Program Mission
The Atrium Health Sports Physical Therapy Residency is designed to further develop physical therapists’ clinical expertise, skills and decision making in sports physical therapy while delivering the highest quality of care and clinical outcomes to athletes of all ages and competitive levels. Graduates will be prepared to serve the athletic and active community as leaders and mentors, and to reflect the core values of the American Physical Therapy Association.
Program Description
The residency is a full-time, one year program. Our first cohort began the program on August 1, 2023. Residents are employed by Atrium Health and receive a salary that is based on direct patient care hours. It is a full-time position with a full benefits package. Residents participate in direct patient care at Sports Medicine – Stratford outpatient clinic and the Wake Forest University athletic training room in Winston-Salem, and Carolinas Rehabilitation - Randolph Rd outpatient clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina. Patient care will include a minimum of 150 hours of 1:1 mentoring with an assigned faculty mentor. The resident will also participate in a minimum of 200 hours of on-field athletic event coverage at local high schools, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem and Queens College in Charlotte.
Additional time will include:
- Weekly didactic learning
- Rounding with attending physicians in orthopedics and primary care sports medicine
- Collaboration with primary care sports medicine residents and fellows and Division 1 Sports Physical Therapy fellow
- Research opportunities with the state-of-the-art Wake Forest University pitching lab and the Charlotte Campus Human Performance and Biodynamics Lab
- Observation of licensed athletic trainers, strength and conditioning specialists, sports administrators, and other health care providers
The program’s curriculum is developed from the most recent version of the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education’s Description of Residency Practice (DRP).
Admission Criteria
- Graduated from a CAPTE accredited physical therapy program
- Provide proof of licensure as a physical therapist in the state of North Carolina
- Be a member of the American Physical Therapy Association
- Meet all eligibility requirements to be employed as a practicing physical therapist within Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
- CPR certification
- Possess one of the following:
- Certification as an Emergency Medical Responder
- Current Athletic Trainer certification by NATABOC
- Current license as an EMT
Program Outcomes
| Number of Residents who Started |
Number of Residents who Graduated | Percentage of Graduates who took the SCS exam | First Time Pass Rate |
Program Completion Rate | |
| Cohort Year | |||||
| 2023-2024 | 2 | 2 | TBD | TBD | 100% |
| 2024-2025 | 3* |
*second cohort begins August 1, 2024
Application Process
The 2025 residency application is due December 31, 2024.
All application documents should be emailed to SportsPTResidency@wakehealth.edu with the applicant’s full name in the subject line. Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to this email address by the author.
Selected candidates will be invited for an on-campus interview prior to the final selection.
For further inquiries regarding the application submissions, please contact our admissions team at SportsPTResidency@wakehealth.edu.
Additional Information
Sports Residency Financial Fact Sheet 2024 - 2025
Sports Residency Financial Fact Sheet 2023 - 2024
American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education
Residency and Fellowship Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service
Wake Forest University Sports / Sports Medicine