Welcome

Welcome to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Doctor of Physical Therapy Program! We are committed to offering a high-quality educational experience that will prepare our graduates to play a vital role in health care today and in the future. Our program and faculty embody the values of UMHB as a Christian institution. Faculty members demonstrate Christian values in teaching and mentoring students and are committed to student success. We care about each student as a person and we encourage students to grow spiritually as well as intellectually.

Our low student-to-faculty ratio and small class size facilitate student engagement and success and ensure that you will get to know your peers as well as your professors. You and your fellow students will move through a sequence of courses together, and the cohort format enhances the learning process and encourages students to support each other and work together. The atmosphere is collaborative rather than competitive, giving you a chance to learn from others’ experiences in a variety of educational settings. The Doctor of Physical Therapy faculty members are actively involved in clinical practice, research, and professional and community service, which provides a real-world perspective to our teaching. Faculty maintain an open-door policy to encourage students to meet with them outside of class time and develop a mentoring relationship.

The program mission places an emphasis on service and addressing the needs of underserved communities. Students have numerous opportunities to participate in service learning, community service, and volunteer activities throughout the program. Service is woven through the curriculum in courses that address topics such as psychosocial and cultural considerations and issues in underserved communities. To promote clinical excellence and service, we opened the Cru Community Clinic, our on-site teaching clinic for the underserved in our area, in the fall semester of 2020. Students work with patients under the supervision of licensed physical therapy faculty beginning in the first semester of the program.

Our physical therapy program is part of the Mayborn College of Health Sciences, which provides opportunities for interprofessional activities with other programs, including nursing, occupational therapy, physician assistant, counseling, and exercise science. The program is housed in Hardy Hall, a beautiful setting with rich history that has been fully renovated for our Health Professions programs.

We welcome you to come for a campus visit to meet our faculty, staff, current students, and administration.

Best wishes in your educational endeavors,

Barbara Gresham, PT, PhD
Founding Program Director and Professor
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program