For 10 years, The Johns Hopkins Hospital/George Washington University Pediatric Residency program has been training the next generation of pediatric Physical Therapists (PT). Accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education, it integrates learning, teaching, and advocacy in 12.5 months of residency curriculum.
The residents, who serve as employees with John Hopkins Hospital, treat children across multiple settings; from school-based to early intervention, inpatient rehab, acute care, and outpatient. Residents also teach within The George Washington University’s (GW) Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. As current resident Ashka Sevak PT, DPT, states “it's the best of both worlds.”
The program, which started in 2015, accepts one to two students every year to learn the latest advancements in the field of pediatrics and DPT education. Erin Wentzell, PT, DPT, DrPH, PCS leads as the Academic Director of the program, in addition to serving as faculty for the GW DPT program, and working as a pediatric physical therapist for almost 20 years.
Wentzell sees the residency program as an opportunity to “work with our colleagues at the beginning stages of their careers, launching them into what they want to be.” She sees her role as both an educator and a mentor. While Wentzell’s main focus is to help residents become better educators, she recognizes that teaching exists beyond the classroom. Wentzell states, “our residents continue to teach: whether as a clinical instructor (CI), a faculty member in a DPT program, or as a conference presenter. The teaching skills the residents learn are transferable across multiple settings.”
Sevak, who began the program in July 2025, knew she wanted to work in pediatrics from the beginning. Her passion for the profession stemmed from a desire to “[use] anatomy and physiology to guide holistic intervention to help rehabilitation of children.”
As she worked to obtain a biology degree at Drexel University and a Physical therapy assistant (PTA) degree at Essex County College, she also developed a desire to be an advocate for students and the physical therapy profession, which led to leadership roles within the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Student Special Interest Group.
Even after Sevak completed her DPT degree at Moravian University, she felt she had more to learn regarding pediatric physical therapy. Sevak applied to various pediatric residency programs, but ultimately chose GW because of its well-rounded curriculum, focus in advocacy, and experiential learning opportunities. She felt that the program would allow her to feel confident in any pediatric setting.
Sevak describes the learning within the residency as very different from any of her other degree programs. Unlike traditional classwork and lectures, her clinical mentorship consists of being assigned a topic, researching it, discussing it with her mentor, and applying it to her clinical practice. Sevak notes, “The program necessitates the ability to take knowledge and apply it; not just as a student, but as a clinician. It requires higher level critical thinking.” She also completes additional didactic work through the APTA’s Pediatric Consortium which gives detailed information on foundational topics as well as an opportunity to learn from experts in the pediatric PT field and collaborate with other residents in pediatric residency programs across the country.
Within the residency program, Sevak also receives an opportunity to promote scholarship and learning by teaching as an adjunct faculty member in the Management of the Pediatric Client course. She describes the experience as "one of the best parts of the program" and that it has "solidified [her] passion for teaching."
The residency program has also allowed Sevak to expand her understanding and abilities in advocacy. While advocacy is often recognized as occurring mainly on public stages, at rallies, and in the halls of government buildings, Sevak has learned that individual advocacy is just as important and can often result in more immediate results. Sevak recalls a time where she advocated for a patient whose braces were hindering their progress towards their therapeutic goals. She first consulted their family to see if the same problems persisted outside the clinic, then brought these issues to the patient’s wider medical team to advocate for adjustments to the braces.
Sevak sees the John Hopkins Hospital/George Washington University residency program as an opportunity to understand “how to be an expert pediatric clinician, not only from a clinical perspective, but from a career perspective.” It allows her to see what is missing in the pediatrics field and how she can bring that to fruition in the future. Sevak is due to finish the program in August 2026 and is excited to jump into the field with a new and better appreciation for all it has to offer.
