Ep. 26: The Road to Residency in Sports Physical Therapy

In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelly Weinstein sits down with Dr. Alice O’Connor, a current sports physical therapy resident at the University of Utah Health, to explore her journey into residency and the lessons she learned along the way. From her early interest in sports performance to pivotal clinical rotations during PT school, Dr. O’Connor shares how she decided to pursue a sports residency and what the application process really looks like from a student’s perspective. She discusses the challenges, trade-offs, and key decision points involved in pursuing advanced training, as well as the value of mentorship, networking, and hands-on experience. This conversation offers practical insights for students and early-career clinicians considering residency training, helping demystify the process and highlighting what it takes to grow into a confident, well-prepared sports physical therapist.