Athletic Trainer Residency Programs Elevate Sports Healthcare for College Athletes

By Amarna Milne and Nicole Richter

At Temple University, athletic trainers and physical therapists are working to perfect skills that will help them better support college athletes. Through residency programs, these healthcare professionals gain hands-on experience and mentorship, preparing them to take their careers to new heights.

Victor Lugo-Merle, a physical therapy resident, reflects on his diverse experiences, which range from treating football players in the summer to working with Olympic athletes during the school year. 

“Residency offers a level of mentorship you can’t find anywhere else,” Lugo-Merle said. 

This immersive environment allows residents like Lugo-Merle to build specialized expertise to work with athletes at the highest levels of competition.

Patrick Smith, head of Physical Therapy for Olympic Sports at Temple, believes these residency programs are essential for professionals who want to specialize in collegiate athletics. 

“In school, we get exposure to a wide range of areas, but residency allows you to zero in on sports and orthopedic care,” Smith said.

For athletes like David Troy, a cross-country runner, these residency programs fuel confidence in the care received from people trained as athletic residents. 

“They’ve had an extra year of training, so I feel assured in their abilities,” Troy said.

Residency programs are becoming a vital part of healthcare training at universities nationwide, equipping the next generation of professionals with the tools to meet the needs of student-athletes in high-pressure environments.