Sports Division I Fellowship
The 12-month fellowship is comprised of a didactic and clinical educational curriculum that is enhanced by its multidisciplinary nature. Utilizing the extensive network of The University of North Carolina and our many affiliated institutional, faculty and staff partners, the fellowship program provides an unsurpassed breadth and depth of sports medicine training preparing sports physical therapists for success in high level athletics. Drawing from the collaborative spirit at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, fellows will learn from leading experts in sports medicine, both clinicians and researchers.
The fellowship program is housed within the Division of Physical Therapy in the UNC School of Medicine. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has 28 varsity teams. Fellows will work directly with DI athletes and engage in clinical practice at a faculty-run sports physical therapy clinic.
To apply to the University of North Carolina Sports Division I Fellowship, please submit your application by December 1, 2025 (applications are now closed).
- Sports physical therapy coverage at UNC athletic venues and events
- Patient care
- 1:1 clinical mentoring with board-certified clinical specialists
- Evidence-based didactic programming
- Observation with sports medicine physicians and surgeons
- Interdisciplinary sports medicine conferences
- Journal club
- Research opportunities
Minimum Requirements:
- All applicants must be a graduate of a CAPTE accredited physical therapy education program.
- All applicants must be licensed or eligible for a license to practice physical therapy in the state of North Carolina.
- All applicants must hold an ABPTS specialist certification in sports and/or have successfully completed an ABPTRFE accredited sports residency prior to the start of the fellowship.
- Current ATC, EMT, and/or completion of emergency response course approved by the ABPTS Sports Specialty Panel.
- Current CPR certification
- Completed application including:
- CV
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal Statement
- Specialist certification or residency graduation certificate
Information Sessions have passed for 2025, we will update this section when future sessions are added in 2026. Please see the recorded session below.
Information Session (Previously Recorded)
Important Dates
- Application Deadline: December 1, 2025
- Interviews will be conducted in January 2026
- Program will start in July 2026
Apply for the University of North Carolina Sports Division I Fellowship
Deidra Charity, PT, DPT
Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy
Assistant Professor | UNC Sports Division I Fellowship Director
UNC Division of Physical Therapy
deidra.charity@med.unc.edu