School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences
College of Medicine

*Please note the program will begin promptly at 6:00 pm and 9:00 am

Please rsvp to dpt-admissions@health.usf.edu

Notes

Faculty Member Co-Author on Article
Dr. John Mayer, Associate Professor and Lincoln College Endowed Chair in Biomechanical & Chiropractic Research is a coauthor on the article, “Treatment Considerations for elderly and Frail Patients with Neuropathic Pain” which appears in the March 2010 Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
 
 
 
Faculty Member Lead Author
Dr. Seok Hun Kim, Assistant Professor is the lead author on the  to be published article, “Robot-assisted modifications of gait in healthy individuals” which will appear in Experimental Brain Research.
 
 
 
 
Faculty Member Co-Author
Dr. Seok Hun Kim, Assistant Professor is a co- author on the to be published article, “Novel gait adaptation and neuro-motor training results using an active leg exoskeleton (ALEX)” which will appear in IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.
 
 
 
Faculty Member Co-Author on Article
Dr. Jason Highsmith, Assistant Professor is the coauthor on the article, “Crossed four-bar mechanism for improved prosthetic grasp” which will appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Rehabilitation, Research and Development.
 
 
 
SPTRS Faculty Member Senior Author on Journal Article
Dr. Laura L. (Dolly) Swisher, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Professional Education is the senior author on the upcoming Physical Therapy Journal perspectives article, “The Revised APTA Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist and Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant: Theory, Purpose, Process, and Significance”: Theory, Purpose, Process, and Significance” to be published in May.
 
 
Faculty Member Co-Author on Article
 

Dr. John Mayer, Associate Professor and Lincoln College Endowed Chair in Biomechanical & Chiropractic Research is a coauthor on the article, “Recommendations for the Pharmacological Management of Neuropathic Pain: An Overview and Literature Update” which will appear in the March 2010 Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

 

 

Faculty Co-Author on Article

 Dr. John Mayer, Associate Professor and Lincoln College Endowed Chair in Biomechanical & Chiropractic Research is coauthor of the to be published article, “Performance Integrated Self-Report Measurement of Physical Activity” which will appear in an upcoming issue of The Spine Journal.
 

 
 
SPTRS Faculty Member Lead Author on Journal Article
Dr. Jason Highsmith, Assistant Professor, was the lead author on an article, “Differences in the Spatiotemporal Parameters of Transtibial and Transfemoral Amputee Gait” published in the January issue of the Journal of Prosthetics & Orthotics

 
 
 
SPTRS Faculty Member Co- Author on Journal Editorial
Dr. M. Jason Highsmith, Assistant Professor was co-author on the recently published editorial, “Prosthetic and orthotic resources for communicating in a global village” which appeared in the November 2009 Journal of  Rehabilitation Research and Development.
 
 
 
Faculty Member Lead Author 
Dr. John Mayer, Associate Professor and Lincoln College Endowed Chair in Biomechanical & Chiropractic Research is lead author on the to be published article, “Management of Chronic Low back pain in Active Individuals” which will appear in the January 2010 Current Sports Medicine Reports.
 
 
 
 
SPTRS Faculty Members Contribute to 
Journal of Physical Therapy Education
The winter 2009 Journal of Physical Therapy Education, contains two articles senior authored by SPTRS faculty members; Dr. Laura Swisher, “Centralized and Decentralized Organizational Models of Interprofessional Education for Physical Therapy and Medical Students,” and Dr. Gina Musolino, “Understanding and Eliminating Disparities in Health Care: Development and Assessment of Cultural Competence for Interdisciplinary Health Professionals at the University of Utah – A 3-Year Investigation.”
 
 
 
SPTRSFaculty Member Lead Author on Journal Note
Dr. Jason Highsmith, Assistant Professor, was the lead author on a technical note, “Design and Fabrication of a Passive-Function, Cylindrical Grasp Terminal Device” published in the September issue of Prosthetics & Orthotics International.
 
 
 
SPTRS Team Publishes Article
A team of School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences researchers (Drs.  Jason Highsmith, Larry Mengelkoch, Keiba Shaw, Jamie Fox, Sandy Quillen and community prosthetist Jason Kahle) had their research project investigating the metabolic cost of rock climbing in persons with unilateral transfemoral amputations accepted for publication in the International Journal of Sports Medicine.  The article, "Metabolic Demands of Rock Climbing in Transfemoral   Amputees" will appear in an upcoming issue.
 
 
SPTRS Pharmacology Course Director Publishes New Edition of Textbook
Dr. Lynn Wecker, Distinguished University Professor and Course Director for the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science’s “Pharmacology for Healthcare Professionals Course,”  recently released the fifth edition of her textbook Brody’s Human Pharmacology published by Mosby.
 
 
 
SPTRS Faculty Member Contributes to New Textbook
Dr. Gina Musolino, Associate Professor and Coordinator of  Clinical Education for the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences, has contributed two chapters, “Expanding Horizons through Service and Service-Learning” and “Integrating Service-Learning for Physical Therapy Programs: Frameworks & Opportunities,” in the new textbook Finding Meaning in Civically Engaged Scholarship: Personal Journeys, Professional Experiences to be released this month and published by Information Age Publishing.
 
 
 
SPTRS Faculty Member Co-author on Journal Case Report
Dr. Jason Highsmith, Assistant Professor was recently a co-author with Drs Stephanie Carey and Rajiv Dubey from the College of Engineering and Greg Bauer, CPO from Westcoast Brace & Limb on a Case Report, “Kinematic Comparison of Myoelectric and Body Powered Prostheses While Performing Common Activities” to be published in June’s Prosthetics & Orthotics International.
 
 
 
SPTRS Faculty Member Authors Journal Article
 Dr. Gina Musolino, Associate Professor is the author on the recently published article, “Mutual Respect In Healthcare: Assessing Cultural Competence For Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Students” which appears in the e-supplement version of the Summer 2009 issue of  Journal of Allied Health.
 
 
 
SPTRS Faculty Member Lead Author on Journal Article
Dr. Laura L. (Dolly) Swisher, Associate Professor, was the lead author on a recently published article, “Ethical Issues in Athletic Training: A Foundational Descriptive Investigation,” published in the March 2009 Athletic Therapy Today.
 
SPTRS Team Author Journal Article
A School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences Team lead by Dr. Jason Highsmith and including community prosthetist Jason Kahle CPO, DPT ’09 student Jamie Fox and faculty member Dr. Keiba Shaw have published an article, “Decreased Heart Rate in a Geriatric Client Following Physical Therapy Intervention and Accommodation with the C-Leg” in the January 2009 Journal of Prosthetics & Orthotics.
 
 
 
SPTRS Faculty to Speak at Ergonomics Conference
Dr. Kathleen Rockefeller, Assistant Professor in the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences has been selected to speak at the 3rd Annual National Health Care Ergonomics Conference in Portland, Oregon.
 
 
 
SPTRS Faculty Member Contributes to New Textbook
Dr. John Mayer, Associate Professor and Lincoln College Endowed Chair of Chiropractic and Biomechanical Research has coauthored a chapter, “Anatomy and Biomechanics” in the newly released American College of Sports Medicine, Certification Review, 3rd edition released this month and published by Lippincott-Williams & Wilkins.
 
 
 

News

 

Faculty Member to Present at FPTA Spring Conference


 
Dr. Laura L. (Dolly) Swisher, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Professional Education, SPTRS will be presenting “The Revised Core Ethics Documents, Putting Ethics into Action for Practice, Leadership and Mentoring” at the FPTA Spring Conference in St. Augustine.

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Faculty Member to Present at 10th Annual Safe Patient Handling & Movement Conference

 

Dr. Kathleen Rockefeller, Assistant Professor will be presenting a workshop “Safe Ambulation Technologies/Techniques to Prevent Falls,” at the 10th Annual Safe Patient Handling & Movement Conference this month. 

 

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SPTRS Faculty Appointed to Editorial Board

 

Dr. Gina Musolino, Associate Professor and SPTRS Coordinator of Clinical Education has been appointed for a 3 year term to the  editorial board of the Journal of Physical Therapy Education.

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Faculty Member Recipient of Corporate Grant

Dr. Jason Highsmith, Assistant Professor is the recipient of a grant from the Otto Bock Corporation to evaluate their newly designed Otto Bock X2 microprocessor knee joint utilized in prosthetics for above the knee amputees. Dr. Highsmith has also been selected to receive Florida High Tech Corridor matching funds.

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School to Join PTCAS for AY 2010-11 Admissions Cycle

The School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences will participate in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as PTCAS, beginning in July 2010. Applicants applying to the entry-level professional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program for the class entering in August 2011 will apply online using the PTCAS application beginning July 1, 2010. To learn more about the PTCAS application process, please visit the PTCAS web site at www.ptcas.org.

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DPT Pharmacology Course Director Named President – Elect of The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Dr. Lynn Wecker, Distinguished University Professor and Course Director for PHT 6352 Pharmacology for Healthcare Professionals in the DPT curriculum has been named the President-Elect for the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

 

 

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CongratulationsDPT 2013 Class!

Letters have been mailed to the 36 students selected to become members of the USF School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science’s DPT Class of 2013. Individuals placed on the DPT 2013 Class Waiting List have also been notified. The members of the DPT Class of 2013 were selected from a pool of qualified students drawn from over 250 initial applications. The class will begin their studies in early August 2010.

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SPTRS Faculty Members Selected to Present at APTA Combined Sections Meeting in San Diego

 


 Several SPTRS faculty have been selected to make presentations at the APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting to be held in San Diego in February 2010.  Presentations include;
“Extreme Makeover: Clinical Education Edition” – Dr. Gina Musolino, “Teaching Ethics and Professionalism in Rehabilitation: An Interprofessional Workshop” – Dr. Dolly Swisher, “Autism Spectrum Disorder-Building Competency for Direct Access Screening” – Dr. Ana Mieres and “Evidence-informed Management of Low Back Pain”   - Dr. John Mayer and Dr. Sandy Quillen.

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DPT 2010 Heads to Clinical Education

Thirty-one (31) DPT Class of 2010 Student Interns have headed out to 29 different Clinical Education sites located in 6 states including Florida, Washington, Georgia, Illinois, California, &  Colorado to begin their final clinical education experience prior to graduation. There are more than 65 Clinical Instructors supervising the clinical education of USF’s physical therapy student interns. 


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DPT Class of 2009 100% Pass Rate on NPTE


 
The College of Medicine’s School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences Doctor of Physical Therapy Class of 2009 has once again exceeded both state and national scoring averages on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) required of graduates before they can practice physical therapy in the United States. All 31 DPT students graduating this past spring successfully passed the NPTE. Dr. William Quillen, Associate Dean of the College of Medicine and Director of the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences, stated "This achievement is a continuing reflection upon both the outstanding students we have attracted to our School and the excellence of our interprofessional educational program and faculty at the College of Medicine."
The University of South Florida was the first State University System institution authorized to implement the DPT degree in 2004. More than 100 students are currently enrolled in the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program.

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Admissions Update DPT Class of 2013

Over 250 applications for the University of South Florida School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences DPT Class of 2013 were received by the by the deadline date of November 15, 2009. Completed applications are undergoing review by the DPT Student Selection Committee at this time. The 36 most qualified students will be extended a Letter of Offer for enrollment as a member of the DPT Class of 2013. Letters of Offer will be mailed to students on/about February 1, 2010. A Waiting List will be maintained of other qualified applicants in the event that an opening in the class should occur.

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SPTRS Faculty Member Selected for Workshop

Dr. Seok Hun Kim, Assistant Professor, has been selected as one of 30 faculty to attend the prestigious “Enhancing Rehabilitation Research in the South” Workshop to be conducted at the University of Virginia in January 2010. This workshop invites junior researchers to work with experts in the field of rehabilitation research. The workshop combines didactic sessions, group and individual consultation to best prepare the attendees to submit a research proposal to the National Institutes of Health.

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The Doctor of Physical Therapy
Class of 2012
Commitment to Professionalism Ceremony

Tampa, FL (October 22, 2007) – In keeping with a College of Medicine tradition the bagpipe strains of an upbeat Scottish tune accompanied 36 USF Doctor of Physical Therapy students of the Class of 2012 as they entered the USF Health Auditorium on the evening of October 22nd for the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science's 8th Annual Commitment to Professionalism Ceremony.
 
The procession was led by College of Medicine faculty member Dr. Gregory Nicolosi, Emeritus Professor of Physiology, who wore a kilt and played the bagpipes.  The ceremony was a highlight of the October Physical Therapy Month activities around the Tampa Bay area.
 
Dr. William S. Quillen, Director of the SPTRS, welcomed family and friends of the DPT Class of 2012 to the ceremony which was emceed by Dr. Steven Specter, Associate Dean for COM Student Affairs. The ceremony's guest speaker was LTC (Dr.) Rachel Evans, Director of Research for the Center for the Intrepid, Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas
 
The School's Nicolosi Commitment to Professionalism Award, named in honor of Dr. Gregory Nicolosi, who was instrumental in the development and initial accreditation of the School in the late 1990's was awarded to Sarah Wylie Long, a member of the DPT Class of 2011.
 
The School also presented its Spirit of Interprofessionalism Award to Dr. John Curran for his efforts contributing to the development of the School in the College of Medicine.
 
The USF SPTRS Doctor of Physical Therapy Class of 2012 was selected from a record number of applicants, with one student admitted for every six qualified applicants. The class is a racially and ethnically diverse group with representation from throughout the state of Florida and United States.

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SPTRS Students Support 2009 Florida Special Olympics Fall Classic


USF DPT students Nicole Noren, Sarah Long, Jessica Migdalski, Mary Ware, Michelle Bodner, Lindsey Failing, May Alves, Donna Ciano, Amanda Young, Quiana Holsey, Kim Callan, Bobbie Brice and Arielle Ball provided physical therapy screenings to over 1,200 athletes who participated in softball, bowling, powerlifting and gymnastics at the 2009 Special Olympics Fall Classic event held at Walt Disney World’s Wide World of Sports complex October 30th to November 1st.
 

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SPTRS Faculty Member’s PT 2009 Presentation Selected as Online Course by APTA Learning Center

Dr. Ana Mieres, Assistant Professor, SPTRS and Dr. Russell Kirby, Professor, COPH had their presentation from PT 2009 in Baltimore, “A Primer for Physical Therapists on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)” recently selected by the American Physical Therapy Association’s Learning Center as an online continuing education course.

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Faculty Member Receives FPTA President’s Award

During the FPTA Annual Conference on Friday, September 11, 2009 an Awards and Recognition ceremony was conducted that recognized member participation at both FPTA and APTA levels. Dr. Laura Lee (Dolly) Swisher, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Professional Education was the recipient of the FPTA PRESIDENT'S AWARD for her leading work on the Task Force for Revision of the APTA Core Ethics Documents.

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DPT Program Admissions
Standards and Procedures Change
For Academic Year 2009-2010

The School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty has adopted several key changes to the DPT Admissions Standards and Procedures for Academic Year 2009-2010.

Specific Changes for Admissions Cycle 2009-2010:

• The Minimum Overall, Upper Division and Prerequisite GPA for Application Consideration and Admission to the DPT Program has been increased from 3.0 to 3.2
• Applications for the DPT Class of 2013 will be accepted beginning September 1, 2009 until November 15, 2009 only.
• Completed Applications with all supporting documentation received by November 15, 2009 will be reviewed by the DPT Student Selection Committee. The 36 most qualified students will be selected for enrollment as a member of the DPT Class of 2013
• Letters of Offer will be mailed to students on/about February 1, 2010.
• For Applicants for Whom English is not the native language, a minimum TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 650 is required at time of application. This policy is waived if the applicant has received an undergraduate degree from an accredited school in the United States by time of entrance into the program.
• A Waiting List will be maintained of other qualified applicants in the event that an opening should occur.

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SPTRS Faculty and Staff Selected to Make Presentations at Upcoming National Meeting

School Faculty Dr. Dolly Swisher, Dr. William Quillen and Dr. Ana Mieres have been selected to make presentations at the American Physical Therapy Association’s upcoming PT 2009 Meeting to be held in Baltimore in June. Joining Drs. Swisher and Quillen will be Cindy Ippolito, SPTRS Manager, in presenting, “A Multi-Stakeholder Web-based System for Evaluating Professionalism in DPT Students”. Dr. Mieres will be joined by Dr. Russell Kirby, a faculty member from USF’s College of Public Health in presenting, ”A Primer for Physical Therapists on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).”

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SPTRS Faculty Selected to Present at National Meeting

School Faculty Dr. Dolly Swisher, Dr. Kathy Rockefeller and Dr. Keiba Shaw have been selected to present at the American Physical Therapy Association’s upcoming Combined Sections Meeting to be held in Las Vegas in February.

 

With over 180 applications received the University of South Florida, College of Medicine, School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences DPT Class of 2012 has reached its capacity for enrollment in August 2009.

Applications for the DPT Class of 2012 are no longer being accepted as of December 15, 2008. Completed applications received prior to December 15, 2008 will be reviewed by the SPTRS Admissions Committee and qualified applicants will be notified and placed on the DPT Class of 2012 Waiting List in the order complete applications were received.  

Next year’s admissions cycle will begin on September 1, 2009.

 Please see Admissions Information and Forms Section for further information.

 
 
CAPTE Reaffirms Accreditation
 


At its October 29th meeting the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) reaffirmed the accreditation for the physical therapist education program at the University of South Florida College of Medicine, School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences through 2016. This followed a site visit of the program in the Spring of 2008 and the submission of an extensive Self-Study Report. The Commission commended the program “for the quality and presentation of its Self-Study Report…which clearly conveyed the nature and scope of the educational experience.” The School of Physical Therapy, established in 1998 and initially accredited by CAPTE in 2001, was the first SUS institution authorized to award the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and graduated its Charter DPT class in 2008.
 

 
SPTRS Faculty Member Selected for Workshop
 
 

Dr. Jason Highsmith, Assistant Professor in the SPTRS has been selected as one of 30 faculty to attend the prestigious “Enhancing Rehabilitation Research in the South” Workshop to be conducted at the University of Virginia in January 2009. This workshop invites junior researchers to work with experts in the field of rehabilitation research. The workshop combines didactic sessions, group and individual consultation to best prepare the attendees to submit a research proposal to the National Institutes of Health.
 

 
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Charter Class of 2008 Soars!   


The charter class of the College of Medicine’s School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences Doctor of Physical Therapy program exceeded both state and national averages on the national licensing examination. Graduates must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) before they can practice physical therapy in the United States.


All 20 DPT students graduating this spring from the USF COM SPTRS – the DPT charter class of 2008 -- successfully passed the NPTE. The USF students averaged a score of 659.05 compared to 647.88 for all U.S. physical therapy program graduates and 646.36 for all Florida graduates.


“With the implementation of a new examination blueprint this spring by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, the bar was significantly raised for the domains of knowledge, skill and affective values that a Doctor of Physical Therapy graduate must possess,” said William Quillen, PT, PhD, associate dean of the College of Medicine and director of the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences. "This achievement is a reflection of both the outstanding students we have at the School and the excellence of our interprofessional educational program and faculty at the College of Medicine."


The University of South Florida was the first State University System institution authorized to implement the DPT degree in 2004. More than 100 students are currently enrolled in the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program.

 

Faculty, Staff and Students Welcome the Class of 2011

TAMPA, Fla. (August. 8, 2008) USF College of Medicine  faculty, staff, and students  offered a warm and fun welcome to the Class of 2011 students on the  last  day of orientation at the Cheeseburger in Paradise lunch.– The forty-two students, 35 women and 7 men selected from a pool of over 170 highly qualified applicants ended their week of orientation actives from scavenger hunts to an overview of the mission of integrated, interprofessional education provided in the College of Medicine and School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences.
 

 
Rock Climbing Study
 

 
A team of School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences faculty and student researchers recently conducted an applied rehabilitation research project investigating the metabolic cost of rock climbing in persons with unilateral transfemoral amputations.  The purpose of the study was to determine the metabolic cost of climbing an indoor rock wall utilizing five different prosthetic configurations. Metabolic effort was measured using the state of the art COSMED K4b2 metabolic system and the subjects’ subjective rating of perceived exertion. This pilot project was completed under the School’s $1M federally funded "Demonstration Project on Prosthetics and Orthotics."

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