Contributions over credentials

The Clinical Inquiry Fellowship

What Do We Mean by Fellowship?

I struggle a bit with calling this program the Clinical Inquiry Fellowship because the term "fellowship" often gets misinterpreted today. When people hear it, they may think of it as just another credential or a box to check off. But that’s not the spirit behind this fellowship at all. My vision for it is far closer to the sense of "fellowship" you’d find in something like the Fellowship of the Ring—a community united by a shared purpose, meeting regularly in fellowship, learning, challenging each other, and striving toward a common goal.

Originally, fellowships were about collaboration and mutual support among people with a shared mission, vision, and values. A fellowship was a place for collective growth, where each person’s contributions built toward something larger. In this Clinical Inquiry Fellowship, we aim to restore that original sense. This is not about achieving a credential; it’s about contributing to a larger conversation and moving our field forward through the shared insights and hard work of all involved.

Our True Goal: Contribution

The ultimate aim of this fellowship is not merely personal advancement but collective contribution. Each fellow’s purpose is to make a meaningful addition to the field and support others in doing the same. Together, we aim to create a body of work that expands what clinical inquiry means for physical therapy. This journey is about challenging established norms, expanding the boundaries of knowledge, and supporting one another as thinkers, scholars, and clinicians.

So, when you hear “fellowship” in this context, please don’t think of it as another credential to add to your resume. Think of it as a place where dedicated minds come together to question, learn, and make a real impact. This fellowship is about defining clinical inquiry as a shared journey, not as an individual achievement.