CHCS - Perspectives Winter/Spring 2016

COLLEGE OF HEALTH CARE SCIENCES • 49 T he Tampa Campus welcomed the newest member of its team—Lynda Ross, D.H.S., M.S., PT—to the Hybrid D.P.T. program on October 12, 2015. Why did you decide to join NSU’s Hybrid D.P.T. program? The program’s teaching philosophies, core values, and goals are in alignment with my own, and I was drawn to the faculty members’ dedica- tion and commitment toward guiding their students to become successful learners. I am a strong advocate of student-centered learning founded on constructivism, where the focus is on how effective learning can be cultivated. At the heart of this pedagogy is students taking owner- ship of their own learning via active participation in the learning process. NSU’s Hybrid D.P.T. faculty mem- bers have developed a curriculum embedded with instructional strategies and learning activities that promote students’ interaction with the content, fellow classmates, teachers, and the learning process performed in a blended learning environment. I believe this innova- tive approach is essential for preparing physical therapy students for autonomous practice. You recently relocated from Chicago. Please tell us a little about yourself and your background. I have more than 30 years of ex- perience treating diverse patient populations, from infants to octogenarians, in a variety of health care environments. For the past 15 years, I owned a pediatric physical therapy practice and worked with infants and children with developmental disorders. My educational background in- cludes a B.S. in Physical Therapy and an M.S. in Orthopedic and Neurologic Physical Therapy from Northwestern University and a Doctor of Health Science in Health Professions Education from Midwestern University. I am currently completing the last semester of my Transition D.P.T. Program at NSU and studying for the Neurologic Certification Specialist examination. My doctoral research focused on the reliability of the video head impulse test for children, and I recently submitted my research for publica- tion in Otology & Neurotology . My teaching experience includes working as an adjunct faculty member for the Northwestern and Midwestern physical therapy education programs and the Morton College Physical Therapy Assistant Education Program. What are your future aspirations as an NSU faculty member? I am passionate about contributing to the advance- ment of physical therapy and am excited because NSU has many opportunities for me to do this. I am interested in developing strategies to integrate interprofessional education into the curriculum and performing educational research, including instructional strategies used in hybrid physical therapy education programs. I also want to develop my teaching skills. One of my exciting, new roles will be developing a plan for integrating interprofessional education within the Hybrid D.P.T. program. In doing so, I’ll get to know my College of Health Care Sciences and Health Professions Division colleagues. ■ Tampa Welcomes New Faculty Member BY MARY T. BLACKINTON, ED.D., PT, GCS, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, HYBRID D.P.T. PROGRAM Lynda Ross, D.H.S., M.S., PT