ATI Physical Therapy Careers Blog

Hand Therapy: Where PT and OT Meet

June 5, 2026

During the first week of June, ATI recognizes Hand Therapy Week, celebrating the physical therapists and occupational therapists who practice this unique specialty. While PT focuses on building physical strength and OT emphasizes function and independent daily living, the two converge, combining specialized expertise to restore upper extremity function after injury, surgery, or overuse.

At ATI, we focus on creating an environment where our clinicians can thrive, offering mentorship and opportunities to create the practice and career they want. Our Certified Hand Therapists serve our patients in the clinics, supporting patients through vulnerable moments so they can return to the activities they need and want to do.

“I chose ATI because of its strong commitment to growing the field of hand therapy,” Emmanuel Acheampong, Occupational Therapist, said. “As a new graduate, it’s exciting to see a major organization actively investing in this specialty, and I look forward to growing alongside it while continuing to develop my clinical skills.”

Additionally, some of our providers pursue clinical research opportunities alongside their daily clinical duties by serving as Research Fellows for the Institute of Musculoskeletal Advancement (iMSKA), an organization ATI is proud to work with.

Clinical Excellence

From the Clinic to the Classroom and Back Again

June 5, 2026

Back in 2024, ATI announced a partnership with Tufts University, creating a unique opportunity for team members to develop and grow their career. Recently, we sat down with Operations Support Specialist JaNaisha Handy, who is currently enrolled in the program, to learn more about how working at ATI has given her direction and support towards her future career.

After graduating from the University of Delaware in 2023 with a degree in Health Behavior Science, JaNaisha was unsure of her direct career path, but she was sure that she wanted to be in healthcare. When she began her tenure at ATI the same year, the building blocks to her future career path started falling into place.

Athletic Trainer

I’m Lovin’ It: Our ATs and PT Sports Residents…

June 5, 2026

When the nation’s best athletes perform, ATI is there to help keep them moving. Once again, ATI served as the official physical therapy provider for the McDonald’s All-American Games. Four of ATI’s Sports Medicine Athletic Trainers traveled to Phoenix for the big game and split their time between the all-star teams with help from three of ATI’s PT Sports Residents.

“I am most excited and very honored to be given the opportunity to represent ATI at the McDonalds All-American Games!” Samuel Almendarez, an ATC from ATI’s Illinois market, said when asked about the event prior to the big game. “Traveling for this game and being around the media and high-profile athletes resembles the experiences I had while working with the Chicago Sky. This will be a lot of fun!”

Continuing Education

Catch the McDonald’s All-American Games

March 26, 2026

When the nation’s best athletes perform, ATI is there to help keep them moving. Once again, ATI will serve as the official physical therapy provider for the McDonald’s All-American Games. Four of ATI’s Sports Medicine Athletic Trainers will travel to Phoenix for the big game and split their time between the all-star teams with help from three of ATI’s PT Sports Residents.

“I am most excited and very honored to be given the opportunity to represent ATI at the McDonalds All-American Games!” Samuel Almendarez, an ATC from ATI’s Illinois market, said when asked about the event. “Traveling for this game and being around the media and high-profile athletes resembles the experiences I had while working with the Chicago Sky. This will be a lot of fun!”

Continuing Education

Advancing MSK Care for All

March 26, 2026

The Institute for Musculoskeletal Advancement (iMSKA) continues to make a name for itself in the MSK space by going beyond the clinic and sports field setting to promote better outcomes for all patients. See below for some of the most recent publications available with help from ATI and iMSKA’s very own Athletic Trainers, get a sneak peek of new research already underway, and learn how you can get involved to make your own impact in the industry.

New Research & Recent Publications

New Research

A collaborative research project between iMSKA, ATI, AdventHealth Sports Med and Rehab, and Anderson University is generating exciting new insights into the medial elbow in collegiate softball players. Using musculoskeletal ultrasound, our team collected data across multiple universities in South Carolina to investigate whether the throwing arm in softball athletes undergoes anatomical adaptations similar to those documented in baseball players. As softball remains an underrepresented population in this area of research, we are especially eager to share this work with a series of publications currently in development.

Sports Medicine

Taking Care in Chicago Public Schools to a New…

March 26, 2026

For four years now, ATI Sports Medicine has partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Our 19 Athletic Trainers span the entire school district, providing athletic training services to 86 high schools and Chicago Public League athletics teams. These ATs bring to life a shared mission with CPS to provide community and equity-based healthcare for all students and families while achieving ATI’s own purpose in making every life an active life.

Their impact is tremendous: the majority of these schools have never had access to Athletic Trainers or their services before.

“Our ATs are providing care, building Sports Medicine programs, and educating our school communities on the type of care they can receive while working with us,” Sports Medicine Manager Eric Bucktold the RoundUp Team. “What this team continues to deliver is beyond expectations, and the results have been incredibly rewarding.”

Clinical Excellence

Caring for the Injured Worker 30 Years and Counting

March 5, 2026

In May, ATI Physical Therapy will celebrate 30 years in the healthcare industry. What has grown into a national practice offering a broad range of services began as a clinical practice based on treating the injured worker. To this day, ATI honors its roots by continuing its workers’ compensation and work hardening programs.

One recent success story comes from our Washington market, where a patient came in for rotator cuff repair physical therapy at our Gig Harbor clinic, followed by Work Hardening in Tacoma.

“The patient’s progress was not always linear,” Multisite Clinic Director Catch Hurst said, “but our team’s ability to think outside the box pushed him and provided a seamless transition to the work hardening program.”

On his first day back to work, the patient, who works as a delivery driver, completed 120 stops and delivered 147 packages. He then took the time to reach out to the ATI team with a recap of his day: “Today was a heavy day… but all that PT and WC made it easy to crush it. I have such gratitude to you all. “

Advocacy

Fighting for the Future of Physical Therapy and Occupational…

March 5, 2026

At ATI, our leaders remain committed to the causes that impact our industry and the current and future professionals at the heart of it. Recently, Chief Clinical and Strategy Officer Chuck Thigpen, PhD, PT, ATC, spoke out against the January 29, 2026, proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Education to reclassify physical and occupational therapy as a “graduate degree program” for federal student loan purposes. He urged others to advocate for the future of the physical therapy and occupational therapy professions.

Understanding the Potential Impact

At a time when the profession is already facing nationwide workforce clinician shortages, Thigpen encouraged the ATI organization and his professional network to speak out to protect the future of rehab for our patients and ourselves as providers. Ramifications of this reclassification include:

Clinical Excellence

When the Temps Drop, Telerehab Heats Up

March 5, 2026

At the end of January, winter storms broke out across the United States, leaving many of our teams facing snow and bitter cold. During this time, our telerehab team members rolled up their sleeves and braced themselves for the increase in patients.

“During the inclement weather, we saw a significant influx of patients needing to transition from in-person care to virtual care, often with little notice,” Virtual Care Coordinator Heather Lawrence told the RoundUp team. “The primary focus was maintaining continuity of care while minimizing disruption for both patients and clinicians.”

Clinical Excellence

ATI Thought Leadership

March 5, 2026

At ATI, our team members are continually pushing the boundaries in the health, wellness, and rehabilitation space. From weighing in on current trends to offering tried-and-true wellness solutions, our team members are sharing their expertise outside the organization to help others achieve better health. Here are some of the articles and media from our employees:

Practice Growth Podcast

Care doesn’t stop when a patient leaves the clinic! In a recent episode of the Practice Growth Podcast, Vice President, Process and Product Development, MacKenzie Winkler shared how building hybrid care into everyday practice has strengthened collaboration, supported clinicians, and improved continuity for patients.

Do Vibration Plates Really Work? Experts Weigh In

Featuring: VP, Clinical Development Tom Denninger

The latest viral fitness trend is literally buzzy. Vibration plates are all over TikTok, with devotees saying they help tone and strengthen muscles…

Unlike sneakers, stationary bikes or ankle weights, vibration plates seem a bit more complicated to use. And do they even work? To get the answers to these questions and more, I spoke with physical therapists to get the answers. Here’s what they had to say.

Read the full article here.