Cogent Conversations

As college football gets underway, this episode of Cogent Conversations offers a timely look inside the Division I training room. Dr. Shelley Weinstein sits down with Dr. Alex Brownlow, head physical therapist for Penn State football, to discuss his path from the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine to high-performance sports. The conversation also touches on the realities of working with collegiate athletes, an...

Summer means more time outside—but protecting your skin is important no matter who you are. In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelley Weinstein sits down with dermatology nurse practitioner Brittany Smith to discuss practical strategies for reducing and preventing sun damage, recognizing early warning signs of skin cancer, and building healthy habits that protect your skin for years to come.

Whether you're an athlet...

In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelly Weinstein speaks with Dr. Cody Ballay, Senior Physical Therapist at Duke Sports PT and Co-Coordinator of Duke University's Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship. Together, they explore the role of residency and fellowship training in developing clinical reasoning, refining manual therapy skills, and preparing physical therapists for the complexities of clinical practice.

In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelly Weinstein sits down with Dr. Alice O’Connor, a current sports physical therapy resident at the University of Utah Health, to explore her journey into residency and the lessons she learned along the way.

From her early interest in sports performance to pivotal clinical rotations during PT school, Dr. O’Connor shares how she decided to pursue a sports residency an...

In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelly Weinstein is joined by Dr. Emily Maxwell, physical therapist and assistant coach of the U.S. women’s amputee soccer team, and Sarah Evans, a national team athlete, for a conversation about amputee soccer, adaptive sport, and the community that makes it all possible.

Together, they discuss the growth of the American Amputee Soccer Association, the rise of the women’s pro...

Emergency planning in youth sports is only as strong as its enforcement. In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelly Weinstein speaks with investigative reporter Stephanie Kuzydym about her deep dive into how schools fall short of athlete safety laws.

Stephanie’s “Safer Sidelines” investigation uncovered widespread failures by Kentucky high schools to comply with state emergency planning laws, revealing how...

Student-run EMS programs are powerful incubators for clinical skill and leadership. In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelly Weinstein explores that model in action with Brad Morrison and Andrew Tang, crew chiefs for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology EMS Service in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Both MIT graduates and seasoned EMTs, Brad and Andrew discuss their work training and mentoring student volunteers who provid...

Careers in sports medicine rarely follow a single path. In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelly Weinstein is joined by Dr. Lisa Piropato, a dual-credentialed physical therapist and athletic trainer whose career spans clinical care, education, administration, business ownership, and residency leadership.

Together, they explore how athletic training and sports physical therapy complement one another across the cont...

Each summer, the Warrior Games bring together service members and veterans from across the branches of the U.S. military to compete in adaptive sports and celebrate resilience, teamwork, and recovery. This episode of Cogent Conversations discusses the history of the Games and the behind-the-scenes coordination that keeps them running safely each year. 

Our host, Dr. Shelly Weinstein, is joined by Dr. Chris Meyering, medical dir...

In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelly Weinstein welcomes Dr. Nailah Coleman, a board-certified pediatrician and sports medicine specialist based in Washington, D.C. Dr. Coleman shares insights from her wide-ranging career spanning clinical practice, sports medicine leadership, and health equity advocacy.

The discussion explores her roles with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Sports Medicin...

How does the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization keep its athletes healthy, prepared, and protected? In this special episode, Dr. Shelly Weinstein and Dr. Mike Turnwald speak with Dr. Heather Linden and Dr. Jennifer Neudorfer from the UFC Performance Institute about the intersection of performance science and emergency medicine. 

The discussion explores how the Institute sets a new standard in athlete health a...

In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelly Weinstein sits down with Brian McGuire, who serves as the lead athletic trainer for the NFL Scouting Combine as well as an injury spotter in the league’s Player Health and Safety Program. Brian takes listeners behind the scenes of the combine, explaining the evolving role of athletic trainers in protecting athletes and highlighting the importance of preparation, communicatio...

In this episode of Cogent Conversations, host Dr. Shelley Weinstein speaks with Ann Marie Husk, Kerry Mullenix, and Jenna Austell—three dual-credentialed clinicians from Duke University—about the development and structure of Duke’s Sports Physical Therapy Residency and Division I Athletics Fellowship. The panel discusses the origins of the fellowship, its unique emphasis on immersive training within a Division I s...

In this episode of Cogent Conversations, Dr. Shelley Weinstein welcomes Dr. Fran O’Connor, a medical director for the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP), as well as a professor for military and emergency medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. The conversation focuses on Exercise Collapse Associated with Sickle Cell Trait (ECAST) and exertional sickling, as Dr. O’Connor ...

This episode of Cogent Conversations features Dr. Brian Fischer, a sports physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist. Host Shelley Weinstein and Dr. Fischer discuss the long-term impact of inadequate care and the importance of specialized training in sports rehab.

The conversation also touches on Dr. Fischer’s professional journey, his certifications, and his emphasis on ensuring athletes receive ind...

This episode of Cogent Conversations features a comprehensive discussion on mass casualty preparedness and the critical role of stress management in emergency training. Host Shelly Weinstein is joined by Cogent Steps Instructors Dr. Megan Mitchell and Joel Bannister, as well as Dr. Kristina Stanich, a physical therapist who works for the US government. The episode underscores the need for proactive training to ensure readiness for ...

This episode of Cogent Conversations features Dr. John Jardine, an emergency medicine physician currently working at Kent Hospital in Rhode Island. Host Shelley Weinstein and Dr. Jardine discuss his experience in endurance medicine, exploring the challenges of providing medical support at events—particularly in treating exertional heat stroke—as climate plays a more prominent role in our lives.

Dr. Jardine shares insight...

This episode of Cogent Conversations features Fire Chief Brian Weston, a federal firefighter and paramedic overseeing Marine Corps Base Quantico's Fire and EMS services. Chief Weston and Cogent Conversations Host Shelly Weinstein discuss the unique challenges of emergency management on a military base, including differences from civilian departments and other logistical complexities. 

The conversation focuses on the imp...

This episode of Cogent Conversations explores the early stages of a medical career through the lens of volunteering at major events, featuring Gillian Styring, a second-year medical student at George Washington University. Gillian reflects on her roles as an Emergency Room Liaison at the Marine Corps Marathon and as a Marshall at the Isle of Man TT Races and how these have provided unique opportunities to build skills and gain insi...