Sports Physical Therapy Residency

“Nationwide Children's sports physical therapy residency was the perfect place for me to jumpstart my career as a new graduate clinician. During PT school, I had cultivated a strong interest in youth athletics and sports medicine. Residency at Nationwide Children's furthered that interest by providing the mentorship and experience needed to establish myself in the field of pediatric sports PT. Weekly mentorship deepened my appreciation of the complexities of rehab and aided me in establishing and refining my clinical processes and philosophy of treatment. The team of mentors at Nationwide Children's have a wide variety of interests and expertise that I was able to leverage with my evolving caseload of patients. In addition to mentorship, on-field experiences allowed me to learn from seasoned athletic trainers, as well as assist in the rehab and on-field care of high school athletes - some of which I would see in the PT clinic. Sports residency also increased my exposure and involvement with transdisciplinary care. I would frequently communicate with sports medicine physicians, orthopedic surgeons, strength coaches, athletic trainers, sports dietitians, and sports psychologists about the care of various youth athletes. Residency allowed me to see some of this transdisciplinary care in action at some of Nationwide Children's specialty clinics. Finally, residency exposed me to various educational opportunities, where I discovered my passion for teaching and lecturing future sports medicine professionals. All in all, I am grateful for all the individuals at Nationwide Children's that poured into my growth and development as a resident and look forward to building on this experience throughout the rest of my career!”

Benjamin Lee, PT, DPT (2024 Resident Graduate)

“The sports PT residency training at Nationwide Children’s Hospital provided me with the confidence to treat a diverse range of pediatric musculoskeletal diagnoses that are typical of adolescent athletes with increased efficiency and comfort. As a new clinician, the expert mentorship was vital to establishing my evaluation and treatment flow. I was able to discover and cultivate newfound clinical interests in niche areas through the specialty clinics that only Nationwide Children's offered and streamline the process to becoming involved as a full-time clinician. Finally, the on-field coverage component of the residency allowed a unique opportunity for me to see my patients at time of injury, throughout clinic rehabilitation, and to a successful return to sport. There’s nothing more fulfilling as a sports physical therapist.”

Madison Mize, PT, DPT, SCS (2023 Resident Graduate)

“Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s sports PT residency program has given me unlimited opportunities to grow personally and professionally. The program goes above and beyond in many aspects, however, specifically excels within their community relationships that are made available to the residents. Sports residents at Nationwide Children’s Hospital play an integral role for student athletes in the community as they are often the facilitator of connections made between physicians, ATCs, coaches, strength staff and therapists, going beyond minimally required training room responsibilities. This, along with teaching/ volunteer opportunities, and faculty that genuinely cares about the residents’ success, create a customizable experience to meet each resident’s specific interests and goals.”

Bryan Rankin, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS (2022 Resident Graduate)

“I loved my sports residency at Nationwide Children’s Hospital because I was able to experience a wide variety of diagnoses and situations. The hands-on training in several pediatric specialty clinics, such as running, dance medicine and throwing analysis, was excellent. The on-field sport coverage complements the didactic component, providing a well-rounded pediatric sport education. The faculty is extremely knowledgeable and dedicated to providing the best learning environment, catered to each resident and their interests. They will challenge you to grow into a strong clinician and position you to be able to pursue your professional goals.”

Jena Heck, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC/L, CSCS (2021 Resident Graduate)

“Nationwide Children’s Hospital provided me with a unique experience throughout their sports residency program by providing excellent learning experiences, quality on-field coverage and an athletic patient population. The learning experiences were organized by many mentors with a wealth of knowledge in all areas of sport specialization. I also participated in on-field coverage with a friendly and welcoming athletic training staff and was exposed to a variety of sports. And the patient population was pediatric athletes from middle school to high school with a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries. Overall, this residency prepared me to pass the board certification exam and continue my physical therapy career working toward specialization in treatment of the performing artist.”

Katie Ilardi, PT, DPT, SCS (2020 Resident Graduate)