Atrium Health Sports Physical Therapy Residency

The Atrium Health Sports Physical Therapy Residency Program was designed to develop physical therapists’ clinical expertise, skills and decision making in sports physical therapy to effectively deliver the highest quality of care and clinical outcomes to athletes of all ages and competitive levels. Graduates will be prepared to serve the athletic and active community as leaders and mentors while reflecting the core values of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Program Mission

The Atrium Health Sports Physical Therapy Residency Program was designed to develop physical therapists’ clinical expertise, skills and decision making in sports physical therapy to effectively deliver the highest quality of care and clinical outcomes to athletes of all ages and competitive levels. Graduates will be prepared to serve the athletic and active community as leaders and mentors while reflecting the core values of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Program Description

The residency is a full-time, one year program, beginning August 2023. Residents are employed by Atrium Health and receive a salary based on direct patient care hours. It is a full-time position with a full benefits package. Residents participate in direct patient care at Sports Medicine – Stratford outpatient clinic and the Wake Forest University athletic training room in Winston-Salem, and Carolinas Rehabilitation - Randolph Rd outpatient clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina. Patient care will include a minimum of 150 hours of 1:1 mentoring with an assigned faculty mentor. The resident will also participate in a minimum of 200 hours of on-field athletic event coverage at local high schools and Wake Forest University.

Additional time will include:

• Weekly didactic learning
• Rounding with attending physicians in orthopedics and primary care sports medicine
• Collaboration with primary care sports medicine residents and fellows research opportunities with the state-of-the-art Wake Forest University pitching lab and the Human Performance and Biodynamics Lab
• Observing licensed athletic trainers, strength and conditioning specialists, sports administrators and other health care providers

The curriculum is developed from the most recent version of the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education’s Description of Residency Practice (DRP).

Virtual Tour of Wake Forest Facilities

Admission Criteria

• Graduate of a CAPTE accredited physical therapy program
• Current Physical Therapy License or Proof of PT Board Exam Enrollment
• American Physical Therapy Association membership, as well as membership in the appropriate specialty section (Sports)
• Meets all eligibility requirements to be employed as a practicing physical therapist at Atrium Health
• CPR certification

In addition, we recommend candidates complete one of the following prior to the beginning of the program:

• Certification as an Emergency Medical Responder
• Current Athletic Trainer certification by NATABOC
• Current license as an EMT

Application Process

The 2024 residency application is due January 31, 2024.

All completed application documents should be emailed to SportsPTResidency@wakehealth.edu with the applicant’s full name in the subject line. Applications are due January 31, 2024. 

Note: Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to this email address by author to ensure validity. Letters submitted directly by applicant will not be accepted. 

For further inquiries about the application submissions, please contact our admissions team at SportsPTResidency@wakehealth.edu.

Residency Faculty

Residency Administration:
Susan Reeves, PT, DPT, NCS, Residency Director (Winston-Salem)
Marco A. Caiazza, PT, MHA, MTC (Charlotte)

Residency Coordinators:
Michael Agnone, PT, OCS, ATC, LAT, CMTPT (Charlotte)
Michael Way, PT, DPT, SCS (Winston-Salem)

Didactic and Mentoring Faculty
Currently being finalized

Additional Information

Sports Residency Application

Sports Residency Financial Fact Sheet

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

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Sports Physical Therapy Residency