Rockhurst Physical Therapy

Thanks to Our Clinical Partners!

2012-01-25T09:09:00.000-06:00

Our department is blessed to have a wonderful collection of clinicians and clinics who supervise our students during full-time clinical internships. These tremendous partners contribute in a huge way to polishing our students as they prepare for graduation and their first "real jobs" as physical therapists.

In 2011, our students traveled to 140 different clinical facilities on a total of 227 full-time clinical internships (3-week, 6-week and 9-week).

There's no way we can fully thank the clinics, clinical coordinators and clinical instructors who played such big roles in the development of our students. We appreciate you tremendously and we look forward to continuing a great partnership in the future!

Here's an alphabetical listing of the clinical sites that hosted our students in 2011. If a site took more than one student, that number is reflected in parenthesis after the clinic name.

Accelacare Physical Therapy
Advance Physical Therapy
Alegent Health - Lakeside Hospital (2)
Athletic & Rehabilitation Center
AthletiCare - St. John's Hospital Rehab South
Barnes-Jewish Hospital (3)
Baylor Specialty Hospital
Beachside Physical Therapy - Indialantic
Bird Physical Therapy (3)
Blue Ridge Physical Therapy (3)
Blue Valley Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, P.A. (2)
Boost Physical Therapy & Sports Performance (4)
California Children's Services
Center for Athletic Performance and Physical Therapy
Centerpoint Medical Center (3)
Children's Mercy Hospital - Kansas City
Children's Physical Therapy Associates - Land-Based Therapy Clinic
Children's Spot
Children's Therapeutic Learning Center
Community Rehab Physical Therapy
Concentra Medical Center - Grandview (2)
Concentra Medical Center - River West
Cooper & Bush Physical Therapy
Covenant Medical Center
Cox Health - Acute Therapy - Cox South
Creighton University Medical Center
Elite Physical Therapy
ErgoWellness
ETC Physical Therapy (2)
Excel Physical Therapy - Northwest Omaha
Excel Sports and Physical Therapy - North O'Fallon (3)
Excelsior Springs Medical Center (2)
Francis Howell School District
Freeman Health System
Go Physical Therapy
Go Physical Therapy - Omaha
Gold Coast Physical Therapy Association - Lake Worth (3)
Golden Living Center - New Haven
Hannibal Regional Hospital
Hays Medical Center
HealthSouth MidAmerica Rehabilitation Hospital
Heartspring
Hillcrest Medical Center
Jennifer Crooks PT
John Knox Village
Kenny Rogers Children's Center
Kinematic Consultants, Inc.
Lee's Summit Medical Center (3)
Liberty Hospital (3)
Life Care Center of Osawatomie
Lifetouch Physical Therapy
Living Community of St Joseph
Madonna ProActive Therapy Plus
Mary Greeley Medical Center
Memorial Hermann Hospital
Memorial Hospital - South Bend
Menorah Medical Center (3)
Mercy Rehabilitation at Mercy Health Plaza
Methodist Physicians Clinic - Regency
Miami County Medical Center (2)
Miami County Medical Center
Modern Physical Therapy (3)
Nannen & Harte Physical Therapy
Natural Health Sports Therapy
Nemaha Valley Community Hospital
Nevada Regional Medical Center (2)
New Mark Care Center
North Kansas City Hospital (5)
Northland Physical Therapy (2)
Olathe Medical Center (3)
Olympic Sports and Spine Rehabilitation - Puyallup (3)
Overland Park Regional Medical Center (2)
Peak Performance Physical Therapy - Forum (2)
Performance Rehab Inside Sports
Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Institute - Alexandria
Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Institute - Falls Church / Herndon (2)
Physical Therapy Works - Dodge City
Physiotherapy Associates - Ankeny
Physiotherapy Associates - Broad Ripple
Physiotherapy Associates - Del Mar
Pinnacle Therapy Services - Northland (2)
Promise Regional Medical Center (3)
Providence Medical Center (4)
Providence Mt. Carmel Hospital
Ranken Jordan - A Pediatric Specialty Hospital
Rehab Xcel - Manchester
Research Medical Center (3)
Risen Son Christian Village
Rock Valley Physical Therapy
Russell Regional Hospital
Saint Luke's East - Lee's Summit (2)
Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City (3)
Saint Luke's Northland Hospital - Barry Road (2)
Saint Luke's Northland Hospital - Smithville Campus
Saint Luke's South
Saint Luke's South - Outpatient Rehabilitation Services (3)
Sanford Physical Therapy Solutions
Select Physical Therapy - Kansas City - Main (2)
Select Physical Therapy - Largo
Select Physical Therapy - North Independence
Select Physical Therapy - Overland Park (2)
Select Physical Therapy - Woodlands
SERC of Raytown at Blue Ridge Tower
Shawnee Mission Medical Center (3)
Shawnee Mission School District - Trailwood Elementary
Shine Integrative Physical Therapy
South St. Louis Rehabilitation Institute
Southwind Physical Therapy
Specialty Hospital of Mid-America
Spine & Sport Physical Therapy & Aquatics
Sports Institute of Physical Therapy - Humble
Sports Rehabilitation & Physical Therapy Associates, Inc. - Building 2 (2)
Sports Rehabilitation & Physical Therapy Associates, Inc. - St. Joseph Health Center (2)
SSM Health - St. Joseph Health Center
St. Elizabeth's Hospital - Mascoutah
St. Francis Health Center
St. John's Hospital - Leavenworth (2)
St. John's Mercy Medical Center - St. Louis (2)
St. Joseph Medical Center
St. Louis Physical Therapy
Starz Pediatric Therapy Network
Stevens County Hospital
Summit Rehabilitation and Wellness Center (5)
Summit Strength (3)
Synergy Therapies - Independence (3)
Tenet - St. Louis University Hospital
The Kleven Institute
The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City (2)
Truman Medical Center - Hospital Hill (5)
University of Chicago Medical Center
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
University of Kansas Hospital (3)
University of Kansas Hospital - Sports Medicine Institute (3)
University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Athletic Medicine (3)
VA Medical Center - Jefferson Barracks (2)
VA Medical Center - John Cochran
Via Christi Regional Medical Center - St. Francis Campus (5)

Faculty Member Wins Announcing Award

2012-01-19T13:05:00.001-06:00

And now for something completely different...

Just to prove that PT faculty do have real, honest-go-goodness lives outside of the campus, RU PT Chair Brian McKiernan can often be found behind the microphone as the P.A. announcer for athletic events at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas.

In recognition of his accomplishments, the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers (NASPAA), the professional association for sports public address announcers, recently selected Brian as the 2011 High School P.A. Announcer of the Year.

In announcing the award, the NASPAA press release stated, "Brian McKiernan has been the voice of the Bishop Ward High School Cyclones for 15 years where he has announced football, basketball, soccer and baseball. His state championship P.A. announcing resume includes seven Kansas State High School Activities Association Regional Baseball Tournaments.

“Brian takes his roles as the "Voice of the Cyclones" very seriously and is a true professional,” said Gregory Duggins, Dean of Students/Athletic Director for Bishop Ward High School. “He has a commitment to excellence and his love and passion for Bishop Ward Athletics only enhances his effectiveness in his many roles. He is so very deserving of this award. We could not be more proud of him.”

“His style of announcing exudes class and professionalism,” commented Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director. “For his high standards and representing the best in P.A. announcing, we are pleased to honor him as our high school P.A. announcer of the year.”

Brothers Engage Students in Local Cancer Effort

2012-01-09T11:52:00.001-06:00

Second year PT student Mark Sudbeck (PT '13) and his brother Ben simultaneously launched Colleges Against Cancer chapters at their respective universitites in spring 2011.

Read more in an article from The Kansas City Nursing News at:
http://www.kccommunitynews.com/kc-nursing-news/29319098/detail.html

Mark Sudbeck (PT '12 on left) and his brother Ben founded several nonprofits after their father, Max Sudbeck, died from brain cancer. See the article from The Kansas City Nursing News linked above for more on their efforts.

(Photo credit: Linda Friedel, Nursing News).

PT Department Welcomes Marcie Swift, PT, PhD

2011-12-07T15:45:00.001-06:00

The Rockhurst Department of Physical Therapy Education is excited (although late) to announce that Marcie Swift, PT, PhD, joined the department as a full-time member of the faculty in fall semester 2011. In announcing her arrival to the Rockhurst campus at the beginning of fall semester, Departrment Chair Brian McKiernan stated, "Marcie is an energetic and dynamic woman who brings excellent clinical and classroom teaching experience to our faculty."

Dr. Swift will teach in the musculoskeletal course sequence in the PT curriculum. She received her undergraduate degree from Kansas State University and then earned her MS PT and her PhD at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS.

Dr. Swift completed a residency program in manual therapy at the Kaiser Institute in Vallejo, California and taught in the musculoskeletal curriculum in the PT program at the University of Kansas Medical Center for several years.

We are glad that Marcie chose to join our team and we look forward to working with her for many years to come. In reflecting on her arrival, Dr. McKiernan said, "I am confident she will make many strong and lasting contributions to our students and our department."

Dr. Swift co-authored The Clinical Orthopedic Assessment Guide

with Janice Loudon and Stephania Bell

Update from the Dominican Republic

2011-11-16T08:54:00.000-06:00

Click the photo below to visit the web site of Laurie Kietzman-Greer (PT '07) and her husband Nick. Laurie and Nick are both physical therapists and are currently working as physical therapist missionaries in the Dominican Republic.

They just updated their site with a very interesting blog post for November. Follow their journey online.

Ellen Spake to Join RU President's Office

2011-11-09T20:52:00.001-06:00

We want to update everyone on something that is both very happy and very sad all at the same time.

Fr. Tom Curran (Rockhurst University president) announced in late August that our very own Ellen Spake (PT, PhD) will become the Assistant to the President for Mission and Ministry at the beginning of the next academic year (August 2012).

While we are tremendously sad to lose Ellen from our department, we recognize that this is a tremendous opportunity for her and that she will serve the University magnificently in this role.

This was a very tough decision for Ellen to make. While the opportunities of her new position are wonderful, she struggled with leaving the program, faculty, staff and students that she loves so much. For anyone who doesn't know, Ellen was one of the original architects of our program and served as the first (and only) program chair from 1983 until she stepped back into a regular faculty role in 2003.

Congratulations to Ellen on this exciting new chapter of her faculty career! As she reminded us when she informed the department faculty and staff of the change, she will still be "right across campus" in her new role (and we will make sure that she doesn't lose touch with PT). :-)

We have begun a national search to recruit a new member of the faculty. Our goal is to have someone ready to assume full faculty responsibilities in August of 2012.

The complete job announcement is available online at:
http://www.rockhurst.edu/services/hr/facultyjobs.asp

Many thanks to Ellen Spake

for all she's done for the PT Department

Trip to Ecuador Inspires Students

2011-11-02T23:01:00.006-05:00

Seven representatives from the Rockhurst PT Department journeyed to Gauyaquil, Ecuador in August 2011 to work with patients diagnosed with Hansen's Disease.

PT students Molly Alfermann, Tessa Campbell, Emily Levy, Kati Mayer, Rachel Swift and Leslie Taylor joined faculty member Jean Hiebert and students and faculty from the Rockhurst OT program on the service trip between summer and fall semesters.

For five days, the students worked closely with the patients in Gauyaquil, giving them the unique opportunity to put what they've been learning in class into action. Above all, the students experienced profound moments treating patients who might never have received the medical care they needed without the students' help.

"The experience for me was truly inspirational," said student Kati Mayer. "The patients that we saw were strong willed, courageous individuals who inspired me to be a better student and future therapist."

One such experience was when a group witnessed a bilateral amputee patient walking on her prosthetic for the first time. The woman had not been able to use her prosthetics because no one, prior to the students' arrival, was there to teach her how.

"She was brought to tears because she was able to stretch out her legs and did not have to sit in the wheelchair all day without walking," explained Emily Levy, who helped treat the woman. "By the end of the week she was using a walker during her treatment sessions. The trip was amazing and life changing. It definitely reinforced my dreams to become a PT."

Student Rachel Swift had a similar experience.

"The most exciting thing was that my group and I helped a 16-year-old girl named Angela walk for the first time with her prosthesis since having her lower leg amputated, " Swift said. "It was SO amazing to be there and experience that with her and her mom."

To see photos of their incredible journey, click on the photo album below:

Trip to Ecuador

Congratulations to Lauren Schwartze (and family)!

2011-10-31T10:21:00.003-05:00

We're happy to report that PT department secretary Lauren Schwartze and her husband welcomed their first child on Thursday, October 27th

Micah James Robert made his grand entrance at at 11:42 p.m. and checked in at 21.75 inches and 10 lbs., 6 oz.

Although they're both a bit tired, mom and baby are doing very well. Congratulations to Lauren and family!

Students Raise Money for Breast Cancer Awareness

2011-10-30T21:09:00.000-05:00

Earlier this month, female students from both the 1st and 2nd year PT classes had pink feathers braided into their hair to raise awareness of breast cancer and raise money for breast cancer research.

The girls all paid $10 per feather. A local hair dresser donated a few hours of her time to come to campus and put the feathers in. About 40 girls participated from the 1st and 2nd year PT classes and they raised $430 in donations.

The money was given to Susan G Komen, an organization that provides education about early detection of breast cancer, supports groups for those fighting and, most importantly, funds research for finding a cure.

Although it was only a one day fundraiser, the feathers will be worn for the month of October in honor of those who have lost their fight with with breast cancer, those who are still fighting, and those who have defeated breast cancer.

Mayer, Sudbeck Receive RehabCare Scholarships

2011-10-19T09:39:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Kati Mayer (PT '13) and Mark Sudbeck (PT '13) for being the 2011 Rockhurst PT recipients of $2,500 scholarships awarded by RehabCare. This is the first year that RehabCare has awarded scholarships to Rockhurst PT students.

With over 27 years of experience, RehabCare is the leading national provider of post-acute services, managing rehabilitation programs in partnership with over 1,270 hospitals and skilled nursing facilities in 42 states. RehabCare also owns and operates 35 long-term acute care and freestanding rehabilitation hospitals.

As recipients of the scholarships, Kati and Mark documented an excellent academic record, demonstrated a passion for physical therapy and articulated a clear interest in working with the geriatric population and providing services in underserved areas (rural communities).

They will complete a clinical internship in a RehabCare facility and will present a project and an in-service to therapy staff.

Congratulations to Kati and Mark for not only receiving the scholarships, but also for choosing to pursue careers in physical therapy!

Kati Mayer (PT '13), Mark Sudbeck (PT '13)

Students Walk for American Stroke Foundation

2011-10-10T18:03:00.000-05:00

PT students hit the pavement in support of the American Stroke Foundation's 9th Annual Stroke Walk on October 1st at Theis Park in Kansas City, MO. Department Chair Dr. Brian McKiernan and three friends of the students joined the event.

The Rockhurst Physical Therapy Team from left to right: Megan Kelley, Kati Mayer, Tessa Campbell, Kevin Kelley, Kimberly Cochran, Ewa Zarycka, Andra Woods, Bryn Fitzmaurice, Kate Ruble, Brian McKiernan, Nikki Anderson and Kira Fladstol.

Together the team raised $1,270 for the American StrokeFoundation, bringing in the fourth highest team total. Overall, the eventraised $43,000 to benefit the American Stroke Foundation.

Students stop for a pose with stroke survivor Dolores Clark.

Stroke survivor Kevin Petrehn (third from left) is all smiles with the ladies of the Physical Therapy Team.

Kennedy, Parker Receive VNA Scholarships

2011-08-16T09:01:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Elizabeth Kennedy (PT '13) and Larry Parker (PT '14) for being the 2011 Rockhurst PT recipients of $2,000 scholarships awarded by the Visiting Nurse Association of Kansas City. Elizabeth and Larry were honored, along with recipients from other Kansas City area healthcare education programs, at a reception at the Visiting Nurse Association's Kansas City headquarters on August 11, 2011.

The Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) was Kansas City's first home health care agency. Established in 1891, VNA provides quality multi-disciplinary home health care to residents of Kansas City and the surrounding metropolitan area.

In summer 2010, VNA established two scholarships to support nontraditional students in the Rockhurst PT program who are pursuing a career change by entering the physical therapy program. The scholarships are designed to support the students as they change careers and to encourage consideration of home health therapy as an employment option after graduation. VNA will continue to award two $2,000 scholarships annually to qualified students in the Rockhurst physical therapy program.

Congratulations to Elizabeth and Larry for not only receiving the scholarships, but also for choosing to pursue careers in physical therapy.

Scholarship recipients pose with Richard Roberson, CEO of the VNA organization, at the reception on August 11. Front row (L to R): Elizabeth Kennedy (PT), Robyn Dostal (OT), Emma Tosatto (OT). Back row (L to R): Richard Roberson (VNA), Larry Parker (PT), Natalie Lewis (OT).

Students Gather Donations for Joplin

2011-07-27T19:27:00.000-05:00

PT students from Rockhurst University joined students from other midwest PT programs in gathering donations to help the people in Joplin, Missouri who are still recovering from an EF-5 tornado in May.

Under the direction of second year student Kati Mayer, they raised $315 in cash along with two car loads of adult and children clothing, non-perishable food, books, children's toys, hygiene products, pillows, blankets, paper towels, and toilet paper.

The students coordinated their efforts with students in the PT program at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri who coordinated the effort.

Students Help Joplin Cleanup Efforts

2011-07-26T13:09:00.002-05:00

It's been over two months since an EF-5 tornado tore through Joplin, Missouri but the cleanup still continues.

On Saturday, July 23rd, 16 Rockhurst University PT students (12 second year and 4 first year) spent the day in Joplin as part of the tornado disaster relief effort. The students arrived in a large parking lot and were taken up to a site in town to work. They worked at the site, making piles of debris (wood, branches, house materials, metal, etc.) for dump trucks to come pick up at a later time.

They were served hotdogs and sandwiches at a local church at noon and then worked until 3:00 in the afternoon continuing to pile up debris. Scattered among the debris they reported finding items like children's blankets, stuffed animals, pictures, recipes, and even a neuro text book!

At 3:00, they were taken by bus back to the parking lot and headed back to KC. Many thanks to these students for their service to a community in need.

Students Participate in White Coat Ceremony

2011-07-16T14:57:00.001-05:00

Members of the PT Class of 2012 marked their transition from classwork to full-time clinical internships by participating in a White Coat Ceremony on Thursday, May 12, 2011 in Mabee Theater on the Rockhurst campus.

The White Coat Ceremony is a ritual in many physical therapy schools that marks a student's transition from the study of preclinical to clinical health sciences. The ceremony typically involves a formal "robing" or "cloaking" of students in white coats, signifying their transition from the basic science and academic portion of their education to their clinical studies.

In his brief remarks to open the program, PT Department Chair Brian McKiernan, PT, PhD, stated, "The white coat signals a transition, but it is a symbol of transformation." Reflecting on the two years of classwork that the students had already completed, he observed that, "Having gotten a good handle on the science of healing you will now be given your white coat and challenged to learn the art of caring."

After receiving their white coats, the Class of 2012 recited the Model Oath for Physical Therapy (adopted by the APTA Section on Education in February 2004):

"As I enter the profession to practice as a physical therapist, I solemnly and willingly pledge the following:

I will respect the rights and dignity of all individuals and will provide compassionate care.
I will be trustworthy towards my patients and clients and in all other aspects of physical therapy practice.
I will place the welfare of my patients and clients above my own self-interest.
I will provide accurate and relevant information to patients and clients about their care and to the public about physical therapy services.
I will exercise sound judgment and comply with laws and regulations that govern physical therapy and protect the public from unethical, incompetent, and illegal acts
I will maintain professional competence and promote high standards for physical therapy practice, education, and research.
I will address the health needs of society and strive to effect changes that benefit patients, clients, and the community.
I will respect the rights, knowledge, and skills of colleagues and other health care professionals and seek consultation whenever the welfare of the patient or client may be advanced.

Thus, with this oath, I freely accept the responsibilities that accompany the practice of physical therapy."

Rockhurst PT Class of 2012

Congratulations to the Class of 2011

2011-06-29T12:43:00.001-05:00

The Department of Physical Therapy Education would like to extend congratulations to all 45 members of the Class of 2011 who graduated on May 14, 2011 in a ceremony at Municipal Auditorium.

We would like to extend a special acknowledgment to several members of the class who received special awards from the faculty at the class graduation banquet the night before the commencement ceremony.

Christopher Wayne Robl received the 2011 Lampe-Loescher Award for the graduating student who exemplifies exceptional academic accomplishment, leadership and service and who demonstrates potential for exceptional leadership and service to the physical therapy profession.

Kristin Michelle Allen recieved the 2011 Donna J. Calvert Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Communication.

Katharine Anne Sobbe received the 2011 Ellen Spake Award for Outstanding Leadership.

Amanda Lynn Fisher, Erin Ann Hopper, Matthew Lee Hurlbutt, and Matthew Paul Shirey received Magis Awards for "generous excellence and commitment to others" throughout their time in the PT program.

Physical Therapy Class of 2011

Kristin Michelle Allen
Ashley Renee Alvarez
Eric Adam Archer
Melissa Janae Black
Eric Ryan Bradshaw
Kayla Marie Bryant
Kathleen Marie Berry
Jill Christine Duesing
Tera Nicole Evans
Christopher Michael Farney
Kathryn Frances Ferrantelle
Amanda Lynn Fisher
Rebecca Ann Fisher
Stephanie C. Fournier
Camille Jo Fulhage
Brian Howard Graf
Heather Ann Klinedinst Green
Angie Marie Gutierrez
Erin Ann Hopper
Matthew Lee Hurlbutt
Jenna Sue Jurrens
Satvir Kaur
Ross Allen Kelling
Julia Danielle Liesen
Laura Diane Lund
Katie Marie McCarthy
Ruth Ann Mecker
Laurie Ann Pharis
Daniel Clytis Ream
Abbey Lynne Rickard
Christine Elizabeth Roberts
Christopher Wayne Robl
Natalie Renee Rutledge
Matthew Paul Shirey
Katharine Anne Sobbe
Miranda Rae Soper
Anastasia Alma Natalia Stalsworth
Heather Kristine Steinman
Sean Christopher Stockwell
Nicole Renae Tabares
Timothy Robert Tracy
Mark Thomas Twellman
Ashley Nicole Whitwell
Jeremy Philip Wiltz
Stefanie Carol Marie Woodard

Rockhurst PT Grads Earn Specialist Certification

2011-04-04T13:10:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to three Rockhurst PT grads for earning certification by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) in 2010.

These grads were honored in a ceremony that took place at the Combined Sections Meeting on the evening of Wednesday, February 9, 2011 in New Orleans.

According to ABPTS, "Clinical specialization in physical therapy addresses a specific area of patient need. It requires knowledge, skill, and clinical experience that exceeds that of the physical therapist upon entry into the profession and is unique to the specialized area of practice."

Congratulations again to the following Rockhurst PT grads:

Deborah Jackson, PT, PhD, OCS, CMP (PT 1993) - Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS)

Laurie Kertz, PT, MPT, OCS (PT 2001) - Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS)

Brian Murphy, PT, MPT, OCS (PT 2000) - Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS)

Students Present Research Projects

2011-04-04T11:30:00.001-05:00

As part of the Rockhurst Physical Therapy curriculum, students complete either an individual or group research project under faculty mentorship. The following projects were completed by students in the Class of 2011. They were presented in platform format to the Rockhurst community on March 4, 2011 and will be presented in poster format at the MPTA spring meeting on April 15-16, 2011.

Congratulations to these students and their faculty mentors on creating and presenting outstanding projects.

The Effects of Attentional Focus and Environmental Interference on Measures of Gross Motor Performance while Cycling
Eric Archer, SPT; Christopher Farney, SPT; Amanda Fisher, SPT; Jenna Jurrens, SPT; Julia Liesen, SPT; and Jeremy Wiltz, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Don Hoover, PT, PhD, CSCS

Biomechanical Analysis of Gait During Unloaded Walking in Normals and Patients with Total Knee Arthroplasty
Kathleen Collins, SPT; Kathryn Ferrantelle, SPT; Satvir Kaur, SPT; and Chris Robl, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Mohamed Kohia, PT, PhD

Compliance of NAIA Collegiate Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation Forms with American Heart Association Guidelines to Screen for Sudden Cardiac Death
Kristin Allen, SPT; Ashley Alvarez, SPT; Dan Ream, SPT; and Stefanie Woodard, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Jean Hiebert, PT, PhD

Audiovisual Training - Its Impact on Families of Children with Down Syndrome
Heather Dias, SPT; Laura Lund, SPT; Katie McCarthy, SPT; and Ashley Whitwell, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Catherine Thompson, PhD, MS, PT

Patient Perceptions about Appearance of Physical Therapists
Erin Hopper, SPT; Ruth Mecker, SPT; Abbey Rickard, SPT; and Miranda Soper, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Jim Dronberger, PT, DPT, OCS, MBA

The Effects of Treadmill Training With Partial Body Weight Support on Patients Following Total Knee
Arthroplasty
Brian Graf, SPT; Ross Kelling, SPT; Natalie Rutledge, SPT and Katie Sobbe, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Mohamed Kohia, PT, PhD

The Influence of Core Musculature Engagement on Hip and Knee Kinematics in Females During a Single Leg Squat
Matthew Shirey, SPT; Matthew Hurlbutt, SPT; and Nicole Johansen, SPT
Faculty Mentors: Greg W. King, PhD; Steven G. Wilkinson, PT, PhD; Don Hoover, PT, PhD, CSCS

Immediate Video Feedback vs. Verbal Feedback or Self Evaluation for Learning a Novel Physical Task
Melissa Black, SPT; Camille Fulhage, SPT; and Mark Twellman, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Brian McKiernan, PT, PhD

Changes in Knee Kinematics During the Single Leg Squat in Females During the Three Phases of the Menstrual Cycle
Kayla Bryant, SPT; Jill Duesing, SPT; Angie Gutierrez, SPT; and Sean Stockwell, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Amy Foley, PT, DPT, MA

Characteristics of Leaders in Physical Therapy
Eric Bradshaw, SPT; Tera Evans, SPT; Stephanie Fournier, SPT; and Heather Green, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Ellen Spake PT, PhD

Older Adult Activity Patterns Associated with Perceived Barriers and Benefits to Exercise in a Large Metropolitan Area
Laurie Pharis, SPT; Christine Roberts, SPT; and Tim Tracy, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Ann Marie Decker, PT, MSA, GCS

Rockhurst PT Faculty Achieve 100% Membership in APTA Facility Challenge

2011-04-01T08:40:00.000-05:00

For the fourth year in a row, the Rockhurst Department of Physical Therapy Education has achieved 100 percent membership in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). All nine core faculty in the department are members of APTA.

"I'm proud that our faculty demonstrate their commitment to the profession of physical therapy through continuing membership in APTA," said Brian McKiernan, PT, PhD, Chair of the physical therapy program. "Maintaining active membership in APTA keeps us intimately connected to our profession and definitely enhances our preparation of students to be future therapists."

Each physical therapist member of APTA pledges to abide by the Association’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Ethical Conduct, which holds them to a high standard of practice. APTA (www.apta.org) is a national organization representing physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students nationwide. Its goal is to foster advancements in physical therapist education, practice, and research.

Steve Wilkinson Receives Stanford Award

2011-03-30T21:52:00.003-05:00

Although he left our department at the end of fall semester, we can't help but brag on former faculty member Steve Wilkinson who, with two co-authors, received the Stanford Award at the business meeting of the Education Section at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting on Friday, February 11, 2011.

The Stanford Award is given annually by the Education Section of APTA to recognize the author(s) of a paper "containing the most influential educational ideas". The Stanford Award was initiated by Dr. Kay Shepard in 2000 through an endowment to the Section for Education. Kay’s editorial about the award can be found in JPTE Volume 15, No. 1, Spring 2001.

As anyone who knows Steve is already aware, he is a great forward thinker when it comes to the use of technology and the importance of medical informatics in physical therapy education and practice. Before he left our department, he published an article titled, "Establishing the Centrality of Health Informatics in Physical Therapist Education: If Not Now, When?" along with co-authors Julia Chevan and Daniel Vreeman. The article appeared in the Fall 2010 issue of the Journal of Physical Therapy Education (Vol 24, No 3, pp. 10-15).

The article presents, "specific recommendations to help strengthen the centrality of informatics within physical therapist education, such as including health informatics as a foundational domain and fully developing the set of core informatics competencies for physical therapy." Further, the authors, "encourage the academic

community to engage in activities and dialog that clarify the role of informatics in physical therapist education."

Our department is very actively working on ways to meet the authors' challenge. Stay tuned for cool things. :-)

Jim Dronberger Named to PT Advisory Commission

2011-03-28T10:07:00.000-05:00

In early March of this year, a Missouri senate review panel approved Governor Nixon’s appointment of Jim Dronberger (PT, DPT, OCS, MBA) to the Advisory Commission for Physical Therapists in the state of Missiouri. Jim has been a member of the PT faculty at Rockhurst since 1991.

Jim will serve a four year term and will work with the four other members of the commission to advise the Missouri Board of Healing Arts on licensure and regulation issues as they pertain to the profession of physical therapy.

Congratulations and thanks to Jim for stepping up to help and support our profession with his service.

Where Have We Been?

2011-03-28T09:54:00.001-05:00

Although today's snow is a temporary setback, spring is steadily creeping closer...

It's hard to believe that it's been almost two months since we posted any news and information about PT Education at Rockhurst! It's not because there hasn't been anything going on. Quite the opposite, we've been very engaged in quite a few interesting projects and activities over the last two months. We're going to start posting updates on a very frequent basis over the next couple of weeks to get everyone caught up on all the cool stuff. Stay tuned.

If you have news that you'd like to share with the Rockhurst PT community, just send an email to Brian McKiernan (brian.mckiernan@rockhurst.edu). Thanks!

Adjunct Instructors Represent PT for Day on the Hill

2011-02-02T09:34:00.002-06:00

Two of our adjunct instructors joined over 90 other PT's and students in Topeka, Kansas on January 25, 2011 for the Kansas Physical Therapy Association's annual Day on the Hill.

This event is designed to raise awareness among state legislators about issues of importance to the practice of physical therapy in Kansas and the United States.

Mark Dwyer (back row, second from the left in the picture below) is a therapist and president of KPTA. He teaches Health Care Management in our entry-level curriculum.

Christina Wisdom (middle row, second from the left in the picture below) is a therapist and member of KPTA's Board of Directors. She teaches PT Assessment I, PT Assessment II and Clinical Procedures II in our entry-level curriculum.

Many thanks to Mark, Christina and all the other therapists and students who advocated on our behalf in Topeka!

Members of the KPTA Board of Directors join Kansas Governor Sam Brownback

during KPTA's Day on the Hill (January 25, 2011)

Steve Wilkinson Accepts New Position

2011-01-19T18:25:00.002-06:00

We were very sad at the end of fall semester to say goodbye to Steve Wilkinson, PT, PhD. Steve had been a member of our faculty since 2005 and taught in our musculoskeletal course sequence. He was a valued member of our faculty and had received the "outstanding faculty" award from students in the classes of 2008 and 2010.

For personal and family reasons, Steve, his wife Quisha and their family moved to Boise, Idaho at the end of fall semester. This move will put them much closer to their respective families (who live in Utah).

In Boise, Steve will manage one facility in a small chain of PT clinics and he will also serve as a technology officer for the company.

Although we are very sad to see Steve and his family head west, we are very grateful that we were colleagues for five years and we wish him and his family the very best in 2011 and beyond.

PT Grad to Serve in Dominican Republic

2011-01-15T16:50:00.001-06:00

We are proud to spread the news that Laurie Kietzman-Greer (PT '07) and her husband, Nick Kietzman-Greer will be moving to the Dominican Republic in 2011 to begin a service commitment that is projected to last 2-5 years.

Laurie is a graduate of the Rockhurst PT program and Nick is a graduate of the Creighton PT program (both earned their DPT in 2007). After getting married, they have participated in several short term trips to the Dominican Republic over the last four years with Creighton University, doing physical therapy service work.

During their extended stay, they will work under the Church of the Nazarene, and plan to live and work in a local church in Santiago. In addition to their physical therapy work, they will participate in church ministries with women who have been abused and children without stable homes (1-2 days/wk).

However, the majority of their work (2-4 days/wk) will focus on health development. For example:

They will collaborate with existing Dominican physical therapists and the local university in hopes to encourage: 1) the development of a continuing education system for therapists; 2) inpatient physical therapy services; 3) wound care services; and 4) helping the local PT community strive for greater practice autonomy and quality of care standards. This will include clinical work alongside therapists and students.
They will provide physical therapy services for a program working to bring children with severe disabilities out of an orphanage and into homes.
They may also teach a brief term in Haiti at the only physical therapy program available in the country, a tech level program sponsored by rotating international volunteers.

Laurie and Nick state that they have been inspired by others in the profession who have provided numerous examples of service and health care excellence.

You can visit Laurie and Nick's web site (http://nickandlaurie.wordpress.com) to learn more about their service work and/or to make donations and provide support. We're proud to count Laurie and Nick as colleagues in our great profession!

Nick Keitzman-Greer, PT, DPT and Laurie Keitzman-Greer, PT, DPT

Happy New Year!

2011-01-14T14:10:00.001-06:00

So... why is it that every year we get to about this point and shake our heads and ask, "What happened?"

It's hard to believe that the last time we posted a news update was back in November. The holidays absolutely flew by this year!

We hope that all of you had a great holiday season and that 2011 has started off great (OK...cold...but great).

Spring semester starts next week. It's going to be an exciting year in PT here at Rockhurst. We'll tell you more about our plans in upcoming posts. In the meantime, thanks for being a friend and supporter of Rockhurst PT.

PT Students Active in Kansas City Marathon

2010-11-02T21:42:00.002-05:00

Rockhurst PT was well represented at the Kansas City Marathon on October 16, 2010 with 1st and 2nd year students participating as both runners and race volunteers.

First year student Kim Shank-Reed (PT '13) finished the full marathon in a time of 3:01.41. This was good for 3rd place overall in the womens division - all ages. Way to go Kim!

Several students completed the half-marathon: 2nd year Kara Poehlman (2:04.55), 1st year Kate Ruble (2:05.36) and 1st year Leslie Taylor (2:29.25).

Many students volunteered their help in various capacities throughout the race, including 2nd year students Chelsie Harper, Heather Robertson, Jessica Karlson, Katie Tallman, Megan Rives, Tyler Clark, and Tyler Stutz.

Congratulations to all of these students for a job well done!!

First year students Leslie Taylor (middle) and Kate Ruble (right)
cool down after completing the half-marathon.

Kim Shank-Reed blazes to a 3rd place finish in the women's division.

First year students Kim Shank-Reed (left) and Kate Ruble (right) relax at the finish line.

PT Faculty Participates in Service Trip to El Salvador

2010-10-27T10:14:00.001-05:00

PT faculty member Amy Foley joined eight other medical personnel from Visitation Parish (Kansas City, MO) on a volunteer trip to San Salvador, El Salvador during the week of October 2 - 9, 2010. The group included physicians and nurse practitioners in addition to physical therapists. They worked for the week within the community of Madre De Los Pobles, Visitation's sister parish in San Salvador.

The volunteers coordinated a health week and were able to treat and educate nearly 250 people from the area The delegation went at a time when the Catholic Church in El Salvador had asked the authorities to step up their fight against a spate of violent murders in the country.

Amy Foley

PT Student Helps RU Volleyball Coach Join 1,000-Victory Club

2010-10-07T09:47:00.002-05:00

As if the first year of the physical therapy curriculum weren't challenging enough, PT student Emily Levy (PT '13) is moonlighting this fall as a member of the Rockhurst University volleyball team. On September 3, 2010, Emily and her teammates joined forces to help their coach reach a lofty milestone.

The volleyball team opened the 2010 season with a 3-0 victory over Tiffin (Ohio) in the opening game of Rockhurst Classic tournament. With the win, Rockhurst volleyball coach Tracy Rietzke became the newest member of the 1,000-victory club. He is the sixth coach in NCAA history to collect 1,000 or more victories in women’s volleyball.

A native of Kensington, Kan., Rietzke has won 829 matches in 22 seasons at Rockhurst after compiling 172 wins in six seasons at Kansas Wesleyan (1982-88). He's the sixth coach in NCAA history to post 1,000 or more victories in women’s volleyball and he leads all active NCAA Division II coaches in victories.

As a red-shirt senior, Emily plays middle hitter for the volleyball team. She and teammate Maggie McGovern combined for 24 kills and eight blocks to lead the Hawks to their season opening win. Emily and Maggie were named to the All-Tournament team along with Rockhurst senior Alyssa Emerson.

Congratulations to Emily, Coach Rietzke and the team! Just goes to show that you never know where you'll find Rockhurst PT students making a significant contribution in the community. :-)

Emily Levy (PT '13)

Clinical Educators Course Set for November 2nd

2010-10-06T14:46:00.000-05:00

"The Fieldwork Educator’s Toolbox: A Course for Clinical Educators" will be held Tuesday, November 2, 2010 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. on the Rockhurst campus in Science Center Room 115.

This short course is targeted at Clinical Educators/Supervisors who are interested in planning and implementing an effective student learning experience.

Ann Marie Decker, PT, MSA, GCS, (Physical Therapy), Beverly Leachman, MS, CCC, SLP (Communication Sciences and Disorders) and Liz Zayat, MS, OTR/L (Occupational Therapy) have teamed up to present this great event.

Please plan to join us on November 2nd for a relaxed evening of education and networking with local OT, PT, & ST practitioners.

This program is offered at no cost to participants employed at facilities with current fieldwork agreements
with Rockhurst University. There is a registration fee of $20 for participants not affiliated with current fieldwork
sites.

See the workshop brochure below for registration details.
Clinical Workshop Brochure

Midwest Student Conclave A Huge Success

2010-09-27T14:35:00.001-05:00

The Rockhurst campus literally buzzed with excitement on Saturday, September 18, 2010 as over 200 PT and PTA students from across the Midwest attended the Midwest Student Conclave.

The conclave was sponsored by the Student Special Interest Group (SSIG) of the Kansas Physical Therapy Association (KPTA) and was hosted by the Department of Physical Therapy Education at Rockhurst.

Four Rockhurst PT students serve as officers of the KPTA SSIG and were instrumental in organizing and executing this huge event. Christopher Robl (PT '11) is chairman, Eric Bradshaw (PT '11) is vice chairman, Megan Kaufman (PT '12) is secretary and Ashley De Los Reyes (PT '12) is treasurer.

The event was free for students who are currently enrolled in PT or PTA programs and featured presentations by guest speakers on topics ranging from running to golfing to canine rehabilitation to the spine and much more.

Besides educational presentations, student attendees had the opportunity to have their resumes critiqued by managers and directors of PT clinics/departments and to participate in mock interviews. An exhibit hall was set up in the morning and provided students with the opportunity to talk with future employers and a ranger of vendors from all over the country.

The SSIG is operated under the umbrella of the KPTA "by the students, for the students". It is designed to allow PT and PTA students to meet, confer, and promote interests about classes, the KPTA, and APTA.

You can learn more about the KPTA SSIG by looking them up on Facebook or visiting their web site (http://www.kptassig.com/).

Congratulations to all who planned and attended this great event! Rockhurst PT Education looks forward to hosting future events for KPTA SSIG.

Rockhurst PT students who serve as officers of KPTA SSIG (from left): Megan Kaufman, Ashley De Los Reyes, Chris Robl, Eric Bradshaw.

Please Join Us at CSM 2011

2010-09-20T09:26:00.000-05:00

Faculty and students from the Rockhurst physical therapy program will present 11 different posters with results of their respective research projects at the 2011 APTA Combined Sections Meeting (February 9-12 in New Orleans, LA).

We hope to catch up with many alumni and friends of Rockhurst PT at this spectacular meeting in the Crescent City. Make plans now to attend! Visit www.apta.org/csm for more details.

Dritley, Parker Receive VNA Scholarships

2010-09-20T09:12:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Jon Dritley (PT '12) and Larry Parker (PT '13) for being the first Rockhurst PT recipients of scholarships sponsored by the Visiting Nurse Association of Kansas City. They were honored, along with recipients from other Kansas City area healthcare education programs, at a reception at the Visiting Nurse Association's Kansas City headquarters on August 19, 2010.

The Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) was Kansas City's first home health care agency. Established in 1891, VNA provides quality multi-disciplinary home health care to residents of Kansas City and the surrounding metropolitan area.

In summer 2010, VNA established two scholarships to support nontraditional students in the Rockhurst PT program who are pursuing a career change by entering the physical therapy program. The scholarships are designed to support the students as they change careers and to encourage consideration of home health therapy as an employment option after graduation. VNA will continue to award two $2,000 scholarships annually to qualified students in the Rockhurst physical therapy program.

Congratulations to both Jon and Larry for not only receiving the scholarships, but also for choosing to pursue careers in physical therapy.

Graduating Classes Donate to PT Scholarship Fund

2010-09-08T16:40:00.001-05:00

Many thanks to members of the PT graduating classes of 2006, 2009 and 2010 for donating to the growing endowment for our PT Scholarship Fund.

The Class of 2006 donated $129.80 while Class of 2009 contributed $24.25 and Class of 2010 donated $1,111.46 to the scholarship fund. Most of these funds came from the respective classes closing their class bank accounts.

Many thanks to all as every penny helps us grow the endowment to the point where we can (hopefully very soon) begin to provide substantial scholarship support to one or more students in the PT program.

Students and Faculty Complete Memorable Service Trip

2010-09-08T16:22:00.003-05:00

Five members of the PT class of 2012 spent the week between summer and fall semesters working hard on a service trip in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Megan Kaufman, Rachael Thurman, Jessica Rolf, Daniel Bowman and Nathan Carlson along with PT faculty member Catherine Thompson joined students and faculty from the Rockhurst OT program working with patients who have Hansen's disease at the Damien house in Guayaquil.

Although they worked long hours at Damien House, the group also managed to get away for sight seeing in Cuenca in the Andes Mountains and for hiking in the Cajas National Park.

This is the third consecutive year that students and faculty from PT and OT have traveled to the Damien House. Many thanks to Rockhurst University for supporting this annual trip.

After returning to Kansas City, Megan reflected on the trip and said, "I learned a great deal about working with patients, documentation, and putting my knowledge to use. This was just an amazing trip with some amazing therapists. If anything, this trip reminded me of how much I want to be a physical therapist and how I will absolutely love what I am doing when I get a job."

PT Class of 2012 (from left): Rachael Thurman, Daniel Bowman, Megan Kaufman, Jessica Rolf and Nathan Carlson (August 2010)

Faculty Updates

2010-08-18T10:20:00.001-05:00

The start of fall semester brings a couple of changes to our department.

During the 2010-2011 academic year, PT faculty member Don Hoover will be spending 50% of his time serving as an Associate Dean for the School of Graduate and Professional Studies while the school searches for a new permanent Associate Dean. Although we're sad that Don won't be with us full-time during the coming year, we're excited for his new opportunity and we know he'll do a great job.

Adjunct instructor Christina Wisdom has graciously agreed to teach the classes Don won't be able to cover in fall semester. Thanks Christina!!

Another change for fall semester involves PT faculty members Ellen Spake and Amy Foley. Ellen is taking a sabbatical leave during fall semester to devote intense effort to a couple of academic projects. Amy Foley will teach Professional Development and Clinical Decision Making in Ellen's absence.

Never a dull moment in PT-land! :-)

Adjunct Instrutor Offers Tips for Weekend Warriors

2010-08-03T16:55:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Rockhurst adjunct instructor Dan Lorenz (PT, DPT, ATC/L, CSCS, USAW) for a great article in the July 2010 issue of Physical Therapy Products. Titled, Weekend Warriors: Keeping Them Primed for Battle, the article is absolutely packed with evidence-based information on both prevention and treatment of injuries that commonly occur in athletes who hit it hard on the weekend.

You can read the story online at: http://www.ptproductsonline.com/issues/articles/2010-07_01.asp

Dan is a sports medicine specialist at Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas. He teaches a very popular elective on sports physical therapy for our program in spring semester.

Great job, Dan!

New Research Fund to Benefit Students and Faculty

2010-07-27T11:20:00.001-05:00

A long-time Rockhurst PT partner has generously created a fund that will support student and faculty research in the Department of Physical Therapy Education at Rockhurst University. The International Spine and Pain Institute (ISPI) made two contributions of $1,000 in spring 2010 to create the ISPI Research Fund. That fund will be available to students and faculty through grants that they can use to purchase equipment, obtain supplies and otherwise fund the completion and dissemination of research projects that support the scholarship mission of the department and the profession.

ISPI was founded and is operated by Adriaan Louw (M.App.Sc (Physio), GCRM (Australia), CSMT - Chief Executive Officer) and Colleen Louw (MPT, MEd, CSMT - Chief Operating Officer). Colleen is a graduate of the Rockhurst Physical Therapy program and Adriaan is a long-time adjunct instructor for the department.

ISPI presents high quality continuing education for physical therapists both nationally and internationally. ISPI courses are available in traditional seminar format as well as online offerings. Learn more about ISPI at www.ispinstitute.com.

Many thanks to Adriaan and Colleen for their strong and continuing support of the students and faculty in the Rockhurst Physical Therapy Program!

PT Faculty Member Joins Haiti Relief Effort

2010-07-07T14:10:00.001-05:00

Catherine Thompson, PT, PhD (Associate Professor of Physical Therapy at Rockhurst University), recently returned from over two weeks in Haiti where she helped earthquake victims and others in need of therapy services.

Working alongside other Global Therapy Group therapists (Sandy Thode, PT, and Lynn Ford Heley, OTR), Catherine provided a wide range of services at the Haitian Community Hospital near Port-au-Prince (one of the few hospitals in the area that survived the earthquake), at local orphanages, and at the Bethel Guest House where she stayed.

The “Physiotherapy Clinic” at the Haitian Community Hospital is located adjacent to the hospital on a cement slab covered with large tarps. This outside clinic is appropriate as many patients are still experiencing post-traumatic stress and fear going into buildings that could collapse. While the earthquake occurred on January 12th, few patients have received needed therapy services to manage their amputated limbs, their chronic edema, and other injuries.

The group was able to offer direct access to therapy services, including developmental therapy and adaptive equipment for children with motor delays, gait training for patients post-trauma, and skin care for debilitated inpatients. All the patients and their families were amazingly compliant and Catherine reports that they all made remarkable progress during her short stay.

Solutions to problems were often simple, yet effective. In one case, a cardboard box was cut out to create a lap tray/postural support for one young boy with cerebral palsy.

The Global Therapy Group has many interesting stories about the clinic that can be found at their blog: globaltherapygroup1.blogspot.com. Also, the group is seeking experienced therapists to help with these efforts. If you know of anyone who would like to help with this effort, please have them contact: www.globaltherapygroup.org.

Catherine Thompson (right) with her therapy colleagues and their interpreters.

Jonathan and his parents pose with their newly adapted wheelchair.

Class of 2010 Honors Steve Wilkinson

2010-06-16T16:17:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Steve Wilkinson, PT, PhD for being named the Outstanding PT Faculty member by the Class of 2010. The award was announced at the class graduation banquet on Friday, May 14, 2010.

Steve joined our department in August 2005 and has been a full-time faculty member since that time. He teaches in two of the courses of our musculoskeletal content sequence (PT Management of Musculoskeletal Conditions - Spine and Pelvis; and PT Management of Musculoskeletal Conditions - Integrated). In presenting the award, the students said they appreciate the tremendous knowledge Steve brings to the classroom and his passion for excellent physical therapy care.

Steve and his wife Quisha live in Overland Park. They are the proud parents of four great kids (two girls and two boys).

Well done, Steve!

Adjunct Faculty to Present at WCPT

2010-06-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to PT adjunct faculty member Adriaan Louw on being invited to present a focused symposium at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy meeting in 2011.

The 2011 WCPT meeting will take place June 20-23, 2011 in Amsterdam Netherlands.

Adriaan's symposium is titled, "Teaching People About Pain." He will be joined by Lorimer Moseley, David Butler and Michael Thacker in presenting the symposium at WCPT.

Adriaan's special interest is teaching spinal surgeons and spinal surgery patients about the biological processes that occur during and after surgery.

Among his many contributions to the Rockhurst PT program, Adriaan has taught the very popular "Advanced Examination and Treatment of the Spine" elective in the entry-level MPT and DPT programs.

Click here for more details on WCPT 2011.

Adriaan Louw M.App.Sc (Physio), GCRM (Australia), CSMT

25th Anniversary Celebration Weekend a Success!

2010-05-25T21:32:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who made our department's 25th anniversary weekend such a fun and special event!

We celebrated the 25th anniversary of the first graduating class with a series of events that took place on campus during the weekend of May 7-8, 2010.

On Friday night, students, alumni and friends gathered for refreshments and a look at the Rockhurst PT program (past, present and future). Ellen Spake (chair of the program from 1983 - 2003) took the audience on a guided tour of the "past" with a history of the inception and growth of the program. Class presidents Chelsie Harper (PT '12), Chris Robl (PT '11) and Greg Hollenbeck (PT '10) gave the audience a taste of the "present" experience from a student perspective. Brian McKiernan (current chair of the program) finished the evening with a look ahead at some dreams and schemes for the "future" of the program.

Saturday morning, current PT students teamed up to host the "Let's Get Physical Run/Walk" which raised $4,000 for the American Stroke Foundation. Saturday afternoon, students, faculty and alumni joined together for a picnic lunch and some fun and games in the wonderful spring weather.

Early Saturday evening, current students got a chance to meet and talk with current APTA president Scott Ward during a private reception.

Saturday night was a festive event as more students, faculty, alumni and friends gathered together one last time. Attendees were treated to presentations by Scott Ward (APTA president), Tammy Burlis (MPTA vice-president) and Mark Dwyer (KPTA president). All three speakers inspired the crowd with visions of a bright future for PT.

We are grateful for all the support and best wishes we received from alumni and friends. The "last" 25 years have been fantastic and we look forward to an even more exciting and memorable "next" 25.

Thanks!

From left: Brian McKiernan (current chair of the PT program), Ellen Spake (current faculty and original chair of the PT program), Scott Ward (APTA president), Catherine Thompson (PT faculty and 25th anniversary organizer), Mark Dwyer (PT adjunct faculty and KPTA president).

From left: Brian McKiernan (current chair of the PT program), Jerry Lampe (physical therapist and co-founder of the program), Ellen Spake (current faculty and original chair of the PT program), Lou Loescher-Junge (physical therapist and co-founder of the program).

See more photos of Saturday's gathering by clicking here

"Let's Get Physical" Run/Walk Photos!!!

2010-05-22T00:06:00.003-05:00

Whew! It took a while, but we finally got photos from the May 8th Let's Get Physical Run/Walk uploaded.

View photos of the event by clicking here

Once again, congratulations to the Amanda, Erin and the rest of the PT Class of 2011 for a great event. In its first year, the run raised $4,000 for the American Stroke Foundation (Wow!).

The Class of 2012 plans to host the 2nd annual "Let's Get Physical Run/Walk" next spring, so look for details after the first of the year and plan to join us then.

Congratulations to the Class of 2010!

2010-05-21T22:42:00.001-05:00

The Department of Physical Therapy Education would like to extend congratulations to all 36 members of the Class of 2010 who graduated on May 15, 2010 in a ceremony at Municipal Auditorium.

We would like to extend a special acknowledgment to several members of the class who received special awards from the faculty at the class graduation banquet the night before the commencement ceremony.

Justin Trent received the 2010 Lampe-Loescher Award for the graduating student who exemplifies exceptional academic accomplishment, leadership and service and who demonstrates potential for exceptional leadership and service to the physical therapy profession.

Katie Greubel received the 2010 Donna J. Calvert Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Communication.

Adrienne Klein received the 2010 Ellen Spake Award for Outstanding Leadership.

Aubrey Swank and AJ Thomas received Magis Awards for "generous excellence and commitment to others" throughout their time in the PT program.

Physical Therapy Class of 2010
Jennifer Lynn Aloisio
Jessica Ann Barr-Craine
Natalie Kathryn Bliss
Jamie K. Bovay
Tracey Lee Brown
Madeline Jean Cline
Jessica Lee Crawford
Michael Anthony Crawford
Leah Michelle Driver
Gary Dwayne Eichenberger
Kathryn Ashley Greubel
Laura Michelle Hale
Sara Jean Hargrove
Lauren Nichole Holle
Gregory Kenneth Hollenbeck
Curtis E. Kempton Jr.
Adrienne Louise Klein
Mary Elizabeth Krogmeier
Elizabeth Ann Lewis
Carrie Ann McDonald
Jolyn Mary Noble
Kara Ann Page
Darin Edwin Pape
Stephanie Ann Papik
Holly Elizabeth Rauch
Kelli Kathleen Richardson
Ashley Dyan Roberts
Sarah Kathlene York Roberts
Jamie Nicole Schropp-Fuqua
Aubrey Sue Swank
Anthony Joseph Thomas
Justin Shay Trent
Megan Danielle Wainscott
Nichole Dawn Waterworth
Katy Jo Watson
Meagan Elizabeth Weber

Heather Green Receives Barnett Scholarship

2010-05-14T17:19:00.000-05:00

Heather Green was selected as the 2010 recipient of the Megan Lynn Barnett Scholarship Award. The presentation of the scholarship was made on May 7, 2010 as part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first class to graduate from the Physical Therapy program at Rockhurst.

Megan Barnett started the PT program in June 2005 as a member of the class of 2008. Unfortunately, on December 15, 2006, Megan was killed in an automobile accident after having completed over half of the physical therapy curriculum.

In the midst of their hurt, Megan’s family decided that something positive and life affirming would come from their loss. Megan’s parent’s (Mark Brown-Barnett and Patricia Brown-Barnett) gave a gift of $50,000 to Rockhurst to endow a scholarship in Megan’s name.

They believed that progressing through the PT program had been a transformative experience for Megan and they wanted to support future PT students who were making the same journey.

The scholarship is awarded annually to a 2nd year student in the Rockhurst physical therapy program. Since the endowed fund will not yield dividends until next year, Megan’s parents have made additional annual gifts of $1,500 so that the scholarship could be awarded to a member of Megan’s class and each succeeding class.

The family and faculty decided that the award would be given to a student who could clearly articulate growth and transformation while enrolled as a student in the PT program. The scholarship requirements state that applicants must submit a formal application and typed
essay that demonstrates self-reflection and articulates how experiences in the DPT program at Rockhurst University have transformed his/her attitudes and behaviors consistent with the core values of Rockhurst University and the physical therapy profession.

Heather is scheduled to start her full-time clinical internships in June and will graduate in May 2011. Congratulations Heather!

Heather Green (PT '12)

Inaugural "Let's Get Physical" Run/Walk Is a Success!

2010-05-08T11:14:00.002-05:00

As part of the events surrounding the PT 25th anniversary celebration at Rockhurst, members of the PT Class of 2011 scored a huge success with the inaugural "Let's Get Physical 5K/10K Run/Walk".

Led by second year PT students Amanda Fisher (PT '11) and Erin Hopper (PT '11), students from all three current PT classes staged a magnificent event. The day dawned cool and windy, but the energy level was high as close to 300 runners and walkers completed 5K and 10K courses that started and ended on the Rockhurst campus.

The event served as a fundraiser both for the Class of 2011 and for the American Stoke Foundation (ASF). The American Stroke Foundation (www.americanstroke.org) is a Kansas City-based non-profit organization whose mission is, "To empower stroke survivors and their families to overcome ongoing challenges of life after stroke and rejuvenate their lives." Many of the second year students who worked to organize the inaugural Let's Get Physical event have been regular volunteers at ASF where they have helped facilitate a weekly balance/exercise class for stroke survivors.

The American Stroke Foundation is funded entirely by donations and the students were very glad to be able to help support ASF (75% of the proceeds from the race will go to ASF and 25% will go to the Class of 2011).

Members of the PT Class of 2012 are all set to carry on the event next year, so make plans to join us then! Also, be sure to support the many great sponsors who helped make this event a huge success.

Here are a few photos from the event. We'll post a web album with dozens more photos very soon.

Faculty Earn Promotion and Tenure

2010-05-07T15:52:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Rockhurst PT faculty Amy Foley, PT, DPT and Don Hoover, PT, PhD for earning tenure and promotion at Rockhurst University during spring 2010. Rockhurst president Fr. Thomas Curran made the announcement in a message to the campus community in April.

Amy joined the full-time faculty in fall 2004 after serving as an adjunct instructor for many years. In addition to being tenured, she was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor. Amy earned her BS in physical therapy from the University of Missouri and her DPT from Creighton University. She teaches in the areas of clinical procedures and clinical decision making in the PT curriculum.

Her research interests include the influence of hormones on the ACL in females and listening styles and student learning.

Don joined the full-time faculty in spring 2007. In addition to being tenured, he was also promoted to the rank of Associate Professor. Don earned his MS in physical therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center and his PhD in Exercise Science from the University of Kansas (Lawrence campus). He teaches in the areas of movement science and clinical procedures.

His research interests include any topic that connects ideas from Physical Therapy and Exercise Science. Research projects in recent years have focused on low back pain and core stabilization, sports medicine, and the interaction between exercise physiology, motor performance, and biomechanics.

Congratulations to both Amy and Don for this tremendous achievement!

Student Elected to MPTA Position

2010-04-26T05:16:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to first year student Megan Overall (PT '12) who was elected secretary of the Missouri Student Special Interest Group (MSSIG) in the Missouri Physical Therapy Association (MPTA).

Megan was elected during the MPTA spring meeting, April 16-18, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Megan's election continues a proud tradition of Rockhurst students serving the MSSIG. Two members of the Class of 2010 are finishing terms on the MSSIG leadership group this spring. Adrienne Klein has served as Chair for the past year and AJ Thomas has served as Committee Chair.

Megan Overall (PT '12)

Faculty / Students Present at MPTA Meeting

2010-04-26T05:05:00.000-05:00

Faculty and students of the Department of Physical Therapy Education gave both research and educational presentations at the Missouri Physical Therapy Association spring meeting, April 16-17, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Students in the PT Class of 2010 presented posters with the results of their student/faculty research projects on Friday evening and Saturday morning.

PT faculty member Catherine Thompson, PT, PhD presented an 8-hour educational session titled "Achieving Vision 2020: Preparing Pediatric Physical Therapy for the Future" during the day on Friday.

Everyone reports that they had a great time at the meeting. Congratulations to all on their accomplishments.

Rockhurst Student Featured in MPTA Newsletter

2010-04-09T07:26:00.001-05:00

Rockhurst PT student Adrienne Klein (PT '10) was featured in the spring 2010 issue of the Missouri Physical Therapy Association (MPTA) newsletter. Adrienne has served in a leadership role in the Student Special Interest Group of MPTA for two years. Last year she served as secretary and this year she is chair.

Here is the profile and the photo that were published in the MPTA newsletter. Way to go Adrienne!

Spotlight on PT
Adrienne Klein, SPT, Chair of the MSSIG

Background...
I grew up on a farm in Central MO. I have 2 sisters and 1 brother and we are all close in age, so things were always exciting and crazy growing up. We had lots of pets growing up at one time or another, including rabbit, miniature goats, cats, dogs, and horses. I played sports through high school (softball and basketball) and met my husband my senior year in high school. I currently have 3 nieces who I adore and spend as much time as possible spoiling them.

What are your hobbies?
I enjoy reading, scrapbooking, photography, gardening, and being outside in general.

How did you become interested in Physical Therapy?
I was pre-med during my undergraduate years at Loyola University in Chicago until my senior year. I was homesick and decided to spend the summer home before going back to school. I went to the local hospital in order to get all of my volunteer hours in and they have a program with the local high school to get them as volunteers. Since there was not any openings, the volunteer coordinator sent me to their outpatient physical therapy clinic. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the type of relationship that each patient had with his/her therapist. I also enjoyed that each therapist had time for his/her family without it conflicting with work or vice versa. I decided right then that I was better fit as a physical therapist than as a physician and went back to school that fall and started applying at Physical Therapy schools. Since then I have not had any regrets about my career choice, even though I am probably one of the few therapists that you will meet that had no idea what a physical
therapist was or did until my senior year in college.

Who are your heroes/role models?
My parents have been great role models for me. They were always supportive of my choices even though that involved going away to school. They made me believe and supported that I could do nything I wanted as long as I was willing to work hard for it. I also had a great public speaker professor during my first year of college. She was very supportive and made a point to speak to me about home and my goals during college. She helped me give me the confidence to try new things and go after my future.

Do you have a favorite quote/motto?
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

I really enjoy this blessing. I feel that no matter what life brings me, this reminds me that I have the love and support from my family and friends. I also believe that just when you want to lose faith, if you can just stick it out there is something better waiting for you.

What is something about you that most people don’t know or are surprised to find out about you?
Ummm, this one is really hard for me. The biggest surprise that most people have about me is my age. I look significantly younger than most people think and have even been mistaken for a high school student on one of my clinicals.. by the way I am 26 years old. I always get told that I will appreciate that when I get older, so I guess I will just wait and see.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Ten years from now, I see myself with kids going to work and spending time at football and basketball games watching my husband coach. I hope to be an active part of the physical therapy profession through the APTA and establishing myself as a pediatric rehab physical therapist.

Adrienne Klein, a student at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, and Chair of the Missouri Student Special Interest Group (MSSIG) poses with her husband.

(Article and photo reprinted with permission of MPTA)

PT Faculty Present at International Listening Association Convention

2010-03-29T14:01:00.000-05:00

PT faculty Catherine Thompson and Amy Foley presented as part of an educational session titled, "Barriers to Effective Healthcare Delivery: Are We Listening? Do You Hear Us?" at the International Listening Association Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico March 26, 2010.

The presentation grew from work that Catherine and Amy previously completed with other faculty at Rockhurst. The program brochure described the session as follows:

"While healthcare professionals and their clients are expected to communicate equally well, evidence suggests that there are barriers to effective listening and overall communication. Common extrinsic barriers relate to environmental factors disrupting listening, while intrinsic barriers are individual differences associated with the speaker or the listener. Research of both intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to effective listening were discussed, including results of a recent survey of 215 healthcare providers. Awareness of both the extrinsic and intrinsic barriers to listening and elimination of these barriers can help both healthcare professionals and their clients effectively communicate for improved care. The presentation highlighted the importance of dealing with these barriers to improve healthcare delivery."

Catherine states that she and Amy had a great time and learned a great deal at the convention that they can bring back to PT faculty and students. Congratulations to Catherine and Amy for their great work.

2nd Year Student Wins Video Competition

2010-03-24T13:34:00.001-05:00

Current 2nd year student Chris Robl (PT '11) was the first place winner in Evidence in Motion's 2nd annual "Elevator Pitch Competition" in December 2009.

To enter the competition, Chris created and produced a 30 second video that answered the question, "Why is Physical Therapy the Best First Choice for Musculoskeletal Care?"

In announcing the award, Evidence in Motion representative Brooke McVeigh stated, "We appreciate the initiative that Chris showed by entering the competition and the passion that was exuded in his video."

Chris received a $1,000 prize for winning the competition. Congratulations, Chris!

Rockhurst PT Faculty Achieve 100% Membership in APTA Facility Challenge

2010-03-18T13:55:00.001-05:00

For the third year in a row, the Rockhurst Department of Physical Therapy Education has achieved 100 percent membership in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). All 10 full-time faculty in the department are members of APTA.

"I'm proud that our faculty demonstrate their commitment to the profession of physical therapy through continuing membership in APTA," said Brian McKiernan, PT, PhD, Chair of the physical therapy program. "Maintaining active membership in APTA keeps us intimately connected to our profession and definitely enhances our preparation of students to be future therapists."

Each physical therapist member of APTA pledges to abide by the Association’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Ethical Conduct, which holds them to a high standard of practice. APTA (www.apta.org) is a national organization representing physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students nationwide. Its goal is to foster advancements in physical therapist education, practice, and research.

PT Grad Featured in Rockhurst Magazine

2010-03-16T10:22:00.006-05:00

The Winter 2010 issue of Rockhurst Magazine includes a story written by Jan Sokoloff Harness that features many graduates from Rockhurst University who are working in the healthcare field.

Titled, Rockhurst Cares for You, the article begins...

"A Rockhurst education touches your head, your heart and... your health? Absolutely. With undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a wide variety of health care fields, Rockhurst University delivers a powerful antidote to systemic problems in health care. We're educating doctors, nurses, therapists and others who enter the healthcare field devoted to being men and women for and with others. Bolstered by Jesuit values, Rockhurst alumni - including the six profiled here - approach each patient mindful of 'cura personalis,' care for the whole person."

We're proud that one of the graduates from our PT program was featured in this article. Deborah Moore Rainey graduated in the class of 1991 and is now director of therapy at the Kansas City Physical Therapy Group.

Here's her story...

Deborah Moore Rainey, ’91
Physical Therapy

What does philosophy have to do with physical therapy? Quite a bit, according to Deborah Moore Rainey, director of therapy at the Kansas City Physical Therapy Group. She says her PT degree from Rockhurst helps shape her daily interactions with patients.

I think some of the philosophy classes I had at Rockhurst helped me think differently about where the patient is coming from. For example, I’ll talk with them about how manageable their pain level is, but we also talk about general activities in life. I want to know how they’re dealing with certain things, including limited function, so I’ll ask questions about what they can and can’t do, and how it affects their general day-to-day activities. For example, when one of my patients goes to church, she has trouble kneeling down and getting
back up. So we’re helping her learn how to perform specific functions using the correct muscle groups without causing a lot of pain or additional injuries.

I really encourage students to go to Rockhurst. I believe Rockhurst does more one-on-one with students. If you’re having a problem, there’s always someone there to help you understand concepts, problem solve, use critical thinking and encourage you to better your skills. You can always find a teacher who’s willing to help you and give you guidance.

(story and photo courtesy Rockhurst Magazine)

New Addition to the Rockhurst PT Family

2010-03-11T10:29:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to AJ Thomas (PT '10) and his wife Carla on the birth of their first child! Leah Albie Thomas was born Monday (3/8/10) at 5:00 a.m. Everyone is doing well.

Students Present Research Projects

2010-03-06T08:59:00.001-06:00

As part of the Rockhurst Physical Therapy curriculum, students complete either an individual or group research project under faculty mentorship. The following projects were completed by students in the Class of 2010. They were presented in platform format to the Rockhurst community on March 5, 2010 and will be presented in poster format at the MPTA spring meeting on April 16-17, 2010.

Congratulations to these students and their faculty mentors on creating and presenting outstanding projects.

The Effects of Carbohydrate Supplementation on Cognitive Measures during Prolonged Aerobic
Exercise
Michael Crawford, SPT; Gary Eichenberger, SPT; Holly Rauch, SPT; and Megan Wainscott, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Don Hoover PT, PhD

Long Term Effects of ACL Reconstruction on Performance
Jamie Fuqua, SPT; Sarah Roberts, SPT; and Katy Watson, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Jean Hiebert PT, PhD

The Relationship Between Documenting and Treating Scapular Dysfunction by Physical Therapist
Kelli Richardson, SPT; Tracey Brown, SPT; Darin Pape, SPT; and Ashley Roberts, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Jim Dronberger PT, DPT, OCS, MBA

The Effects of Parent Training Augmented by Audiovisual Instruction on Motor Practice and Motor Development of Children with Down Syndrome
Anastasia Stalsworth, SPT; Anthony Thomas, SPT; and Megan Weber, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Catherine Thompson PT, PhD, MS

The Use of Technology in Physical Therapist Education Programs
Adrienne Klein, SPT; Curtis Kempton, SPT; and Jenny Aloisio, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Steve Wilkinson PT, PhD

The Development of Leadership in Physical Therapy: Emerging Leaders
Mary Krogmeier, SPT; Jessica Barr-Crane, SPT; and Lauren Holle, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Ellen Spake PT, PhD

A Biomechanical Comparison of Gait Between Normals and Patients with Total Knee Arthroplasty using Body Weight Support During Treadmill Ambulation
Justin Trent, SPT; Leah Driver, SPT; Rebecca Fisher, SPT; and Carrie McDonald, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Mohamed Kohia PT, PhD

Older Adult Activity Patterns Associated with Perceived Barriers and Benefits to Exercise in a Large Metropolitan Area
Natalie Bliss, SPT; Jessica Crawford, SPT; Elizabeth Lewis, SPT; and Stephanie Papik, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Ann Marie Decker, PT, GCS, MSA

The Effect of Different Pedal Types on Maximal Oxygen Consumption and Power Output
Madeline Cline, SPT; Katie Greubel, SPT; Kara Page, SPT; and Jamie Bovay, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Jean Hiebert PT, PhD

The Effects of a Computerized Audience Response System on Quiz Scores in a Physical and Occupational Therapy Neuroscience Course
Jolyn Noble SPT; Gregory Hollenbeck, SPT; and Sarah Hargrove, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Brian McKiernan, PT, PhD

The Effects of Treadmill training with Partial Body Weight Support on Patients Following Total Knee Arthroplasty
Laura Hale, SPT; Aubrey Swank, SPT; and Nikki Waterworth, SPT
Faculty Mentor: Mohamed Kohia PT, PhD

Student and Alumni Updates

2010-02-25T21:49:00.000-06:00

Since we've been "newsletter challenged" this past year, we've missed updating you on lots of student and alumni news. Here are a few good tidbits. We'll publish more soon (promise!).

Jessica Barr (PT '10) and Jason Craine got married on January 3, 2009.
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Katy Griffith (PT '10) got married on December 5, 2009 and is now Katy Watson.
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Mark Twellman (PT '11) and his wife welcomed their first child on Monday, December 7, 2009. Leah Grace Twellman weighed 7 lbs., 10 oz. and was 20.5 inches. Mom, dad and baby are doing well.
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Janda Stone (PT '07) had a baby boy on March 24, 2009. Jayven Michael Stone weighed 8 lbs., 15 oz. and measured 21.5 inches. Janda says she's still enjoying motherhood.
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Jennifer (Clemen) (PT '02) & Russell Demmer announce the birth of their son, Garret John Demmer. He joins older brother Carter and was born May 19, 2008 at 9:20 pm (8 lbs., 3 oz. 21 inches)
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Cory Faris (PT '06) and his wife welcomed Aidan Matthew Faris on born November 17, 2008.

PT Grad Featured in Johnson County Magazine

2010-02-25T21:15:00.001-06:00

Biagio Mazza (PT '01) and his practice (Elite Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy) were featured in the December 2009 edition of "435 South: The Magazine of South Johnson County" (Johnson County, KS).

Here's a link to the article:
http://www.435southmag.com/FeaturedArticleDetail.aspx?aid=166&gid=21

Congratulations to Biagio and all the therapists at Elite.

Faculty / Students Present at CSM

2010-02-19T11:27:00.006-06:00

In addition to Steve Wilkinson's extended presentation on Saturday, students and faculty of Rockhurst PT are making 16 additional poster presentations of classroom work and research results on Friday and Saturday at CSM.

Here's a listing of the presentations (click each thumbnail to see a larger copy).

The Effects of an Audience Response System on Exam Scores
in a Physical and Occupational Therapy Neuroscience Course

The Effect of Carbohydrate Supplementation

on Gross Motor Control During Prolonged Aerobic Exercise

Patient Perceptions About Appearance and Behaviors
of Physical Therapists

Comparing Bilateral Motion in Asymptomatic Subjects

During Upper Extremity Nerve Tension Testing

Comparison of Lower Trapezius and Serratus Anterior
Muscle Activation During Shoulder Flexion
Under Three Hand-Held Load Conditions
in Young and Old Adults

An Intentional Mentoring Program to Improve Patient Care

and Staff Satisfaction As Well As Reduce Staff Turnover

The Effects of Core Stability Training

on Low Back Pain and Performance in a Competitive Cyclist

The Concurrent Validity of Goniometry and 3-D Motion Analysis

for Assessing Pelvic Motion during the "Bent Knee Fallout" Test

The Development of Leadership in Physical Therapy: Student Leaders

Academic Integrity in Physical Therapist Assistant Education Programs

The Effect of Body Position on
Maximum Inspiratory and Expiratory Pressures

and Forced Expiratory Flow

Audiovisual Parent Training with Motor Practice
May Promote Postural Stability
in Healthy Infants: A Pilot Study

Promote Active Learning Using the
International Classification of Function, Disability, and Health Model

The Effects of Carbohydrate Supplementation
on Cognitive Measures during Prolonged Aerobic Exercise

Exploring Standardized Vocabulary Use
for Physical Therapy Exercises: Practice and Perception

Presenting the ICF Model as an Electronic Ontology
for Use in Physical Therapist Education

PT Grads Earn Specialist Certification

2010-02-18T17:31:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to three Rockhurst PT grads for earning certification by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) in 2009.

These grads were honored in a ceremony that took place at the Combined Sections Meeting on the evening of Wednesday, February 17, 2010 in San Diego.

According to ABPTS, "Clinical specialization in physical therapy addresses a specific area of patient need. It requires knowledge, skill, and clinical experience that exceeds that of the physical therapist upon entry into the profession and is unique to the specialized area of practice."

Congratulations again to the following grads:

Joan Bergeron (PT '87) - Pediatric Certified Specialist (PCS)

Thomas Bratcher (PT '92) - Sports Certified Specialist (SCS)

Matthew LeCluyse (PT '03) - Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS)

Jamie Konrade (PT '05) - Sports Certified Specialist (SCS)

Join Us for Student Research Presentations (3/5/10)

2010-02-17T07:22:00.000-06:00

Members of the Class of 2010 will present the results of their student research projects on Friday, March 5, 2010 in Science Center 115 on the Rockhurst campus.

The program begins at 1:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to join us.

The presentations will cover a wide range of topics that are of interest to all physical therapists. This year's class has worked very hard and has, once again, raised the bar in terms of the scope and quality of their projects.

We hope to see you there. We have plenty of room and lots of refreshments. What better way to spend an early spring Friday afternoon? :-)

Join Us at CSM in San Diego

2010-02-12T08:11:00.002-06:00

If you're a graduate of the Rockhurst PT program and you're planning to attend the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in February, please join us for the Jesuit Schools Reception. The reception will take place on Friday, February 19th at 7:30 p.m. in the Indigo West Foyer ABCD of the San Diego Bayfront Hilton. Most of our faculty and many of our current 2nd and 3rd year students will be at the meeting. We'd love to catch up with old friends.

APTA President To Help Program Celebrate 25th Anniversary

2010-02-11T21:31:00.002-06:00

Make plans now to join us in May 2010 as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first class to graduate from the physical therapy program at Rockhurst University.

The Department of Physical Therapy Education will host alumni and friends the weekend of May 7th - 9th for a variety of fun and exciting events here on the Rockhurst campus. It will be a perfect time to see the campus, tour department teaching and research spaces, reminisce with faculty and connect with current students.

The highlight of the weekend will be a dinner on Saturday evening that will feature a keynote address by current APTA president Scott Ward.

Click the link below for more details. We hope to see you in May!

25th Anniversary Celebration

Steve Wilkinson to Present at CSM 2010

2010-02-11T21:26:00.002-06:00

PT faculty member Steve Wilkinson, PT, PhD will be one of the presenters at an extended session at CSM 2010 on the use of new technology in physical therapy.

Steve will join Judy Deutsch, PT, PhD and Robert Latz, PT, DPT, GCFP for a three hour session titled, "Innovations in Technology for PT: Wii and Beyond".

This presentation reprises a similar presentation by the group at last year's CSM that was so popular that hundreds of attendees were turned away from the filled auditorium.

Steve's presentation will take place on Saturday morning (2/20) starting at 8:00. If you are planning to attend CSM 2010, this session is a "must see".

Two PT Faculty Earn Tenure and Promotion

2010-02-11T21:23:00.002-06:00

Physical Therapy faculty Catherine Thompson, PT, PhD and Brian McKiernan, PT, PhD both earned tenure and promotion at the end of the 2008-2009 academic year. Rockhurst University president Fr. Thomas Curran announced promotion and tenure decisions in mid-April 2009.

Catherine was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor and Brian was promoted to the rank of full Professor. Both Catherine and Brian joined the faculty of Rockhurst Physical Therapy Education at the beginning of the 2003-2004 academic year.

Congratulations to both Catherine and Brian on their accomplishments!

PT Faculty and Students Present at ACSM 2009

2010-02-11T21:22:00.001-06:00

PT faculty member Don Hoover, PT, PhD teamed up with three students from the Class of 2009 to make three different presentations at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting (May 27-30, 2009 in Seattle, Washington).

PT graduates Mindy Frederick, Kenneth Krings and Erin Wilfong presented the results of research they completed in collaboration with Dr. Hoover during the entry-level DPT program.

The presentations were:

Time of day does not affect measures of performance while cycling. (poster presentation - Wilfong)
The effect of workload on measures of gross motor performance while cycling. (poster presentation - Krings)
Concurrent validity of the OMNI scale of perceived exertion during cycling. (platform presentation - Frederick)

Congratulations to Dr. Hoover and these outstanding students.

PT graduates Kenneth Krings, Mindy Frederick and Erin Wilfong (Class of 2009, from left) presented the results of their research projects at the 2009 ACSM national meeting in Seattle.

Congratulations to the Class of 2009!

2010-02-11T14:13:00.001-06:00

The Department of Physical Therapy Education would like to extend congratulations to all 38 members of the Class of 2009 who graduated on May 16, 2009 in a ceremony at Municipal Auditorium.

Jan Baird, John Brackle, Lisa Bush, Katie Carnahan, Isaac Cowart, Brandi Dorton, Erin Dunn, Melissa Dutcher, Kathryn Fager, Kristin Fassnacht, Mindy Frederick, Kimberly Freed, Elizabeth Glasbrenner, Jennifer Gloystein, Emily Gourley, Jacquelyn Howard, Christine Johnson, Amber Klassen, Kenneth Krings, Daniel Laughlin, Christopher Maguire, Emily McDonnell, Amanda Swain, William Murray, Erin Peterson, Katherine Plunkett, Sara Pohl, Stephanie Provance, Lindsey Rosemann, Elizabeth Schroeder, Jessica Stegman, Kara Sullivan, Kathleen Totsch, Michelle Webb, Amy Werner, Erin Wilfong, Anita Wilson, Elizabeth Wilson.

We would like to extend a special acknowledgment to several members of the class who received special awards from the faculty at the class graduation banquet the night before the commencement ceremony.

Brandi Dorton was awarded the 2008-2009 Lampe-Loescher Award for the graduating student who exemplifies exceptional leadership and service and demonstrates potential for exceptional leadership and service to the physical therapy profession.

Chris Maguire was awarded the 2008-2009 Donna J. Calvert Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Communication.

Kenneth Krings was awarded the 2008-2009 Ellen Spake Award for Outstanding Leadership.

Brandi Dorton was awarded the 2008-2009 MPTA Outstanding Physical Therapy Student Award.

Aubrey Swank and Kenneth Krings were awarded the 2008-2009 Megan Lynn Barnett Scholarship.

We're Baaaack.....

2010-02-11T13:04:00.003-06:00

Well...after posting the initial blog entry before the holidays, we spent quite a bit of time away. We went through a little period of indecision (to blog?... not to blog?... something else?...), but we're back and we'll be posting regularly from here on out.

We'll post several items in the next couple of days to get caught up on our backlog, then publish whenever new activities occur (or whenever random thoughts cross our minds).

In the long run, this is still probably the easiest and fastest way to communicate with all our alumni and friends. We will also be starting to distribute an e-mail newsletter in the very near future. Look for a copy in an email box near you. :-)

Introducing the new blog

2009-11-03T22:46:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone. Welcome to our new blog experiment.

I'm Brian McKiernan and I'm the chair of the Department of Physical Therapy Education at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri.

As I sit looking at the stack of news that we want to communicate to our students, faculty, alumni and friends, it occurs to me that the old paper newsletter that we have relied on for over a decade may have outlived its usefulness.

We have a literal ton of "good stuff" going on here in our department. Our faculty are leaders in almost every aspect of PT and our students are as spectacular as always. However, we (I?) missed our deadlines for mailing the paper newsletters last year, so I thought it would be a better idea to publish our good news as it comes up rather than saving it for a newsletter that may or may not come. :-)

Stay tuned. Subscribe. Check back often. Add us to your RSS feeds. Whatever it takes...this is going to be great!