Sports Residency Program


SPORTS RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Virginia Commonwealth University Sports Residency Program

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

 2024-2025 residency year

 Advance to the next phase of your professional development by participating in the Virginia Commonwealth University Sports Residency Program, a partnership between Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Physical Therapy (VCU) and Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VCUHS).

VCUHS is a large academic Level 1 Trauma center and as such provides unique experiences that are rich and educational.

Join our team of innovative educators and clinicians for a 13 month experience that includes providing patient care at VCU Sports Medicine, gaining on-field experience with VCU Athletics, and working closely with the physicians at Sports Medicine.  This broad range of experiences prepares a resident for the specialty examination in Sports Physical Therapy and the resident receives an excellent salary and benefits as you gain advanced knowledge and skills in Sports Physical Therapy.

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31, 2023

 

SPORTS RESIDENCY MISSION

Program Mission

The mission of the VCU Sports Residency Program is to prepare physical therapy residents for advanced specialty practice.

The program is designed to provide advanced level training in the treatment of individuals with sports injuries and promote the APTA core values. This program will aim to produce advanced physical therapy practitioners who are able to provide care to individuals with complex sports-related disorders, teach, serve as a resource to the community and other health professionals, and contribute to evidence-based practice. This will be accomplished via sports clinical experiences at VCU Sports Medicine under the mentorship of sports clinical specialists.  It will also include didactic learning experiences in sports physical therapy with Virginia Commonwealth University teaching and research faculty and VCU Athletics staff, which will include athletic training and strength and conditioning staff members.

Program Description

The residency is comprised of the close relationship between VCU Sports Medicine physical therapy staff and physicians, as well as the athletic training and strength and conditioning staffs with VCU Athletics.   These relationships will provide the resident with a wide variety of opportunities promoting enhanced clinical reasoning and exposing the resident to differing perspectives on care. The experiences are designed to achieve the vision of the program while preparing the resident for successful completion of the specialty exam. 

The 13-month residency includes

  • Contributing to a clinical project that can be disseminated nationally (scholarship/research)
  • Contributing to an initiative aimed to improve the health of the community (service learning)
  • Learning through interprofessional collaboration and networking (interprofessional education)
  • Promoting evidence based care (evidence-based practice)
  • Teaching in the entry level program or for professional development events (teaching)

Although residents are expected to contribute to and learn from each component of the program, residents are encouraged to design an experience that both provides a foundation for their continued professional development and challenges their professional growth.  The clinical mentors and residency faculty help guide the design of the resident’s individualized experience. 

SPORTS RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility for Admission

  • Graduate from an accredited physical therapy program
  • Licensed as a physical therapist (or eligible) in the Commonwealth of Virginia
  • Member of APTA

RF PTCAS Application Requirements: The applicant can access the application through the following sites:

  • Deadline for application: December 31, 2023
  • Internal Application Reviews: December 11-22, 2023
  • First Round Interviews: January 17-22, 2024
  • Second Round Interviews: February 9, 2024
  • Offer extended:  Week of March 4, 2024
  • Start date: August 5, 2024

Eligibility and Application Requirements

Eligibility for Admission

  • Graduate from an accredited physical therapy program 
  • Licensed as a physical therapist (or eligible) in the Commonwealth of Virginia
  • Member of APTA
  • Meet RFPTCAS Application Requirements
  • Complete RFPTCAS application
    • Employment history
    • License eligibility
    • CEU’s and pattern of professional development
    • Professional memberships and involvement
    • Background information
    • Clinical experience and internships
    • Personal statement / essays
    • Volunteer history
  • Official transcripts from every US college and university attended for PT education
  • RFPTCAS application fee
  • Letters of Recommendation (3)
    • Recommendations providing insight into clinical experience and qualifications for residency
      • Recent graduates (practicing less than 1 year) -– must include a recommendation from one of your clinical instructors and evidence of practice at “entry level” on the CPI
      • Practicing Clinicians – recommendations from professional colleagues are acceptable

Additional Requirements

  • Employment applications to VCU Health System (timing is after being chosen as the incoming resident)
  • Residency application fee
  • Curriculum Vitae

Ongoing Requirements

  • Evidence of APTA membership 
  • Compliance with employment requirements of VCU Health System

Supplemental Application Fee

  • There is an additional application fee of $100.  Please pay using the link below.

https://www.pubapps.vcu.edu/dptSahpEcom/Home.aspx?processFlag=1&itemID=2

VCU Sports Residency

Typical Week

 

Direct patient care

28 hours/week

Mentored activity

3-4 hours/week

Didactic work/Teaching

  • Teaching
  • Clinical exposures

6-8 hours/week

Event coverage

10-12 hours/week

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Date

Didactic Topic

Sport/Event

Exam

Aug

  • Taping
  • Environmental Issues
  • Sport PT Ethics and Legal Issues
  • Pre-participation Screening (FMS)
  • Acute management
  • Soccer – M&W
  • Field hockey
  • Volleyball
  • XC
  • Pre-season screening
  • Pre-participation screen

 

Sept

  • Hip
  • Core
  • Emergency Skills
  • Protective Equipment

o   Flexibility

o   Manual techniques

o   Imaging

  • Live patient exam I

 

Oct

  • Knee
  • Special tests
  • Medical Conditions

o   Return to sport

o   Manual techniques

o   Imaging

  • Marine Corps Marathon
  • Return to sport exam - knee
  • Patient exam – knee

 

Nov

  • Foot and ankle
  • Gait
  • Prevention of Common Musculoskeletal Injuries

o   Shoe clinic

o   Orthotics

o   Run Lab

  • Basketball – M&W
  • Richmond Marathon

 

  • Patient exam - ankle

Dec

  • LE Review
  • Research topics

 

  • Basketball – M&W
  • Indoor track and field

 

  • Return to sport exam – ankle
  • On the field exam – contact sport

 

Jan

  • Shoulder
  • OH athlete

o   SH rhythm

o   Taping

  • Video analysis
  • Basketball – M&W
  • Indoor track and field
  • Tennis – M&W
  • Women’s lacrosse
  • Patient exam – shoulder

 

Feb

  • Elbow, wrist, and hand
  • Trauma
  • Blood-borne Pathogens

o   Splinting bracing

o   Overuse

o   Tommy John

  • Basketball – M&W
  • Indoor track and field
  • Tennis – M&W
  • Women’s lacrosse
  • Baseball
  • Return to sport exam – upper extremity

March

  • Cervical spine
  • Concussion review
  • Psychological Contributions to Sports Injuries

o   Manual

o   Neck and shoulder

o   Spine boarding

  • Basketball – M&W
  • Outdoor track and field
  • Tennis – M&W
  • Women’s lacrosse
  • Baseball

 

  • On the field exam – non-contact

 

April

  • Lumbar spine
  • SI Joint
  • Dermatological Considerations
  • Topics in Sports PT

o   Core stability

o   Manual

  • Outdoor track and field
  • Tennis – M&W
  • Women’s lacrosse
  • Baseball
  • Patient exam – spine
  • Return to sport exam - spine

May

  • Aging athlete
  • Young athlete
  • Pharmacology
  • Topics in Sports PT
  • Women’s lacrosse
  • Baseball
  • Golf
  • Marine Corps ½ Marathon
  • Live patient exam II

June

  • Female athlete
  • Nutrition
  • Medical conditions
  • Basketball screening
  • Final written exam

July

  • Strength and conditioning
  • Periodization
  • Sports participation screening

 

  • Remediation if needed

Aug

  • Mentor emergency skills
  • Case presentation of complicated pt
  • Soccer – M&W
  • Field hockey
  • Volleyball
  • XC
  • Training next resident

 

 

VCU Sports Residency Curriculum

DateDidactic TopicSport/EventExam
August
  • Emergency Skills
  • Taping
  • Environmental Issues
  • Sport PT Ethics and Legal Issues
  • Pre-participation Screening (FMS)
  • Concussion
  • Pre-season screening
  • Pre-participation screen
  • Technique exam – concussion/
  • Soccer – M&W
  • Field hockey
  • Volleyball
  • Cross country
  • Pre-participation screen
  • Technique exam – concussion/Cranial nerve
September Hip
  • Core
  • Flexibility
  • Manual techniques
  • Imaging
  • Emergency Skills
  • Protective Equipment
 
  • Soccer – M&W
  • Field hockey
  • Volleyball
  • Cross country
 
  • Pre-season screening
  • On the field exam – contact sport
 
October
  • Knee
    • Special tests
    • Return to sport
    • Manual techniques
    • Imaging
    • Medical Conditions
    • Pre-season screening
    • Marine Corps Marathon
 
  • Soccer – M&W
  • Field hockey
  • Volleyball
  • Cross country
 
  • Patient exam – knee
  • Return to sport exam - knee
 
November Foot and ankle
  • Gait
  • Shoe clinic
  • Orthotics
  • Run Lab
  • Prevention of Common Musculoskeletal Injuries
  • Pre-season screening
 
  • Soccer – M&W
  • Field hockey
  • Volleyball
  • Cross country
  • Basketball - M&W
 
  • Technique exam – foot/ankle/   orthotics
  • Patient exam - ankle
 
December
  • LE Review
  • Research topics
 
  • Basketball – M&W
  • Indoor track and field
 
  • Return to sport exam – ankle
  • Live patient exam I
 
January Shoulder
  • OH athlete
  • SH rhythm
  • Taping
  • Video analysis
 
  • Basketball – M&W
  • Indoor track and field
  • Tennis – M&W
  • Women’s lacrosse
 
  • Patient exam – shoulder
  • Technique exam – UE plyometrics
 
February Elbow, wrist, and hand
  • Trauma
  • Splinting bracing
  • Overuse
  • Tommy John
  • Blood-borne Pathogens
 
  • Basketball – M&W
  • Indoor track and field
  • Tennis – M&W
  • Women’s lacrosse
  • Baseball
  • Golf
  • Frostbite 15K
 
  • Return to sport exam – upper extremity 
March Cervical spine
  • Concussion
  • Manual
  • Neck and shoulder
  • Spine boarding
  • Psychological Contributions to Sports Injuries
 
  • Basketball – M&W
  • Outdoor track and field
  • Tennis – M&W
  • Women’s lacrosse
  • Baseball
  • Golf
  • Monument 10K
 
  • On the field exam – non-contact
  • Technique exam – spine mobilizations
 
April Lumbar spine
  • SI Joint
  • Core stability
  • Manual
  • Dermatological Considerations
 
  • Outdoor track and field
  • Tennis – M&W
  • Women’s lacrosse
  • Baseball
  • Golf
 
  • Patient exam – spine
  • Return to sport exam - spine
 
May
  • Aging athlete
  • Young athlete
  • Pharmacology
 
  • Women’s lacrosse
  • Baseball
  • Golf
  • Marine Corps ½ Marathon
  • Wounded Warrior 12K
 
  • Live patient exam II 
June
  • Female athlete
  • Nutrition
  • Wellness exam
  • Final written exam
 
  • Basketball screening 
  • Wellness exam
  • Final written exam
 
July Strength and conditioning
  • Periodization
 
  • Cul de Sac 5K series 
  • Remediation if needed 
August
  • Mentor emergency skills
  • Case presentation of complicated pt
 
  • Soccer – M&W
  • Field hockey
  • Volleyball
  • Cross country
 
  • Training next resident 

Program Director and Residency Coordinator

Chad Taylor, PT, DPT, ATC, CSCS -- Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University  taylotcc2@vcu.edu

Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy

Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Chad joined VCU Sports Medicine in 2015. Chad enjoys working with all athletes, particularly those with injuries of the lower extremity and shoulder. He also performs biomechanical foot evaluations and casts patients for custom orthotics. He has a history of working with young adolescents up to professional athletes.

Chad holds the distinction of being a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy and Orthopedic Physical Therapy through the American Physical Therapy Association. Chad is also a certified athletic trainer through the National Athletic Training Association, as well as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Chad is an assistant professor in the VCU Department of Physical Therapy where he teaches courses in musculoskeletal physical therapy. Chad serves as the Director of the VCU Sports Residency program. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and its Sports Section.

Chad received his undergraduate degree in 1998 from the College of William and Mary. He earned his MSPT in 2001 and his DPT in 2007 from VCU.

 

Residency Faculty

Liz Trinchere Brown, PT, DPT

Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy

Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Liz joined VCU Sports Medicine Physical Therapy in summer of 2016. Liz enjoys working with athletes of all ages, particularly the youth and collegiate athlete populations. She enjoys treating a variety of orthopedic conditions, with special interest in shoulder and lower extremity injuries.

During her first year with VCU, Liz completed the VCU Sports Physical Therapy Residency program which provided her additional opportunities to work along-side the VCU Athletic Training staff and to serve as a teaching assistant with the VCU Physical Therapy School. She now holds the distinction of being a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy and Orthopedic Physical Therapy through the American Physical Therapy Association. She has been trained in performing running gait analyses in the VCU RUN LAB and in performing biomechanical foot evaluations with casting for custom orthotics. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and its Sport Section.

Liz received her undergraduate degree in 2013 from Virginia Tech, where she played Division I volleyball. She earned her DPT in 2016 from VCU.

 

Hillary L. Tiller, PT, DPT, OCS

Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Hillary joined VCU Sports Medicine Physical Therapy in March of 2017. She enjoys treating all orthopaedic conditions with a special interest in treating lower extremity injuries and athletes of all ages.  She is the team lead for the VCU Sports Medicine clinic. 

Hillary holds the distinction of being Board Certified in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy through the American Physical Therapy Association (ATPA).  She is trained in dry needling, performing 3D gait analysis for runners and return to sport, and has additional training in manual therapy techniques through the Virginia Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy Institute.   She is a member of the APTA and their Orthopaedic section.  She is also a Certified Clinical Instructor through the APTA.

Hillary received her undergraduate degree in Biology from the Roanoke College and her DPT from Lynchburg College.

 

Katie Greenberg, PT, DPT

Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy

Katie joined VCU Sports Medicine Physical Therapy in July 2019. During her first year, she completed the sports residency and joined the team full-time in January 2021. She enjoys treating athletes of all ages and skill levels and has a special interest in treating concussions.

In addition to clinical care, Katie is interested in teaching and research. She is a Certified Clinical Instructor through the American Physical Therapy Academy (APTA). She presented research at CSM in 2019 and will present a poster at AMSC in September 2021. Katie is a member of the APTA, American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy, and Virginia Physical Therapy Association.

Katie received her undergraduate degrees in Biology and Exercise and Sport Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel hill in 2016. She earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from VCU in 2019.

VCU Sports Residency Program Graduate Outcomes

 

The VCU Sports Residency accepted the first resident in 2016.

 

VCU Sports PT Residency Outcomes

Total # Residents

8

Current residents in program

1

Total # Graduates

7

Specialty exam candidates

7

Specialty exam pass rate

83% (5/6)