LEARNING
NEW PROGRAMS:
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Opens Doors By Jan Joslin
A
fter years of planning and preparation, the Charleston Southern Doctor of Physical Therapy program hosted an Open House in the spring and welcomed visitors to tour the classrooms and clinical spaces. President Dondi Costin welcomed the guests which included clinical partners, advisory board members, and members of the community. Costin said, “It’s a day to celebrate. Dr. Jacob Thorp and his team have assembled an extraordinary faculty.” Thorp joined the CSU family in 2019 and serves as the director and a professor with the physical therapy department. Thorp assembled an advisory board which provided feedback and direction. Effective April 26, 2022, Charleston Southern University has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. The first cohort of 48 students began classes May 31 and will graduate in December 2024. Thorp said the 2.5 year program is the fastest track to a DPT in the state of South
Physical Therapy hosted an open house and tours prior to the first cohort beginning. Photo by Ty Cornett.
Carolina. He said physical therapists are needed, and new students come into the program excited and ready to work. “In designing the fast-track program, we trusted God would provide the right students for the program.” Other unique aspects of the program include service-learning opportunities where students will meet needs in the community, the state, and internationally, and South Carolina’s only MBA/DPT co-enrollment degree program. Students will have the option to complete a Master of Business Administration in healthcare management as well as a Doctor of Physical Therapy in less time than usual. Martin Watts, chair of the Physical Therapy Advisory Board, said there are parts of the state where it is difficult to find a physical therapist. He said, “CSU’s unique emphasis on service is going to serve the state.” The DPT degree culminates in a faculty mentored research project that can be presented at a state or national conference.
ACSES STEM
Summer 2022, vol.32 no.2
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The Association of Charleston Southern Engineering Students ran a booth showcasing robotics at Accepted Student Weekend this spring. Photo by Ty Cornett CSU magazine
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