Department of Physical Therapy earns 10-year accreditation

By Kate Hunger 

The Department of Physical Therapy has received its 10-year accreditation from the Commission of Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

“This was a team effort,” said Department Chair and Associate Professor Greg Ernst, Ph.D., ECS. “All faculty contributed, staff contributed, students contributed, and clinical education is a big piece of this. Our partners in the community assist us in providing excellent clinical experiences for our students.”
Preparing for accreditation is a time-consuming, yearlong process and includes a self-study report that covers a range of information the accrediting body reviews, Ernst said.

“You have to show evidence of meeting criteria throughout the period,” he said. 

The department’s site visit was in the fall of 2019. The department’s facilities, equipment, and diverse range of board certification among faculty members impressed the accrediting body, Ernst said.

DPT students participated in focus groups as part of the accreditation process. One of those students is a third-year student and DPT Class of 2021 President Justin Anderson, who appreciated the chance to participate in a process that occurs once every decade.

“It gave them a good view as to what our department actually looks like,” he said. “This accreditation is good for 10 years, and it puts a seal of approval from the accrediting board that our school is doing its job in preparing us for our careers going forward. It was a really cool opportunity.”