assessment forms.
  • OPTP Partner — Partner organization providing access to downloadable McKenzie assessment forms.
  • OPTP Partner — Provides McKenzie products through a partnership with OPTP.
  • RF-PTCAS Partner — Partners with the Residency and Fellowship Physical Therapy Centralized Application System for residency program applications.
  • Schoology Partner — Technology partner used for delivering online MDT education through its learning management system.
  • The McKenzie Institute International Network — Part of a global network providing standardized education in the McKenzie Method of MDT.
  • The McKenzie Institute International Network — Part of the global McKenzie Institute network, coordinating with the international head office on conference programming.
  • The McKenzie Institute International Network — Recognizes The McKenzie Institute, USA as a branch and aligns its credentialing exam with the international standard.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Blended and Integrated Clinical Learning Model
    methodology: blended_learning_model
    By combining self-paced online learning, live instruction, case-based training, and integration with ongoing clinical practice, the organization enhances knowledge retention and real-world application because working clinicians learn best when education is accessible, interactive, and immediately applicable to patient care.
  • Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) Methodology
    methodology: mechanical_diagnosis_and_therapy
    By applying a classification-based diagnostic system to identify mechanical causes of musculoskeletal pain, the organization improves patient outcomes because this systematic approach enables targeted, non-invasive interventions that can be standardized and replicated across clinicians.
  • Progressive, Competency-Based Clinician Education
    methodology: competency_based_education
    By structuring education as a sequential, tiered pathway with prerequisites, credentialing, and re-enrollment requirements, the organization ensures that clinicians build foundational knowledge before advancing, because sustained competency in MDT requires standardized mastery and up-to-date application aligned with global practice standards.