WVU Division of Physical Therapy achieves candidacy for Sports D1 Fellowship, accepts first fellow

The Division of Physical Therapy at the WVU School of Medicine has been granted candidacy status for its Sports D1 Fellowship by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education, making it one of only eight D1 physical therapy fellowship programs in the nation.

“We couldn’t be more excited to provide this opportunity at WVU,” said Justin Payette, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS, assistant professor and Sports D1 Fellowship coordinator. “The program brings national recognition to our state and our university and provides opportunities for our students. It will bring top-qualified applicants to the state and aims to contribute to optimizing the care of our WVU athletes. It is an honor for WVU to be one of eight programs in the country offering this level of training in this area of physical therapy.”

In partnership with WVU Athletics, the Sports D1 Fellowship provides sports physical therapists with advanced education on the skills and resources needed to function within a rapidly evolving D1 sports medicine environment.

The 13-month post-professional program combines clinical mentoring from experts, didactic coursework and experience being part of an athlete’s interdisciplinary care team. During their time in the program, fellows will gain experience with most sports offered at WVU. They will work with the sports medicine team to provide care for athletes in the training room, during practice and during games.

The program’s first fellow, Amanda Barrett, PT, DPT, CSCS, USAW, is a 2022 graduate of WVU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program. She chose to pursue the new Sports D1 Fellowship because, unlike other programs, the WVU fellow is embedded as an employee of the Department of Athletics, allowing them to be fully immersed within the athlete’s interdisciplinary healthcare team.

“Being the first Division 1 Sports Fellow at West Virginia University resonates deeply with me,” said Barrett. “Growing up in a small town in Southern West Virginia, moving across five states to pursue my goals, and returning to my home state feels like a full-circle effect. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and aim to make a lasting impact not just within the program but also across communities in West Virginia.”

While caring for WVU athletes is a large portion of the fellowship, fellows will also help teach future physical therapists in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, participate in research and complete a community engagement project aimed at serving people of the state through the scope of sports physical therapy.

Ivan Mulligan, PT, DSc, ATC, CSCS, chair of the Division of Physical Therapy, explained that the fellowship was established to meet the growing need of physical therapists specializing in sport.

“We want WVU to be a leader in the area of sports physical therapy and to produce the nation’s most qualified and prepared physical therapists for these settings,” he said. “Completion of the fellowship curriculum, along with their unique experience of working full time within the Department of Athletics, will make our graduates extremely competitive for opportunities they will have following graduation.”

Since the program has received candidacy status and accepted its first fellow, the Division now awaits its onsite evaluation, which is the last step to receive full accreditation through the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education.  The program’s on-site visit will occur later this academic year.

Graduation from an accredited program qualifies fellows to work within the high level collegiate and professional sports settings.

For more information on the Sports D1 Fellowship, visit medicine.wvu.edu/pt/post-professional-residencies/sports-d1-fellowship/.

 

ak/9/4/24

CONTACT: Ally Kennedy
Communications Specialist
WVU School of Medicine
allyson.kennedy1@wvumedicine.org