Sports Physical Therapy Residency or Fellowship . . . What is the Difference?

By Teresa L. Schuemann PT, SCS, ATC, CSCS
 
A common question that comes up when discussing post-professional residency or fellowship programs is “What is the difference?”  The American Physical Therapy Association defines each as follows: 
Residency: A planned program of post-professional clinical and didactic education that is designed to advance significantly the physical therapist's preparation as a provider of patient care services in a defined area of clinical practice.  A sports physical therapy residency program is based on the latest Description of Specialty Practice (DSP) of Sports physical therapy.
Fellowship: A post-professional, funded, and planned learning experience in a focused area of physical therapist clinical practice, education, or research (not infrequently post-doctoral, post-residency prepared, or board-certified physical therapists). 
The number of credentialed sports physical therapy residency and fellowship programs continues to grow.  The following is a list of credentialed programs as of the fall of 2006.
 

Credentialed Sports Physical Therapy Residency & Fellowship Programs

Winter 2007-2008

 

Credentialed Sports Physical Therapy Residency Programs

 

Centers for Rehab Services Sports Physical Therapy

Centers for Rehab Services

3200 South Water St.

Pittsburgh PA 15203

Contact: Tara Ridge PT, MS, SCS

Phone: 412/432-2667

Fax: 412/432-2750

Email: ridgetm@upmc.edu

 

Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Sports Physical Therapy

      Gundersen Lutheran Sports Medicine

      3100 South Kinney Coulee Rd

      Onalaska, WI 54650

      Contact: J. Scott Straker, PT, MS, SCS, ATC

      Contact Phone: 608/796-8600

      Fax: 608/796-8614

      E-mail: sstraker@gundluth.org

Howard Head Sports Medicine Center Sports Physical Therapy Residency Program

181 W. Meadow Drive

Vail, CO  81657

Contact:  Victoria Bartel, PT, SCS

Phone:  970/476-1225

Fax:  970/479-7193

E-mail:  bartelv@vvmc.com

Minneapolis Sports Medicine Center

Institute for Athletic Medicine

775 Prairie Center Dr., #250

Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Contact: Peter Ames, PT

Contact phone: 952-944-5314

E-mail: pames1@fairview.org

 

ProAxis Therapy Sports Physical Therapy

1650 Skylyn Drive, Suite 110

Spartanburg, SC  29307

Contact: Douglas Wix PT, DPT, SCS, MTC

Contact phone: 864-541-0600

E-mail: wix@proaxistherapy.com    

 

Skyline Hospital Sports Physical Therapy

      211 Skyline Drive

      White Salmon, WA 98672

Contact: David Wiltsie, MSPT, SCS

Contact phone: 509-493-5119

Fax 509-493-2435

E-mail:  davidw@skylinehospital.com

 

The Ohio State University Sports Medicine Center
Martha Morehouse Medical Plaza
2050 Kenny Road
Columbus, OH 43221
Contact: John Dewitt, PT, DPT, ATC
Phone: 614/293-3600
Fax: 614/293-3066
E-mail: john.dewitt@osumc.edu

University of Cincinnati/NovaCare Rehabiliation Sports Physcial Therapy Residency Program

Select Medical Corporation

PO Box 210021

Cincinnati, OH  45221

Contact:  Bob Mangine, PT, MEd, ATC

Phone:  513/556-3178

Fax:  513/556-0691

E-mail:  mbmbob@fuse.net 

University of Delaware Sports Physical Therapy

      University of Delaware Physical Therapy Clinic

      053 McKinly Lab

      Newark, DE 19716

      Contact: Lynn Snyder-Mackler, ScD, PT, SCS

      Contact Phone: 302/831-3613

      Fax: 302/831-4234

      E-mail: smack@udel.edu

 

US Military - Baylor University Postprofessional Sports Medicine - Physical Therapy Doctoral Program

      Keller Army Community Hospital

      West Point, NY  10996

      Contact: LTC Paul Stoneman, PT, PhD, OCS

      Contact Phone:  845/938-3067

      Fax: 845/938-8114

      E-mail: paul.stoneman@wp.amedd.army.mil

      For active US Military personnel only

 

Credentialed Sports Physical Therapy Fellowship Programs

 

Sports Division 1 Athletics Physical Therapy Fellowship

      Duke University Medical Center

      Department of PT and OT

      PO Box 3965

      Durham, NC 27710

      Contact: Bob Bruzga, PT, OCS, SCS, ATC

      Contact Phone: 919/684-1844

      Fax: 919/668-6105

      E-mail: bruzg001@mc.duke.edu