ABOUT US
Cogent Steps, LLC is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business dedicated to advancing emergency care in sports medicine. Our mission is to equip students and licensed healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to provide optimal assessment and management of athletes experiencing acute injury or illness during sideline and venue emergencies.
Our flagship course, Emergency Response for the Athlete, fulfills the Acute Management of Injury and Illness educational requirement for initial board certification in sports physical therapy through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS).
What is Cogent Steps?
The word cogent means “appealing powerfully to the mind through clear and convincing evidence,” while steps represents progress through learning, growth, and continuous improvement. Together, Cogent Steps reflects our commitment to advancing knowledge through evidence-based education.
Founder and CEO Michele Leavitt Weinstein, PT, EdD, ATC, and Medical Director Matthew Sedgley, MD, bring decades of experience educating healthcare professionals across a variety of settings. They serve in leadership roles at the local, regional, national, and international levels and are dedicated to delivering high-quality, evidence-based education that strengthens the emergency assessment and management of athletes in sideline and venue settings.
Who are the Cogent Steps instructors?
Cogent Steps instructors represent a diverse range of professional backgrounds and practice settings, including clinical practice, colleges and universities, the military, and emergency response organizations. Together, they bring extensive experience and specialized expertise in emergency care across a wide variety of athletic and healthcare environments. Our instructors are located throughout the United States, enabling us to deliver high-quality education and responsive training solutions that meet the evolving needs of our clients.
To learn more about our instructors, please visit Our Team.
Why train at Cogent Steps?
Cogent Steps, LLC is the leading provider of the acute injury and illness management course required for board certification in sports physical therapy. Our instructors actively provide sideline and venue medical care alongside fire, EMS, and law enforcement personnel, caring for athletes at every level of competition—from youth and high school sports to collegiate, professional, and Olympic events.
Committed to excellence, our faculty remain at the forefront of evidence-based practice, continuously refining their clinical knowledge and emergency management skills to ensure the highest standard of athlete care. We also partner with premier sporting events, including the Boston Marathon, to provide participants with meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that reinforce real-world application.
Who registers for Cogent Steps courses?
Cogent Steps courses are designed for students and licensed professionals in athletic training, nursing, physical therapy, medicine, and related healthcare fields. Participants include individuals from sports residency and fellowship programs, professional and Olympic sports organizations, colleges and universities, hospitals and private clinics, youth sports leagues, and other athletic and healthcare organizations committed to excellence in athlete emergency care.
Cogent Steps, LLC is not an approved educational provider for firefighters or EMT professionals seeking training and testing required for National Registry certification.
WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAYING
As a physical therapist who works daily alongside a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, I am accustomed to seeing a wide range of expertise come together in emergent situations. This course gave me greater confidence in my own ability to respond effectively and work alongside my colleagues when those situations arise. I look forward to putting the knowledge and skills I gained through this course into practice. -Liam C.
Dr. Cusack is an awesome instuctor, and I can see why Cogent Steps is so highly recommended. It is an excellent course and very practical. -Annaleise M.
I had a great time and learned a tremendous amount from the ERA course. I really appreciate how the course was structured and the practical insights the instructor [Megan] shared. I also appreciate being given the opportunity to reach out about specific case scenarioss that may arise. -Aleks R.
Thank you again for providing the ERA course at Duke. It was incredibly helpful and while I feel better about handling and recognizing emergencies on the field, this course also raised many questions with different specific scenarios and tiny logistical things to consider. I could listen to you [Shelly] and Angelique talk about your practical experience for hours and I think a lot of the people in the room felt the same way! -Delaney R.