ATI Physical Therapy Careers Blog

Direct to Consumer is Now Live Nationwide

November 5, 2026

We are excited to share that Direct to Consumer is now available in all markets as of October 1, 2026.

What is Direct to Consumer?

Direct to Consumer replaces the previous online appointment request process with the Digital Front Door experience, allowing eligible patients to complete self-intake and self-schedule their initial evaluation online, directly from the ATI website.

Why is this important?

Direct to Consumer provides patients an easier, more direct way to begin care. It expands digital access, reduces friction in the scheduling journey, and helps convert more prospective patients into scheduled appointments.

Direct Access rules will determine whether a patient is eligible to self-schedule. Key considerations include:

Patients with government insurance or worker’s compensation are not eligible to self-schedule
In WA and MI, Auto or Personal Injury patients are not eligible to self-schedule
In PA, GA, VA, AL, and TX, only clinicians with the appropriate Direct Access specialty will display as available for eligible Direct Access patients.

Clinical Excellence

Compassion > Pain: A Patient’s Journey at ATI

November 5, 2026

Many patients come to therapy, complete their plan of care, and are then able to return to their daily activities. For others, ATI remains a constant in the patient’s life, facilitating pre- and post-operative care to manage chronic symptoms. Recently, PT Nick Rice worked with a patient at the Mesa-Ellsworth clinic. He completed an initial evaluation of a 49-year-old female and recommended further diagnostic imaging after suspecting a rotator cuff tear.

Taking Nick’s recommendation to heart, the patient underwent radiographs and additional orthopedic evaluations while continuing her prehabilitation sessions. When the results came back, the patient learned Nick’s hunch was correct and scheduled surgery before returning to ATI for her postoperative rehabilitation. While the patient and the Mesa – Ellsworth team could anticipate a positive experience while working together through her postoperative rehab, what neither anticipated were the complications that followed.

Shortly after surgery, the patient was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), which is a chronic pain condition that occurs after an injury, stroke, heart attack, or surgery. The pain typically impacts the arm or the leg and is disproportionate to the initial injury. Despite the complications, the patient and the rest of the Mesa-Ellsworth team, including CD Jonathan Elley, PT Nick Rice, PTA Paige Martin, and OSS Railey Potthast, forged ahead, focusing her treatment on improving range of motion, reducing pain, restoring functional use, and gradually incorporating strengthening activities. Her progression continues to be closely monitored to support her plan of care while recognizing the sensitivity and complexity CRPS brings to her recovery.

The patient clearly appreciated the entire team’s efforts as she showed up to the clinic one day with a large basket of goodies and a giant ‘thank you’ card in hand. The team allowed themselves to take in that moment, celebrate what they and the patient achieved together, and reflect on the impact it had on them.

“Working with this patient has been a reminder to all of us that compassion, empathy, and kindness are essential to what we do,” PTA Paige Martin told the RoundUp team. “This experience has made us better people, and, as a result, better prepared to serve our patients and community.”

Clinical Excellence

Welcoming Our New Residents

November 5, 2026

Our residency program is gearing up for fall. We couldn’t be more excited about our new residents or more appreciative of our residency coordinators.

At ATI, we offer Orthopedic and Sports Residency options. Those interested in Orthopedic Residency can choose from three locations: Boston, MA; Greenville, SC; and Dallas, TX. Those interested in our Sports Residency program can choose from Tacoma, WA; Phoenix, AZ; Charleston/Greenville, SC; and Chicago, IL.

Interested individuals can learn more about either program on our Careers page or by visiting the links below:

Physical Therapist – Residents: Rebecca Baughan, Caillian Colquitt, Luke Dao, Lauren Elinski, Leah Ellis, William Farkas, Travis Fetchko, Jordan Genovia, Sydney Hawkins, Thomas Hoskins, Yicheng Lu, Danielle Mabry, Shane O’Brennan, Adelyn O’Dell, Austin Pack, Hailey Pindell, Connor Poggioli, Kylie Ray, Brisilda Rebol, Aksay Fatima Rizvi, Henry Ruff, Richard Sherrow, Akum Singh, Kieran Tilford, and Mekhi Vance

Physical Therapist – Residency Site Coordinators: Erin Brenner, Patrick Deleonibus, Bradley Eggebraaten, Kristi Hanus, Joshua Holskey, Jeremy McSpadden, Margaret Olsen, and Matthew Tucker

Clinical Excellence

Recognizing our Telerehab Team

November 5, 2026

At ATI, our Telerehab clinicians bring the power of PT to our patients in their own home. When people think about telehealth, they may not realize that we can still offer the specialized care our patients need. So, we sat down with Telerehab Physical Therapist (and pelvic health specialist) Mary Maley and Telerehab Occupational Therapist (and Certified Hand Therapist) Joseph Sharaya to learn how they continue to provide these services in a virtual setting.

Providing Exceptional Care for Intimate Conditions

Those who work in pelvic health are no stranger to the specialty’s intimate nature. Pelvic floor conditions can often be difficult to discuss, but for Telerehab PT Mary Maley talking to patients about their symptoms in a virtual setting can be a real benefit.

“For patients, the ability to receive care in the comfort of their own home often allows for more openness when discussing their symptoms and outlining their goals,” Mary said.

But while Mary admits there is no manual assessment like in a clinic setting, telerehab pelvic health is not just all talk. Yes, they discuss symptoms, but it’s about addressing the underlying issues beneath those symptoms. It’s about retraining dysfunctional muscles, educating patients on body mechanics and function, and implementing lifestyle and habit changes.

“When care is applied in a familiar and comfortable setting, the carryover is astronomical,” Mary told the RoundUp team. “The patient develops confidence in their own ability to carry out their plan of care in their daily life rather than rely on external cues for muscle retraining and re-education. It also keeps the focus on getting back to function front-and-center.”

Opening Up the World through Virtual Hand Therapy

Our Hand Therapists understand how our hands guide our everyday lives. By bringing this specialized care to a virtual setting, our Occupational Therapists and Certified Hand Therapists provide patients with care that opens up their world.

“It’s been exciting to be a part of the Telerehab team at ATI and watch how virtual Occupational Therapy continues to evolve,” Telerehab OT Joseph Sharaya said. “I’ve been with ATI since 2022, and we’ve spent a great deal of time and attention building an OT program that adequately addresses our common hand therapy diagnoses.”

Success has followed because of their dedication and recognition that the care they provide doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The Telerehab Occupational Therapy team, also including Telerehab Occupational Therapist Jeffrey Geiger and Telerehab Occupational Therapy Assistant Deborah Chanley, regularly partners with local clinics for orthosis fabrication or recommends prefabricated orthoses from vetted vendors. With collaboration like that, it’s no surprise the team sees positive patient outcomes and the resulting positive Google reviews.

“We have seen the positive outcomes we were hoping for when we first introduced virtual Occupational Therapy,” Joseph added, “and now we will work towards providing that same level of care while diversifying our OT services beyond orthopedics.

”A big “thank you” again to Mary Maley and Joseph Sharaya for providing a small look into their everyday to highlight the power of virtual physical and occupational therapy. And even greater kudos to our entire telerehab team for creating access and providing exceptional care across our footprint.

Physical Therapy

Explore ATI Passport for PTAs

August 24, 2026

We’re excited to announce the upcoming launch of the ATI Passport PTA Travel Program in August 2026. For years, ATI has offered physical therapists the opportunity to experience the flexibility and adventure of travel therapy with our Explore ATI Launch and Passport programs. Both programs have allowed our team members to explore new territories while enjoying the stability, support, and benefits of being an ATI teammate. Soon, we’ll be extending that same opportunity to our PTA colleagues through Passport.

ATI Passport for PTAs is designed for clinicians who want the freedom of travel contracts with the security of a long-term career. With the Passport program, PTAs will have:

The opportunity to support key clinics across the country
Gain diverse clinical experiences
Explore new communities
Continue growing professionally while remaining part of the ATI team

This program represents another exciting step forward in attracting and retaining exceptional clinicians while expanding access to care for our patients. Together, we can help more outstanding PTs and PTAs discover ATI and continue our journey toward becoming the best physical therapy company in the country!

Clinical Excellence

Understanding ATI’s Care Model

August 24, 2026

The term “Care Model” is often used across ATI clinics and meetings, yet if you asked five clinicians to define it, you might hear five different answers. Some might describe it as rehab classification, others as time to care or care pathways. In truth, all of these contribute to the model, but together they form something more unified and purposeful.

The ATI Care Model is defined as addressing specific patient needs to achieve optimal patient outcomes by prioritizing early access and appropriate dosage, as established by a patient’s rehab classification, delivered through appropriate team-based care and optimized through caseload rounds.

Simply put, the ATI Care Model is how we translate patient needs into best patient outcomes. It connects what matters most to our patients- fast access, the right amount of care, and a trusted team- with the processes and behaviors that ensure they don’t just feel better; they get well.

There is no single “correct” number for visits or weeks of treatment because every patient’s journey is unique. What defines The ATI Way is not rigid frequency or duration, but a consistent framework for clinical reasoning, teamwork, and follow-up.

When we accurately classify patient needs, design a plan to deliver the right care at the right time, and monitor progress in real time through caseload rounds, we are practicing the ATI Care Model and delivering high-value, patient-centered care.

Physical Therapy

Back to School: How to Thrive as a Student…

August 24, 2026

It’s back-to-school time, and as a way to offer some advice to the incoming class, our team spoke with Clinical Development Program Lead Jackie Davenport, PT, DPT, OCS, and Director, University Recruitment Kelvin Wong, PT, DPT, MBA. Together, they offered some important insights for students to keep in mind at the start of the year and throughout their studies:

Clinical Development Program Lead Jackie Davenport, PT, DPT, OCS

Remember Your “Why”: Remember, physical therapy is about making an impact, seeing how your exercise program, manual skills, knowledge, and expertise help people live better.
Be Wise about Money: Be mindful of spending and truly understand the impact of compounding interest. Make a plan for the future, including how to pay back loans while earning a standard PT salary.
Always Keep Learning: PT school cannot teach you everything. The rest of your career will be a continuous journey of becoming a better clinician to deliver better care to the people you care for. Stay humble, embrace what you don’t know, and be willing to learn from everyone around you.

Director, University Recruitment Kelvin Wong, PT, DPT, MBA

Stay Curious: Take advantage of every patient encounter by asking your clinical instructor why they chose a particular examination, intervention, or progression. Clinical rotations are one of the few times you’ll have experienced clinicians walking you through their decision-making in real time.
Focus on Relationships, NOT Just Skills: Great outpatient clinicians build trust with patients, collaborate with teammates, and communicate effectively with referral sources. Introduce yourself to everyone, learn from other clinicians, and make each patient feel heard and valued.
Embrace Feedback and Keep Improving: Feedback is one of the fastest ways to grow. Ask your clinical instructor for one thing you did well and one thing you can improve after each day or week. Small, consistent improvements compound into confident clinical practice.

Clinical Excellence

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!”