Growing up, Dr. Kali Hollingsworth imagined herself becoming a surgeon. A range of specialties caught her interest, with the exception of primary care.

“I would tell anybody who would listen that I’d rather die than go into primary care,” she joked. “And ironically, here I stand.”

Today, Dr. Hollingsworth serves as the Sports Medicine Fellowship Director as well as Medical Director of the Sports Medicine Program, where she trains future sports medicine physicians in the very same program that kick-started her own career.

“It’s kind of funny how it all happened,” Dr. Hollingsworth said. “Honestly, being in the Kettering [Health] community brought me my entire career.”

While completing her surgery rotation in Michigan, where she received her undergraduate degree, Dr. Hollingsworth realized the operating room was not where she wanted to spend her career. In search of another path, she completed an internal medicine rotation at Grandview Medical Center (now Kettering Health Dayton), where she quickly discovered her love for the environment. Later, a family medicine rotation further helped her see medicine from a new perspective.

“I loved the people, loved the residency clinic, and loved the entire program,” she said.

It was after this experience that Dr. Hollingsworth joined the Family Medicine Residency Program in 2009.

A career-altering conversation

As a family medicine resident, Dr. Hollingsworth completed a required sports medicine rotation. Though Dr. Hollingsworth was no stranger to sports, having played volleyball and track and having been a high school cheerleader, she had never seriously considered sports medicine as a career.

One day during the rotation, she was discussing fall football prospects and March Madness with two other fellows, when Dr. James Tytko, founder of the Sports Medicine Fellowship Program, overheard.

“He rounds the corner and says, ‘You like sports?’” Dr. Hollingsworth explained. “I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Have you ever thought about doing the fellowship?’”

At first, she thought he was only joking, but after discussing the opportunity with her mother, she realized how well sports medicine blended her love of athletics and medicine.

Back at work, she informed another fellow of her interest in the program. They unexpectedly dragged her into Dr. Tytko’s office, informing him of her desire to do the fellowship, opening the door to this new opportunity.

Dr. Hollingsworth completed her family medicine residency in 2012 and immediately entered the Sports Medicine Fellowship Program, graduating in 2013.

Building a career

Following graduation, Dr. Hollingsworth worked for the University of Cincinnati health system, hopeful to return to Kettering Health.

After two years, a former co-fellow reached out, sharing that sports medicine physician Dr. Barry Fisher was preparing to retire and asking if she would return, to which her response was immediate.

At Kettering Health, Dr. Hollingsworth’s job grew from half-day sports med clinics into a larger role, becoming more involved in the fellowship program.

After nearly 30 years of leading the fellowship program, Dr. Tytko announced his retirement, and Dr. Hollingsworth was the natural choice to fill the position.

In January 2022, Dr. Hollingsworth took on the role of Sports Medicine Fellowship Director.

A full circle moment 

Today, Dr. Hollingsworth oversees the fellowship program while continuing to practice sports medicine and family medicine, a role that combines her love of working with athletes and mentoring others.

Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Hollingsworth sees a career built by unexpected opportunities at a health network she calls home.

“Getting that [sports medicine] rotation completely changed my career,” she said.

Now, over a decade after completing the fellowship herself, Dr. Hollingsworth helps shape the experience for future physicians entering the sports medicine field. For her, this journey shows that sometimes the best careers aren’t perfectly planned, but rather built through relationships, mentorship, and embracing the unexpected.

“I truly credit Kettering Health for my career,” Dr. Hollingsworth said. “I love working here.”