To request more information, please contact our program director:
Steven Purcell
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 314-325-3106
Mercy Sports in St. Louis offers a 12-month Sports Residency Program for physical therapists aiming to treat athletes. The program, currently seeking ABPTRFE accreditation, prepares residents for the sports physical therapy specialty exam by emphasizing evidence-based practice and clinical decision-making. Starting each July, residents engage in sports coverage, performance coaching with EXOS, injury prevention, service-learning and research. Each resident is exposed to a variety of diverse learning opportunities through collaborations with Mercy’s clinical staff, physicians and athletic training teams, plus partnerships with the St. Louis Cardinals and Lindenwood University. The program aims to enhance clinical reasoning and prepare residents for the specialty exam.
Mission
The mission of the Mercy St. Louis Sports Residency Program is that, through our ministry and compassionate care, we foster the professional development of skilled, evidence-based clinicians who are experts in sports rehabilitation with a commitment to the advancement of injury prevention, safety, and care for the athlete as a whole.
The Mercy St. Louis Sports Residency Program will use the centralized process once accredited but, in the meantime, please use the link below to apply.
Currently, one sports physical therapy resident position is available each year. The Mercy St. Louis Sports Residency Program uses the Centralized Application Process, RF-PTCAS, outlined on the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education website.
Apply here.
Click here for our Financial Fact Sheet.
Applicants to the Mercy St. Louis Sports Residency Program must:
- Graduate from a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy program
- Obtain a Missouri Physical Therapy license
- Meet all eligibility requirements to be employed as a practicing physical therapist within Mercy Sports Medicine
- Possess one of the following:
- Current ATC designation
- Current license as an EMT or certification as an Emergency Medical Responder prior to starting the program
If you're a non-US-educated physical therapist, please contact us to discuss admission requirements.
For the upcoming cohort, applications will open in February 2025. We'll interview applicants until a resident is selected. The program will begin in July 2025.
- July – Medical Emergency Response; Early Assessment Strategies
- August – Concussion Evaluation; Pre-participation Screening; Imaging
- September – Knee
- October – Foot and Ankle
- November – Hip
- December – Strength and Conditioning/Sport Performance; Nutrition; Female Athlete
- January – Shoulder
- February – Elbow, Wrist and Hand
- March – Spine
- April – Medical Conditions; Sports Psychology; Mental Health for Athletes
- May – Special Topics
- June – Review; Research; Test Prep Strategies
The schedule for the sports resident will change weekly based on athletic coverage and other didactic activities. A sample weekly schedule can be viewed here.
Mercy St. Louis Sports Residency Program is in the process of applying for candidacy status through the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE).
Achieving candidacy status isn't an indication that ABPTRFE will grant initial accreditation. Participants who graduate from a program in candidacy status aren't deemed to have completed an accredited program.
The Mercy St. Louis Sports Residency Program is looking to accept our inaugural resident in July 2025.
Since our program is currently engaged in the pursuit of accreditation and an approval for candidacy, there aren't any program outcomes to report.
Sports Residency Team and Program Faculty
