The Wake Forest University Health System Division I Sports Physical Therapy Fellowship is designed to train talented sports physical therapists to operate effectively in the environment of high-level athletics.

This 12-month program begins in July. The fellow will rotate through collegiate sports both in and out of season, gaining extensive experience within the athletic training room and the broader interdisciplinary sports medicine environment.

The mission of the Fellowship is to foster professional development and advance the clinical training of sports physical therapists. The program emphasizes leadership, theoretical rationale, clinical reasoning, and ethical standards to enhance the fellow's development as a practitioner, educator, and clinical scholar.

The fellow will work directly with Wake Forest University Athletics as well as Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Sports Physical Therapy at Sports Medicine Stratford, creating a unique combination of Division I athletics and academic health system experiences.

Wake Forest University Athletics

Wake Forest University Athletics sponsors 18 varsity sports as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Power Four, providing fellows the opportunity to work within one of the nation's premier collegiate athletic environments. Wake Forest programs have competed at the highest levels nationally in recent years, including NCAA team championships in women's golf and men's tennis, an appearance in the NCAA women's soccer national championship match, a Men's College World Series appearance, multiple ACC championships, and continued postseason success across Olympic sports. Football has also remained nationally competitive, including multiple bowl appearances and a nine-win 2025 season capped by a bowl victory.

This environment provides the fellow with experience caring for athletes preparing for and competing in conference championships, NCAA postseason competition, and professional sport. The fellow will develop a deep understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration within a Division I athletics environment, working closely with athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, dietitians, sports psychologists, team physicians, orthopedic surgeons, and sport coaches.

Sports Medicine and Physician Collaboration

The Wake Forest sports medicine team provides the fellow with exposure to physicians who combine high-level clinical practice with nationally relevant sports medicine research. Head Team Physician Dr. Christopher Miles has been actively involved in advancing concussion research and the understanding and management of sport-related concussion, providing fellows exposure to the evolving science surrounding one of the most complex areas of athlete health and return-to-play decision-making.

The Wake Forest orthopedic sports medicine team, including Drs. John Hubbard, Nick Trasolini, and Brian Waterman, provides fellows with extensive exposure to the evaluation and management of complex athletic injuries. Their collective expertise spans areas including ACL and multiligament knee injuries, cartilage restoration, shoulder instability, throwing-related injuries, and advanced arthroscopic procedures. Fellows have the opportunity to learn alongside these physicians throughout the continuum of care—from initial evaluation and surgical decision-making through rehabilitation and return to high-level sport and performance.

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's sports medicine team is also actively involved in multicenter research, including ACL injury research through the STABILITY 2 program and participation as a MOON Group site for shoulder and knee reconstruction research.

Research and Innovation

The Wake Forest Pitching Lab—a partnership among Wake Forest Athletics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist—provides a unique environment for exploring the science of pitching and translating research findings into practical applications for baseball performance and player development.

Through collaboration among researchers, coaches, sports scientists, clinicians, and student-athletes, the lab offers opportunities to investigate the biomechanics, physiology, technology, and performance factors that influence pitching.

Additionally, Wake Forest University Athletics collaborates with the WFU Health and Exercise Science Department to investigate a variety of sports medicine and human-performance topics through the University's undergraduate research programs. These collaborations provide fellows with opportunities to engage with research that directly connects clinical practice, rehabilitation, injury prevention, and athletic performance.

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Commitment to Sports Medicine

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist provides sports medicine coverage for Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University, Salem College, UNC School of the Arts, the Winston-Salem Dash minor-league baseball team, the Carolina Thunderbirds minor-league hockey team, and the Winston-Salem Open tennis tournament.

These partnerships reflect the breadth of the health system’s commitment to sports medicine across collegiate, professional, and developmental sport settings, and highlight the diverse clinical environments supported by the institution’s sports medicine providers.

Curriculum Includes

  • Direct 1:1 mentoring with faculty
  • On-field coverage of games and practices
  • Weekly conferences with Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellows and participation in Orthopedic Sports Medicine conferences
  • Weekly didactic learning focused on current concepts in sports physical therapy
  • Bimonthly journal clubs
  • Physician clinic experiences and surgical observation
  • Research opportunities with the Wake Forest Pitching Lab, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist physicians, and the WFU Human Performance and Biodynamics Lab
     

Virtual Tour

Admission Criteria

  • Be a graduate of a CAPTE accredited physical therapist program. 
  • Provide proof of licensure as a physical therapist in the State of North Carolina (or be eligible to obtain licensure in North Carolina) 
  • Be a member of the American Physical Therapy Association. 
  • Possess at least one of the following qualifications:
  • ABPTS specialist certification in Sports or related area of specialty
  • Completion of an APTA accredited residency in Sports or a related specialty area
  • Possess one of the following:
  • Current ATC designation
  • Current license as an EMT
  • Complete Acute Management of Injury and Illness Courses Approved by ABPTS Sports Specialty Panel PRIOR to commencing the program 
  • Submit a personal statement for admission.
  • Submit current curriculum vitae, including all continuing education courses attended, and academic history. 
  • Submit reference letters from three physical therapists, one of whom should be a previous instructor or academician. 
  • Transfer credits are not accepted into the program.

Application

Apply on-line using Residency and Fellowship Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS).

Selected candidates will be invited for an on campus interview prior to the final selection. We offer a competitive full-time salary with benefits including medical, dental, vision and paid time off. There is also a continuing education allowance. 

Clinical Faculty

Fellowship Administration:

Fellowship Faculty:

Additional Information

American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education

Residency and Fellowship Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service

Wake Forest University Sports / Sports Medicine

Wake Forest Baptist Health Physical Therapy - Stratford