DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY NEWSLETTER

ABOUT US Six-year freshman entry and

graduate admission of post-baccalaureate students into DPT program

Extensive clinical experience: Graduates will have accumulated 40 weeks of clinical education in a variety of settings

Graduates boast a 100% ultimate pass rate and a 95% first-time pass rate for the NPTE.

Graduates score better than

the national average in all licensing exam areas

Graduates also boast a 100%

job placement rate

Located in the heart of Pittsburgh, recently named #1 most livable city in the US by the Economist

Click HERE for more information

Questions? Contact us!

139 Rangos School of Health Sciences 600 Forbes Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA 15282 Email: eberle@duq.edu Phone: 412.396.5541 Fax: 412.396.4399

Newsletter Contents (Click to Follow)

Page 4 – General Info Page 5 – Student Spotlight

NOTES From the Director’s Chair Welcome to the inaugural edition of our Department’s Newsletter! Our Early Assurance/DPT program resides in the John G. Rangos School of Health Sciences and has been in existence since 1991. Our hierarchal curriculum begins with a rich foundation of basic sciences, progresses to broad-based education in the clinical sciences and integrates disparate clinical experiences throughout. Our graduates are outstanding evidenced based practitioners that exemplify our core values of compassion, ethics and professionalism. In addition to being committed educators, the faculty are a group of active scholars not only presenting & publishing in professional forums and peer reviewed journals but also receiving substantial funding from governmental agencies. I encourage you to peruse our newsletter to gain a greater perspective of the exciting events occurring in our program. Christopher R. Carcia, PT, PhD, SCS, OCS

Page 6 – Calendar

Page 2 – Latest News Page 3 – Faculty News

FALL 2015

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

LATEST NEWS

Faculty Member Earns Dean’s Award in Scholarship

Matthew Kostek Ph.D., HFS, FACSM was recognized during the graduation ceremony for his outstanding scholarly contributions. Dr. Kostek’s primary area of scholarship is muscle physiology, specifically in response to aging, injury or disease. Dr. Kostek’s secondary interest is associated with how genetics affect cognitive ability recovery after concussion. Dr. Kostek’s lab is the current genotyping core for a study funded by the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine examining concussion in college athletes.

Three Faculty Members Earn National Awards

Martha Somers DPT, MS, Diane Borello-France PT, Ph.D. and Rob Martin, PT, Ph.D. were all recently recognized by the APTA for their outstanding contributions in their respective fields of expertise. Dr. Somers was awarded the APTAs Neurology Section award for Excellence in Neurologic Education in 2014. Likewise, Dr. Borello-France was the 2014 Elizabeth Noble Award recipient from the Women’s Health Section while in 2015, Dr. Martin received the Richard W. Bowling – Richard E. Erhard Orthopaedic Clinical Practice Award.

PAGE 2

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES! Congratulations to the DPT Class of 2015! Thirty-two Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees were conferred on August 8th. As is tradition for physical therapy classes at Duquesne, the class made a charitable donation to an organization of their choice. This year, the class donated just over $2,600 to the Miracle League of the South Hills. The Miracle League provides the opportunity for children and adults with special needs to play organized baseball. Each Miracle League has a “Miracle Field” that is all-weather and free of obstacles so players with wheelchairs, walkers, crutches or mobility issues can play unencumbered.

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FALL 2015

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

Marchetti receives 1.4 million dollar DoD funding

FACULTY NEWS

Regina Harbourne, PT, PhD, PCS, is the primary investigator for a new Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement award from the State of Pennsylvania totaling $32,800 for a 2-year project titled: Project for Cognitive Advancement in infants with Neuromotor Disorders: The CAN-DO project. The purpose of this longitudinal study is to examine the ongoing interaction between the domains of cognitive and motor development in infants with neuromotor disability, and to compare outcomes of two groups of infants receiving two different types of home-based, parent-delivered intervention, in order to determine which intervention is more effective in advancing cognitive as well as motor development. Knowledge of the effectiveness of two types of intervention will lead to improved early intervention for children with developmental disabilities, as well as future studies to examine ongoing outcomes.

Harbourne receives C.U.R.E. funding

Greg Marchetti, PT, PhD, from the Department of Physical Therapy, is co-investigator on a recently awarded 1.4 million dollar grant from the Department of Defense/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program Clinical and Rehabilitative Medicine Research Program for Neurosensory and Rehabilitation Research. The award is for a project entitled, “Effectiveness of a Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) Tool for Identifying mild TBI and Tracking Recovery in Military Personnel.” The 3-year award will involve working in conjunction with US Army Special Operations medical personnel partners in NC, WA, and GA and then conducting a 2 year clinical study of the effectiveness of the VOMS tool for mild TBI in this population.

Harbourne secures 3.5 million dollar DOE grant Regina Harbourne, PT, PhD, PCS was awarded a 3.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Science. The grant will support a 4-year, multi-site project titled, “Efficacy of the START-Play Program for Infants with Neuromotor Disorders”, a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of the home-based START-Play intervention on motor development, motor problem solving, and cognitive problem solving of infants with neuromotor delays.

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FALL 2015

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

Duquesne Clinical Education Clinical education is a vital component of the Duquesne University physical therapy program. Students complete 4 separate clinical rotations (40 weeks total) during the professional phase of the curriculum. Students have opportunities to affiliate with local, regional and national clinical sites that enhance their academic education. In addition to our local premier clinical sites, students have been placed at outstanding national locations such as Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in California, Kennedy Krieger Rehabilitation Center in Maryland, David Grant Air Force Base in California, Emergency Responders Health Center in Idaho and Touchstone Rehabilitation in Arizona among others.

Rob Martin, PT, PhD, has been invited to speak at: the International Society for Hip Arthroscopy (ISHA) in Cambridge England in September; the Israel Hip Symposium in Tel Aviv also in September; and at the South Africa Sports Medicine Congress in Johannesburg in October.

About Duquesne University One of the nation's top Catholic universities , Duquesne University provides a well-rounded education that challenges students academically while nourishing their spiritual and ethical development. Founded more than 130 years ago by the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne University is the only Spiritan institution of higher education in the United States. We share in the Spiritan’s values and are deeply committed to: 1) Educational Excellence; 2) Moral & Spiritual values; 3) An atmosphere open to diversity; 4) Service to the Church, community, nation & world.

Martin set to Travel

Dr. Ken Havrilla was selected as a Gaultier Teaching Fellow for the upcoming academic year. Gaultier fellows share successful community-engaged teaching strategies, assist emerging community-engaged teachers and disseminate their promising practices in the form of an academic product to the University community.

Havrilla selected as Gaultier Teaching Fellow

PAGE 5

FALL 2015

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

1. Why did you choose to study Physical Therapy at Duquesne University? “In my junior and senior years of high school I was very fortunate to have received scholarship offers from a number of Universities. I had the opportunity to visit most of the schools. Duquesne was the only school, in my eyes, that had the perfect combination of a highly regarded physical therapy program, an elite and competitive Division I soccer program and a picturesque campus. The six-year freshman admission DPT program sealed the deal for me and made my choice a very easy one. Four years later, it was the best decision I could have made.” 2. Describe balancing the demands & challenges of playing college soccer with your studies. “I've always had a difficult time answering this question. Without a doubt, balancing academic and athletic demands is extremely challenging. Rushing from practice to class is tiring and trying to find time to eat and study when you have responsibilities with your team requires constant time management and planning. But even with how difficult it can be, I consider myself so fortunate to be in a position where I can continue to play the sport I love, at one of the highest levels available to me, while continuing my education at a top institution. I don't need the slightest bit of sympathy for the situation I'm in - I chose it, I love it and I wouldn't want it any other way.” 3. What is your greatest memory (so far) & what do you look forward to with the remainder of the curriculum? “My greatest memory actually happened a few weeks ago during the summer semester. In one of our courses we were asked to complete a clinical competency. The clinical competency involved performing select examination techniques on an individual who was receiving physical therapy. While crouching down in the ICU of a local hospital, measuring someone's knee extension, how far I had come as a physical therapy student hit me square in the face. It felt good to finally put the information learned in school into action in a "real life" setting. With regards to the remainder of the curriculum, I am so excited for all the time I am going to spend on clinical rotations. While learning in the classroom is certainly important, I can't wait to be in a clinic, working with patients, soaking up all the information and advice my clinical instructors will provide.”

Colin Phillips, SPT – Rising 5th Year (2nd Year Professional Phase)

4. Thoughts on where & what type of PT you plan to practice after graduation? “When I decided to study PT, I was set on practicing in a sports orthopedic setting. However, I have started to consider the possibility of working in a different setting. Since Duquesne's PT program requires that each student spend at least one rotation in outpatient, inpatient and rehab settings, I am keeping an open mind heading into my clinical rotations. That being said, I am still leaning towards either sports orthopedics or working with the military.”

Colin Phillips, SPT Class of 2017

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FALL 2015

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

UPCOMING DATES

MORE INFORMATION

Resource Links Rangos School of Health Sciences Duquesne Physical Therapy Our Curriculum Student Outcomes Physical Therapy Faculty and Staff Apply to Duquesne

General Contact Information 139 Rangos School of Health Sciences 600 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15282 Email: eberle@duq.edu Phone: 412.396.5541 Fax: 412.396.4399

August August September

DPT Professional Phase Orientation

RSHS 141 8:00 – 11:00am

First day of Fall Semester

Professional Phase Recognition Ceremony

Power Center 2:00 – 4:00pm

APTA SWD Meeting West Penn Hospital

Gerrard Werries, M.D. Cervial Myelopathy

7:00 – 8:00pm

PT Open House

September September October

Rangos School of Health Sciences 25th Anniversary

Celebration Power Center

6:00 – 11:00pm