For physicians pursuing pediatric sports medicine, the Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship at Scottish Rite for Children offers concentrated clinical experience, research opportunities and mentorship designed to prepare the next generation of specialists. 

FRISCO, Texas (Aug 24, 2026) — Julia Kirby, MBBS, MSpMed, FRACS, FAOrthA, traveled from Melbourne, Australia, to complete the Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship at Scottish Rite for Children in 2021. She arrived seeking advanced experience in pediatric and adolescent sports medicine and returned home with knowledge, research experience and professional relationships that continue to shape her career. 

Today, Kirby is an orthopedic sports surgeon with a thriving private practice in Melbourne, specializing in sports injuries, joint preservation and complex knee surgery. She also holds public appointments at Austin Health and The Royal Children’s Hospital and has expertise in pediatric and adolescent knee conditions. 

“The most beneficial element of my fellowship was having the opportunity to work with and learn from Dr. Wilson and Dr. Ellis and their exceptional teams,” Kirby said. “Seeing a high volume of rare conditions managed by this team was invaluable, and I was fortunate to bring these skills back to my Australian practice.” 

Henry B. Ellis, M.D., serves as program director of the Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship at Scottish Rite, and Philip L. Wilson, M.D., serves as associate program director. 

Scottish Rite Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellows participate in the evaluation, treatment, surgery and rehabilitation of children and adolescents with sports-related conditions. The region’s extensive youth sports programs provide exposure to athletes competing at many levels and stages of physical development. 

For fellows, this setting creates experience with a broad range of pediatric and adolescent sports injuries and competitive demands. It also reinforces a central responsibility of pediatric sports medicine: helping young athletes return to the activities they value while protecting continued growth, long term joint health and lifelong mobility. 

“The volume and variety of cases deepened my understanding of the important differences between treating sports injuries in growing children and treating similar conditions in adults,” Kirby said. “For physicians committed to pediatric sports medicine, I strongly recommend the fellowship because it provides the clinical experience, mentorship and research opportunities needed to build expertise and confidence in caring for young athletes.” 

Growth plates remain open, bones and joints continue to develop, and an intervention during childhood may affect alignment, mobility and joint health for years. Fellows receive high-volume clinical exposure, individualized mentorship and meaningful responsibility. Adult sports medicine rotations through UT Southwestern provide broader operative experience while the fellowship offers a uniquely high volume of complex and common cases in active youth athletes. 

Research With International Reach 

Kirby gained experience connecting questions from patient care with research. During the fellowship, she contributed to studies involving patellofemoral instability, in which the kneecap moves outside its normal position. 

One study coauthored by Kirby examined 279 children and adolescents. Researchers found valgus, or knock-kneed, alignment in approximately 60% of affected knees, including more pronounced alignment in nearly one in four. The findings help physicians assess whether alignment contributes to recurring instability and plan treatment that accounts for growth. 

Kirby also contributed to research involving medial patellofemoral ligament or (MPFL) reconstruction in children with open growth plates. The study found that a growth-conscious technique could restore stability without affecting normal leg length or alignment, addressing how to treat instability while protecting development. 

Since returning to Australia, Kirby has continued research involving ACL reconstruction and postoperative outcomes. As a member of the Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine Society, or PRiSM, she participates in international research focused on tibial spine fractures and meniscal conditions. 

“The Scottish Rite Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship gave me the clinical experience and research foundation to turn questions from the exam room into evidence that can improve care for children well beyond a single patient,” Kirby said. 

Professional Relationships That Endure 

Kirby remains in contact with faculty to discuss surgical techniques and complex cases, and she reconnects with physicians and researchers through PRiSM and professional meetings. At the 2026 PRiSM Annual Meeting in Austin, she presented an Australian perspective during an international panel on pediatric sports medicine. 

“Julia brought intellectual curiosity, strong clinical judgment and a clear commitment to improving care for young athletes throughout her fellowship,” Ellis said. “Her success as a surgeon, researcher and international presenter reflects her expertise and commitment to the field.” 

Shaping the Future of Sports Medicine 

The fellowship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and recognized by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, important marks of its educational structure and standards. For prospective fellows, Kirby’s path from Melbourne to Frisco, Texas, and back demonstrates the program’s reach: specialized pediatric training, research experience and mentorship that can support a career anywhere in the world. 

Learn more about fellowship training at Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center and click here to apply. To explore Dr. Kirby’s research, see the links below: