PERSPECTIVES 25th Anniversary - Fall-Winter 2018

44 Nova Southeastern University By Mary Blackinton, Ed.D., PT, GCS, CEEAA, Associate Director, Doctor of Physical Therapy Hybrid Program and Physical Therapy Associate Professor Physical Therapy Tampa From Unthinkable to Unstoppable: Highlighting Eight Years of a Blended D.P.T. Education IN 2010, the thought of developing a completely hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) program that blends online and face-to-face interaction was unthinkable in physical therapy education. Now, 8 years and 132 graduates later, more than 20 D.P.T. programs across the country are following suit. This article shares the brief history of the D.P.T. Program in Tampa through a timeline of major events from 2010 to 2018. The article is dedicated to our initial consultant Catherine Page, Ph.D., PT; current dean Stanley H. Wilson, Ed.D., PT, CEAS; and former dean Richard Davis, Ed.D., PA-C, along with the 9 faculty and 2 staff members, 132 graduates, and 125 current students. Thank you for your trust, support, and participation in this innovative program. Major Milestones 2010 • A needs assessment is completed for the Tampa program. • A substantive change document is submitted to the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). • Mary Blackinton, Ed.D., PT, GCS, CEEAA, is hired as associate program director. • The college creates an advisory board, establishes policies and procedures, and recruits faculty and staff members. 2011 • A CAPTE-approved, four-year expansion program is delivered using a blend of online and face-to-face instruction to provide flexibility for working adults. • Faculty members Melissa Lazinski, D.P.T., PT, OCS, associate professor; Lance Cherry, Ed.D., PT, OCS, associate professor; Keiba Shaw, Ed.D., D.P.T., PT, associate professor; and Kathleen Rockefeller, Sc.D., PT, professor and research coordinator, are hired. • Equipment is purchased for two physical therapy labs, a tech studio, and classrooms. • Twenty-four students are accepted. 2012 • The program accepts a second class of 40 students. • Robin Galley, D.P.T., PT, OCS, director of clinical education, is hired. • Teaching technology transitions from WebCT to Blackboard, and the innovative use of video blogs for psychomotor skills is incorporated. • Lab assistants from local clinics are invited to assist during weekend institutes. • Inaugural faculty presentation “360 Degrees Hybrid Education” is made at the APTA Annual Conference. 2013 • The third class of 40 students is accepted. • Joann Gallichio, D.Sc., PT, NCS, assistant professor, and Tim Miller, D.P.T., PT, GCS, associate professor, are hired. • The program participates in the Jamaica medical outreach trip for the first time. • The program receives an HPD Educational Research Grant for the study “Where Does the Time Go? A Work Sampling Study of Physical Therapy Faculty Time Use.”