July 02, 2025

From PM&R Fellow to National Team Physician and Healthcare Leader 

Why WashU? 

When Monica Rho, MD, reflects on her time as a fellow at Washington University School of Medicine in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), she describes it as a pivotal year—one that laid the foundation for a career spanning elite sports medicine, medical education and health system leadership.

“I came to WashU because the mentorship and opportunities were unbelievable,” she says. "The faculty – including Devyani Hunt, MD, John Metzler, MD, and Heidi Prather, DO – created an environment where I could grow clinically, academically and personally." The collaborative nature of training at WashU was also attractive to Dr. Rho. With a particular interest in sports medicine, she was thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside orthopedic sports medicine surgeons like Robert Brophy, MD, and Matt Smith, MD. "That level of integration is rare and incredibly beneficial." 

Pioneering Ultrasound in PM&R

One of the most transformative aspects of her fellowship was exposure to an emerging technology of the time – ultrasound. Then, very few programs were integrating ultrasound as both a clinical point of care and research tool, but WashU was at the forefront of the medical technology. "I had the opportunity to learn and use the latest ultrasound technique during fellowship. Now, I teach ultrasound skills on a national level and have helped set the standards for how ultrasound is used in PM&R practice." 

An Early Passion for Teaching 

Her fellowship year also gave her an early taste of teaching. As a fellow, she worked with residents, medical students, and other trainees like physical therapists. "WashU gave me the platform to start teaching." In that early phase of her career, she realized how much she enjoyed teaching and how central it would be in her career. She served as the PM&R Residency Program Director at Northwestern University/Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for eight years, undoubtedly leaving her mark on the next generation. 

Something she learned from Dr. Hunt during her fellowship has been a guiding light in her career. "I learned from her that you never give up on people – there's always something you can do to improve someone's quality of life." After fellowship, Dr. Rho's career took off in many directions including holistic patient care, research, teaching, leadership and work with elite athletes. 

On the World Stage 

She started her team physician work back during her fellowship days when WashU Medicine Orthopedics served as a team physician for the Saint Louis Athletica women's soccer team. Dr. Rho carried forward the principle of caring for the whole athlete, not just their injury, as the team physician for the U.S. Paralympic Men's Soccer Team and accompanied them in the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. "It wasn't just about injury management," she explained. "It was about truly understanding and caring for the whole person." 

Her commitment did not go unnoticed. The Chief Medical Officer of U.S. Soccer saw her work and invited her to join the U.S. Women's National Team as their Lead Team Physician. Since then, she has traveled with the team through the 2019 World Cup, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the 2023 World Cup, and the 2024 Paris Olympics where the team earned gold. 

Leading into the Future 

Now, Dr. Rho is embracing a new chapter of her successful career. She has recently become the Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. In her new role, she oversees physician practice and medical operations across the organization. Calling on some of her leadership lessons from fellowship, she aims to lead by example like her mentors from WashU Medicine. 

Advice for current and future PM&R fellows: "Be open to everything. Even if an experience does not seem directly related to your future practice, it will teach you something valuable. Say yes to opportunities. Put in the time. Your fellowship is a year to grow – don't miss it." 

Dr. Rho's path – from WashU fellow to national PM&R leader – proves just how far the right training, work and mindset can take you. 

Learn why patients choose WashU Medicine Orthopedics, request an appointment online or call (314) 514-3500.