Over the last decade, the University of South Florida School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences has built a nationally ranked program, producing competent, highly capable and caring physical therapists grounded in evidence-based care. As an integral part of the USF College of Medicine and USF Health, our faculty and students are committed to collaborative education, discovery and best practices needed to navigate our evolving health care environment.
In the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences, we are dedicated to helping people achieve optimal physical function and mobility. In Florida, the number of retired veterans is 33 percent higher than the national average, and younger wounded warriors are now returning to the Sun Belt. Add to that the growth of the state’s senior population, and the demand for physical therapy is expected to be overwhelming in the coming decades.
The School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences will be unstoppable in leading the way to address these needs. We are preparing practice-ready professionals to help reduce the critical shortage of physical therapists in the state and nation. Every day, our faculty members improve the quality of patients’ lives by providing direct care and conducting research to develop innovative rehabilitation interventions.
As we continue our journey to make life better, we need your help. An investment in USF’s physical therapy program is an opportunity to impact the health of our community. We hope you will join us in this mission.
Competent, Capable, Caring and Committed Practitioners
The School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences attracts diverse and academically accomplished students from across the country. Students are drawn to the inter-professional curriculum where they train alongside their medical student peers in first-year basic science courses. The opportunity to gain varied clinical experiences throughout the program is also an incentive for potential students.
To enhance our recruitment efforts, the school seeks to build a $250,000 endowment to fund 10 merit- and need-based scholarships each year. These awards will allow the school to continuously attract and retain the best and brightest students. The ability to support our students’ education will make us more competitive and will sustain our vision of training highly responsible, self-directed doctors in physical therapy. With your help, we will be unstoppable.
Cutting-Edge Facilities for Life-Changing Research
The Human Functional Performance Laboratory is the core facility supporting the school’s research agenda. This lab facilitates a wide range of studies directed toward rehabilitative and other therapeutic interventions for the treatment of physical impairments or functional limitations associated with illness or injury.
The School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences seeks to create an endowment, including a naming opportunity, to support ongoing studies conducted in this facility. An endowment will expand the school’s research capabilities by providing additional laboratory space and equipment.
Clinically and Academically Experienced Faculty
The School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences is proactively building a team of faculty that encompasses a broad range of experiences. Endowed chairs and directorships, as well as faculty support funds, will be instrumental in rewarding the tremendous capabilities of our existing faculty and crucial for recruiting first-rate scholars and clinicians from around the world.
Through the scholarly activities of our faculty, the school is poised to make significant contributions in the areas of spinal dysfunction, prosthetics and orthotics, mapping sensory deficits in autistic children, balance and movement disorders, and sports injury prevention.
Faculty endowments provide salaries and benefits, allowing us to rival other prominent institutions. Funds to support faculty professional development ensure their skills as teachers, researchers and clinicians remain fresh and innovative. Together, these ensure that advancements in physical therapy are tied to the university and will continue to grow. Enlarging the breadth of our faculty will allow us to expand enrollment and increase the number of physical therapists available to deliver essential services in our community.
The USF: Unstoppable Campaign will strengthen the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences’ mission to make life better through research, education and care.
