UAB Doctorate of Physical Therapy third-year students are finishing up their clinical experiences before graduation in December. One student in particular is making strides to combine his love for sports with his physical therapy skills.
Colin Silva, a third-year student from Hoover, Alabama was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks for an internship with their physical therapy and sports rehabilitation center this summer.
“I’ve always known I wanted to be involved in sports, but I wasn’t entirely sure how. I played football and baseball in high school, and football in college,” said Silva.
After shadowing a PT that worked with baseball players and working alongside the Birmingham Barons athletic trainer, Silva was sure that he not only wanted to work in baseball, but professional baseball. The ultimate goal is to become a Medical Coordinator for an MLB organization.
Silva will be completing this five-week internship in between clinicals this summer. He expressed that school is his first priority, and he was determined to find a way to pursue his dream of working for an MLB team while completing his Doctorate of Physical Therapy on time.
Silva credits Dr. Pearce for her generous help in making this internship work while still fulfilling his clinical requirements for graduation.
“Colin has impressed me with his drive for professional development. As he applies and is selected for each of these learning opportunities, we work with our clinical education partners to ensure that he can participate in these extra learning experiences, while also maintaining his excellent academic standards. I truly believe one day Colin will be able to achieve his dream due to his work ethic, determination, and personal leadership,” said Dr. Pearce.
The Diamondbacks offer a Next Generation program, which provides students hands on experience working with professional athletes in their respective fields. Finding a team willing to provide this unique experience did not come easily.
“I reached out to any PT for an MLB team that I could find. I probably talked to about half, and Arizona was one of the only teams with a program like this,” said Silva.
“I am very excited to learn from not just PTs but an entire medical staff that has years of experience in pro baseball. I think it is going to be a really good opportunity for me to grow as a clinician and practice my craft.”
