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Greetings from the Rock! This year, our Rockhurst PT program celebrates its 40th anniversary! Take a look at what is going on in the DPT program at RU. Please stay connected with us at the following social media accounts and our website!
Students, faculty, and staff outside of the newly renovated Sedgwick Hall.
ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY PHYSICAL THERAPY ADVISORY BOARD
The Physical Therapy program has worked with the É侫ÊÓƵ Advancement team in the formation of the RU PT Advisory Board. The board's role is to supply advice and guidance, to serve as an advocate for the Department of Physical Therapy in the community, and to work to support the achievement of the Physical Therapy Department's strategic initiatives.
The board has begun fundraising for the PT Advisory Board Scholarship and looks forward to it supporting one or more DPT students in the future. Once the scholarship is fully endowed, it will be awarded annually with the ability of renewal. Additionally, the PT Advisory Board has prioritized developing events and learning activities to connect alumni with students and faculty. | Meet our board members HERE.
Watch a video from our PT Advisory Board . Hear from Ellen Spake, PT, Ph.D., the first chair of our PT program in a video . It is a call for all of us to come together and dream BIG!
CLINICAL EDUCATION UPDATEÌý
This past year, we adopted a new management system for placing students in clinicals. The name of the system is EXXAT. They recently moved to their newest version called Prism. Prism is more user friendly for everyone using the system from the students, faculty, and staff to the clinical coordinators and clinical instructors.Ìý
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Within Prism’s many features, we store all contracted site information including, but not limited to, staff information, slot offers, requirements, locations, and addresses. Students are able to fill in a wish list, add their demographics, and add some information specific to their interests- among other things. We can also place students at desired locations, send confirmation emails to both students and sites, and send surveys.Ìý
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- If you have any updated staff, requirements, or documents, please either send them to Lora ColombattoÌýor make updates yourself after you receive the March mailing. In that email, you will receive a personalized link which will allow you to make any necessary changes and slot offers.Ìý
"RU READY TO SUPERVISE... WHEN LIFE GETS HARD"
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Our faculty members in the PT, OT and CSD programs presented a virtual clinical instructor (CI) training session on Jan. 18 to over 120 clinicians from more than four states. Please reach out to Ann Marie Decker if you would like her to provide CI training to your department in the future! We value our clinical faculty and want to recognize your outstanding service and expertise!Ìý
Ann Marie Decker and Brekk Flax, '22 DPT, with Esteban Azevedo
CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Congratulations to Esteban Azevedo PT, ScD, COMT, Owner/Physical Therapist- Modern Physical Therapy in Kansas City, Missouri. Each year, students are asked to nominate a clinical instructor who has had significant impact on their clinical education development to receive the annual Clinical Instructor of the Year Award.Ìý
We are pleased to share Esteban Azevedo received the award at the Class of 2022 graduation banquet. Esteban has made a significant impact on students throughout his career and has supervised students from our program for many years. We value his support of our program in mentoring our students. Esteban is noted for his exemplary level of direct patient care, consistent use of evidence in practice, and his outstanding communication and interpersonal skills. Esteban provides incredible learning experiences for his students that assists them in transforming into confident, competent physical therapists.ÌýÌý
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(Right photo)ÌýRockhurst DPT students teaching children about the neuroscience of pain.
(Left photo) Dr. Schneider with DPT students practicing cardiopulmonary skills in the new skills lab in Sedgwick.
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CLASS 2023
The DPT Class 2023 is in the second year of the program and very close to finishing up their classroom learning and heading off to the clinic! We will celebrate this class March 24, 2023, at the annual White Coat Ceremony. This event signifies the completion of their classroom learning and begins the transition to full-time clinical practice in their clinical internships. The formal "robing" or "cloaking" of the white coat signifies the perseverance and commitment to completing their education. In May, they will begin their long-term clinical internships. Some highlights form the class historian:
- This fall, we had the opportunity to work in a clinical setting for five weeks. Having a five-week rotation was great timing to get good practice with our hands on skills before heading out to long-term clinicals in April.
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- This past semester we went into nine different classrooms of fifth through eighth graders, teaching kids about the neuroscience of pain, why we have pain and how physical therapy can help. We had a blast with students and were pleasantly surprised by their participation and questions. It was a great experience!
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- This fall, Sedgwick Hall, which houses the Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, opened and we’ve been able to have multiple learning experiences in the Seelos Simulation Center. The first thing we got to do was participate in a code blue training with nursing students in one of the simulation labs. This was very helpful in preparing us for situations we might encounter on rotations. Another great opportunity was teaming up with nurse practitioners to teach them some ortho screens they would be able to do for their patients. We’ve loved having such a great space to learn and practices hands on skills in the sim labs.
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- We had a lot of success this fall with one of our service projects to create homeless care kits. We raised $1,000 dollars to make the kits and distribute them.
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- A few of our classmates, who are pursuing their strength and conditioning certifications, have had the opportunity to work with Rockhurst student-athletes. It’s been a cool experience for students to apply their CSCS knowledge and get to work with athletes!
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- Lastly, our class has enjoyed various social events together like a float trip, Royals game, and a sand volleyball tournament over the past summer.
Class 2024
The DPT Class 2024 is nearing the end of their first year in the program. They continue to learn clinical skills through courses and labs and will begin their first clinical experiences this November.
Class 2025
We are excited to welcome the DPT Class 2025 to Rockhurst in May!
(Left photo)ÌýLora Colombatto and Angela Grojean
(Right photo) PT Faculty Retreat in the new Seelos Simulation Center, in Sedgwick Hall, featuring fun wigs!
In 2020, our department grew as we joined with our exercise science program and have become the Department of Physical Therapy and Exercise Science. Our faculty team has grown with new faces in both the PT and exercise science programs.
Physical Therapy Program Faculty: Amanda Cobb, Ann Marie Decker, Dave Heller, Janice Loudon, Rachel McGraw, Michael Powers, Debbie Rico, Michelle Schneider, Brian Stoltenberg, Marcie Swift and Christina Wisdom
Exercise Science Program Faculty: Jana Arabas, Dave Heller, Nicole Moodie and Liz Zayat
Physical Therapy Staff: Lora Colombatto, PT clinical education administrator, and Angela Grojean, operations administrator.
Aubrey Bennett, '22 DPT, with É侫ÊÓƵ President Sandra Cassady, Ph.D., at December 2022 Commencement at Midland Theatre
PROGRAM LENGTH - NOW 2.5 YEARS!
In 2020, the Doctor of Physical Therapy program transitioned from a 3-year program to a 2.5-year program, including eight semesters of coursework and clinical experiences distributed over 30 months. We graduated our first cohort in December, DPT Class 2022.
DUAL DEGREE OPTION - DPT/MBA & DPT/MA
In conjunction with É侫ÊÓƵ's College of Business, Influence and Information Analysis, physical therapy students have the opportunity to earn both a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Master of Arts (MA) in organizational leadership degree. The MBA includes a measurable business curriculum while the MA in organizational leadership features a focus on management leadership.
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NEW PRESIDENT FOR RU, SANDRA CASSADY, PT, Ph.D.
Our program is thrilled to have Sandra Cassady, PT, Ph.D., as the 15th president of É侫ÊÓƵ. Cassady is the first woman and first lay person chosen to serve as president since the Jesuit university’s founding in 1910. Read more HERE.
Joe Burbee, DPT Class of 2023, participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony of the "Transformed" Sedgwick
THE TRANSFORMATION OF SEDGWICK HALL
On Friday, June 3, 2022, Sedgwick’s newest chapter began, with a ribbon cutting for a $23 million renovation and a new life as the new home of Saint Luke’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, which became part of Rockhurst in 2019. Inside is 55,000 square feet of space, with classrooms, faculty and staff offices, an interfaith meditation room, conference rooms, common areas and the state-of-the-art Blessed Seelos Simulation Center, where students in the nursing program and health science programs can take part in immersive patient care situations in different settings, all directed discretely by evaluators.Ìý
Our DPT students will have the opportunity to have their acute care and cardiopulmonary courses in the lab spaces as well as participate in many simulation experiences. Read more HERE.
Ellen Spake Lecture Series: Session II, March 8, campus
White Coat Ceremony:ÌýMarch 24, St. Francis Xavier |Ìý
2023 Family and Alumni Weekend:ÌýSept. 28-Oct. 1, campus
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