Women's Health Residency
Program Mission
The mission of the UNC Health Residency Programs is to provide a superior, comprehensive specialist training and mentorship to licensed physical therapists to meet the health and wellness needs of the people of North Carolina and beyond. For the UNC Health Women's Health Physical Therapy residency, this mission is applied to physical therapists and their work with a diverse population including transgender, non-binary, male, adult and pediatric patients with pelvic health related conditions.
Program Goals
- Support the mission of UNC Health and provide quality care to all patients/clients of NC.
- Be a nationally recognized provider for post-professional clinical training within the area of women’s health physical therapy.
- Demonstrate sustainability, obtain and maintain ABPTRFE accreditation
- Provide residents with high quality, consistent experience at both clinics
- Prepare physical therapy residents to be autonomous providers within their specialized area of clinical practice, displaying excellence in examination, diagnosis, intervention, consultation, teaching, and the integration of best evidence into patient care.
- Facilitate the resident’s ability to integrate foundational science, learning and developmental theory, and evidence-based clinical practice in pelvic health through structured academic and clinical experiences.
Program Type
Multiple facility: Residents will work 30 hours per week. Six months in a UNC Rehabilitation Therapies clinic in Durham and 6 months in a UNC Rex clinic in Raleigh.
Program Structure
- The program is a 55 week appointment starting September 8, 2025.
- We are an ABPTRFE accredited residency and onboard 2 residents per year.
- Residents completing the residency program will be prepared to sit for the WCS.
Curriculum
The curriculum includes online learning modules, journal club, case discussion, skills labs and in-person learning opportunities.
The curriculum will cover topics such as: Pelvic floor dysfunctions including bowel and bladder dysfunctions, sexual dysfunction, perinatal and postpartum care, transgender and non-binary care, pediatric care, lymphedema and oncology care.
Program Outcomes
- 100% graduation rate
- Research 21-22: poster presentation at APTA NC Fall conference
- 75% passing rate women’s health board exam
ABPTRFE Accreditation Status:
The UNC Health Women’s Health Physical Therapy Residency program is accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education as a post-professional residency program for physical therapists in women’s health.
Salary, Tuition and Benefits
Residents are full-time employees (with competitive salary and benefits). Residents also receive Paid Time Off for vacation, sick and holiday time off from clinic work. There is no tuition associated with the program.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be residents of the U.S. and have NC PT licensure prior to program start date.
- Applicants must have clinical experience in women’s health either via completion of full time clinical experience and/or work experience.
- Applicants must have completed APTA approved pelvic health level 1 course or equivalent.
Application
Applications for 2025-2026 will open October 1 through December 8, 2024. Please go to RF-PTCAS.
We will invite strong candidates for an on-site interview on Friday January 24, 2025.
Mentors and Faculty
Kristel Maes, PT, DPT, Program Director
Undergraduate school: KULeuven Belgium
Graduate school: KULeuven Belgium and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Professional interest: My clinical interest is spine. In my current position as Administrator of our post-graduate programs I have a passion for education and preparing the future generation of therapists.
Why I serve as a mentor: Research has shown that having a professional mentor is beneficial to advancing your career. From personal experience, I value the benefit of surrounding myself with others who can give me a different perspective on a patient case, problem or project. By serving as a mentor I hope to pass on my knowledge and support a resident’s professional growth.
Amber Cobia, PT, DPT, CLT
Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Women's Health Physical Therapy
Coordinator
Undergraduate school: University of Tampa
Graduate school: University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
Professional interest: I really enjoy treating pelvic health and lymphedema across the board, and especially enjoy when I can use my training in both areas to help the same person. My true passion since starting as a pelvic health therapist though is sexual dysfunction and pelvic pain. I get so much joy and fulfilment from helping people in areas that at one time felt pretty hopeless.
Why I serve as a mentor: I love educating. Whether I am lecturing, teaching students, mentoring residents, or providing patient or provider education, I love to share my knowledge and expertise. My mentors in pelvic health and lymphedema therapy have been invaluable over the years and I hope that the people I teach feel the same way about what I'm able to offer them.
Erika N. Johnson, MPT, PT
Undergraduate school: BS in Computer Science, Mary Washington College (University of Mary Washington)
Graduate school: Master of Physical Therapy, Old Dominion University
Professional interest: Pelvic health topics with special interest in pregnancy and postpartum care, vaginismus and post cancer care. Also passionate about dry needling, process improvement and program development within outpatient rehabilitation.
Why I serve as a mentor: Serving as a mentor allows me to share my passion and experience with upcoming therapists. Mentorship also provides me additional education and professional growth opportunities--I love to learn from students, residents and fellows. Any opportunity to spread the availability and awareness of pelvic health rehabilitation services is a plus.
Amanda Friedline Weber, PT, DPT, ATC
Undergraduate school: Hope College - BA in Exercise Sport Science w/ Emphasis in Athletic Training
Graduate school: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Masters in Athletic Training, Doctorate in Physical Therapy
Professional interest: Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy, perinatal and postpartum care, bowel/bladder and sexual dysfunction, orthopedics/sports, and vestibular physical therapy.
Why I serve as a mentor: I enjoy being able to mentor/teach the next wave of pelvic floor therapists, assisting with clinical reasoning and hands on learning to offer a holistic approach for evaluation and intervention. As a student, having mentors to lean on, bounce ideas off of and guide my practice was invaluable in all areas of clinical practice, but especially pelvic floor physical therapy where there is less dedicated didactic time in PT school, requiring additional CEU/learning.
Alicia Hess, PT, DPT, cert. DN
Undergraduate school: Andrews University
Graduate school: Andrews University
Professional interest: Pelvic health for all persons.
Why I serve as a mentor: I am interested in all opportunities to advocate for pelvic health, particularly in underserved communities such as Transgender health care and gender non-conforming communities via teaching, training and mentorship. I feel that, as a mentor in the fellowship program, I will be able to contribute to the development of systems, programs and therapists to support physical therapy in pelvic health.
Aimee Jonio, PT, DPT, CLT, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s Health
Undergraduate school: Michigan State University
Graduate school: Elon University
Professional interest: Pelvic Health, including female, male, and pediatric patients.
Lymphedema services.
Why I serve as a mentor: Mentoring forces/allows me to step out of my comfort zone and think of/explain things differently, as well as gives me opportunities to learn from other professionals who are passionate about pelvic health and about delivering the best care possible. I would not be where I am today were it not for my own mentors, and I see this as part of how I am attempting to pay it forward within the profession.
Lisette McEwen, PT, MPT
Undergraduate school: University of California San Diego
Graduate school: Samuel Merritt University
Professional interest: Awareness of the role of the physical therapist in pelvic health across the medical field and in the community. The treatment of dyspareunia.
Why I serve as a mentor: I enjoy sharing my passion for the treatment of individuals with pelvic floor dysfunction. I find that sharing the experience I have gained in treating this patient population reinforces a higher level of practice and can often expand my own clinical knowledge.
Gail Nagel, PRPC, Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification
Undergraduate school: University of Illinois BS Biology ; Chicago Medical School BS PT
Graduate school: University of Illinois BS Biology ; Chicago Medical School BS PT
Professional interest: Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy, Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, Dry Needling including to Pelvic Floor, Functional Manual Physical Therapy, Myofascial Release.
Why I serve as a mentor: Throughout my career --I have sought out and participated in a multitude of different educational opportunities including completing a 3 year post graduate orthopedic residency program, attending multiple orthopedic manual therapy courses through the Institute of Physical Art, participating in courses through Bjorn Svendsen’s Orthopedic Manual Residency program ,as his invited guest (Bjorn Svendsen DHSc PT was also one of the founding father of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists AAOMPT), being mentored by Dr. Edward Stiles, an Osteopath who has received numerous awards including the A.T. Still Medallion of Honor.
I am passionate about learning and sharing information that I have attained through my years of experience as a physical therapist.
Brian Trabulsi, PT, MPT, COMT
Undergraduate school: Marietta College
Graduate school: Chatham University
Professional interest: I enjoy working with complex patients and utilizing a combination of dry needling, manual therapy and exercise to systematically help with their musculoskeletal issues.
Why I serve as a mentor: I enjoy watching the residents grow as clinicians from the beginning to the end of the residency. I enjoy helping them figure out what to focus on versus what is less important.
Andrea Gutierrez PT, DPT, PRPC
Undergraduate school: California State University-Northridge
Graduate school: Azusa Pacific University
Professional interest: Establishing rapport with patients. Driving innovating treatment. Patient education/teaching Learning nutritional correlates as it pertains to pelvic health
Why I serve as a mentor: To participate in helping shape the pelvic leaders of tomorrow and overall instill a learning community for both residents, mentors, and collaborating professionals.
Catherine Apicella, PT, PRPC
Undergraduate school: University of Virginia
Graduate school: Columbia University
Professional interest:
Pelvic health and wellness for all populations
Why I serve as a mentor
There is so much to learn in this amazing field! It has been said that you don't know how much you know until you teach, and I have found this to be true many times over. I love sharing my knowledge and in turn, learning from others, and find that mentoring allows for both in a really fulfilling way.
Kristin Phillips, PT, DPT, CLT, Board Certified Women's Health Clinical Specialist
Undergraduate school: University of Pittsburgh
Graduate school: University of Pittsburgh
Professional interest: All aspects of pelvic health physical therapy with a particular passion for sexual dysfunction, chronic pelvic pain, and postpartum return to fitness and sport.
Why I serve as a mentor: I serve as a mentor to share my passion for pelvic health, give back to my profession, and advance my own skills and expertise. As a graduate of a residency program myself, I appreciate the importance mentorship and look forward to supporting other physical therapists on their professional journeys.
Carolyn Seale, PT
Undergraduate school: Elon University
Graduate school: Duke University
Professional Interest: Pelvic health, specifically pregnancy and postpartum
Why I serve as a mentor: Serving as a mentor allows me both the ability to teach and to continue learning myself. I stay more up to date with current research and techniques.
Sarah Richardson, PT, DPT, CLT, WCS
Undergraduate school: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduate school: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Professional Interest: My clinical interests focus on pelvic floor physical therapy and oncology/lymphedema care. I value the opportunity to treat a diverse range of patients and appreciate the significant overlap between these two specialties. It's incredibly rewarding to support individuals as they navigate symptoms that can be difficult to discuss and witness their growing confidence as they progress through treatment.
Why I serve as a mentor: I serve as a mentor because completing a residency myself was such a pivotal and transformative experience in my career. The insights I gained and the support I received were invaluable in shaping my clinical practice and professional growth. I feel passionate about paying that experience forward, offering guidance and mentorship to clinicians as they navigate their own journeys, just as I was supported during mine. It's incredibly rewarding to help others grow and develop their expertise in this field.
Residents 24-25
Alexis Hundley, PT, DPT, ATC
Undergraduate school: Bowling Green State University
Graduate school: University of South Florida
Professional interest: Chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia, & endometriosis
Why I chose to do a residency at UNC: I chose to do a residency because I value mentorship and wanted to enhance my clinical skills/confidence in pelvic health, which is a quickly growing field. I'm very excited to be surrounded by so many brilliant and experienced clinicians everyday.
What I like about Chapel Hill: I was drawn to Chapel Hill for the vibrant arts and beautiful culture that I'm surrounded by. I love that this area gives me a good blend of small town energy with lots of fun activities to try. I'm also inspired by the sense of community- Everyone is so friendly here!
Kristen Powell Long, PT, DPT
Undergraduate school: Mercer University
Graduate school: Georgia Southern University
Professional interest: I first became interested in pelvic health through my passion for treating the pregnant and postpartum populations. As I began practicing, I quickly became interested in many of the facets of pelvic health, including pelvic pain, dyspareunia, and interstitial cystitis. I am excited to see a broad scope of diagnoses at UNC Health!
Why I chose to do a residency at UNC: I chose UNC for their dedication to both residents' professional learning and personal well-being. It was clear to me that the faculty of the program are passionate about sharing their knowledge and truly care about each resident's success. There is a palpable supportive team dynamic, which I am so grateful to now be a part of!
What I like about Chapel Hill: My favorite part about the triangle thus far has been the restaurants. I love to explore new places and try new foods - I even keep a running list of each place I want to try (including recommendations of the best thing on the menu to order!). As the weather cools off, I am excited to explore some of the outdoor activities and running trails.
Residents 23-24
Katherine Osterhaus, PT, DPT
Why I chose to do a residency program at UNC: I wanted to do a residency program to jump start my career in pelvic health and learn as much as I can in the first year of my career. UNC stood out to me because I could tell the mentors here really value their residents' wellbeing, and they also are very receptive to feedback. The mentors and residency faculty truly care about me as a person and they also care about the education I am receiving, and they will do pretty much anything to help me advance in both of those areas.
What I like about Chapel Hill, NC: My favorite part about this area is all of the hiking trails that are so nearby! Coming from Houston, Texas, I feel spoiled with all of the nearby parks and trails, and I love getting to enjoy them in this cooler weather.
Katie Everton, PT, DPT, CDN
Why I chose to do a residency program at UNC: My decision to pursue residency education stemmed from the injustices I have seen in the medical system towards women and the gender diverse population. I wanted to be as skilled in the field of pelvic health as possible to further help patients in need of care. The diversity of educational materials built into UNC's program, along with the skilled mentors that UNC provides made my decision to pursue residency here easy! The people here are incredibly friendly, and I couldn't ask for a better team to assist in my learning and growth as a clinician.
What I like about Chapel Hill, NC: I love that we are in close proximity to three different cities with so much to offer. There is always something to do no matter what your interests are, amazing food to eat and the weather is lovely! I particularly love the botanical gardens in the area.
Residents 22-23
Sarah Plimpton PT, DPT, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s Health
Why I chose to do a residency program at UNC: I chose UNC because of the welcoming environment, the amount of mentors I would have available to me, and how friendly everyone was when I interviewed!
What I like about Chapel Hill, NC: I love the food, the mix of cultures, and the beautiful plants that grow here in NC!
Gianna Davila PT, DPT
Why I chose to do a residency program at UNC: I chose to do a residency because I want to be deeply educated and confident in the field of pelvic health. I wanted to fast track my education and learn from skilled clinicians that have been working in this field for many years. I chose UNC because the mentors and other clinicians showed how passionate and dedicated they are to the field of pelvic health and to wanting to collaborate and teach their future residents all that they know. Each mentor also has different sets of skills and backgrounds making this program have a diversity of knowledge to learn from.
What I like about Chapel Hill, NC: I like that there is always something to do in Chapel Hill or just the Raleigh/Durham area in general. There are great places to hike, amazing food options, fun coffee shops and unique breweries to check out!
Residents 2021 - 2022
Ruba Raza, DPT, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s Health
Why I chose to do a residency program at UNC: Having had two previous clinical rotations at UNC, I experienced how UNC stands out in providing excellent mentorship for their students, as well as PT residents. The team at UNC truly wants to see you succeed and always put in the time and effort to help you grow personally, and professionally.
What I like about Chapel Hill, NC: Being from the Durham area, I have always loved this area and even decided to buy a house here. There are so many activities and things to do around here- from going to breweries to hiking, and everything in between, I feel like I never run out of new and fun options! This area is also growing super fast and so there are always new and fun restaurants to try.
Jennifer Castillo, PT, DPT, Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s Health
Why I chose to do a residency program at UNC: I chose to do a residency at UNC because of the well-rounded opportunity, including research, teaching, didactic work, and mentorship during clinical practice. The entire staff is welcoming, helpful, and excellent at what they do! I am very excited to be one of the first Women's Health PT Residents and can't wait to grow as a clinician with UNC's support during this year!
What I like about Chapel Hill, NC: So many different options of things to do! All of food choices are delicious and the outdoor activities are awesome to see the beautiful greenery. I can't wait to go to a UNC sporting event!
Questions
Reach out to Kristel Maes
