What year(s) did you do the fellowship?
2001
What sport organizations, teams, or associations have you been involved with throughout your career?
● Western Mustangs (U Sports)
● Skate Canada
● Rugby Canada
● Cycling Canada
● Rowing Canada
How has the Fowler Kennedy Physiotherapy Sport Fellowship community & network supported your growth beyond the program?
The Fowler Kennedy fellowship community supported my growth well beyond the program by providing my first full immersion into a daily high-performance training environment and meaningful exposure to high performance sport.
Being embedded in that setting allowed me to translate theory into real-time decision-making, refine my clinical reasoning, and better understand load management and return-to-play planning. The wealth of mentorship from senior staff fostered critical thinking, leadership development, and professional confidence that continues to influence my practice. Additionally, the interdisciplinary collaboration with primary care sport medicine physicians and orthopaedic surgeons broadened my diagnostic framework and reinforced the value of integrated, team-based care. Collectively, these experiences and relationships have had a lasting impact on both my clinical approach and professional trajectory.
What was a defining moment during your fellowship that helped shape the way you practice as a Physiotherapist?
Initially, I felt disappointed that I was not placed with my preferred sport. Instead, I was assigned to work alongside a senior sport medicine physician supporting a team with a smaller medical staff. In hindsight, that shift became one of the most valuable experiences of my fellowship. It immersed me in a high-performance, team-based environment where decisions had to be timely, collaborative, and centered on the athlete. I was entrusted with meaningful responsibility in assessment, management planning, and sideline coverage, which challenged me to step forward, trust my clinical reasoning, and grow in confidence. At the same time, having the steady guidance and expertise of a senior physician created a powerful balance of autonomy and mentorship. That experience strengthened
my clinical skills, sharpened my inter-professional communication, and reinforced a practice style grounded in both independence and collaboration—an approach that continues to shape how I work as a physiotherapist today.
What would you tell someone who is thinking about applying for the fellowship?
If you are considering applying for the fellowship, I would encourage you to lean in and be prepared to grow. It is an immersive experience that challenges your clinical reasoning, communication, and ability to function within high-performance and interdisciplinary environments. You will gain meaningful responsibility while being supported by exceptional mentorship from senior staff and close collaboration with sport medicine physicians and orthopaedic surgeons. If you are open to feedback, willing to step outside your comfort zone, and motivated to develop within a high-performance culture, the fellowship can be truly transformative for your clinical skills, confidence, and professional trajectory.