Utzman elected as Distinguished Fellow in National Academies of Practice Physical Therapy Academy

Ralph R. Utzman, PT, MPH, Ph.D., professor and director of clinical education for the Division of Physical Therapy at the West Virginia University School of Medicine, has been elected as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice (NAP) in the Physical Therapy Academy.

Utzman was inducted into the Academy during the Annual Induction Banquet and Awards Ceremony in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Distinguished Fellows are nominated by active NAP members and must go through a rigorous application and review process. Nominees are judged by distinguished peers on their contributions in both their profession and interprofessional healthcare.

“It is an honor to be recognized by NAP, and I am excited to collaborate with my colleagues in the organization in the future,” Utzman said. “I want to thank Gina Baugh, PharmD, FNAP, for nominating me and for her mentorship as I navigated the application process.”

Membership in the National Academies of Practice is extended to those who have excelled in their profession and are dedicated to advancing interprofessional education, scholarship, research and policy in support of interprofessional care.

NAP Academies include Athletic Training, Audiology, Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Oral Health, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Physician, Podiatric Medicine, Psychology, Public Health, Respiratory Care, Social Work, Speech-Language Pathology, and Veterinary Medicine.

Founded in 1981, the National Academies of Practice educates and informs members and others; facilitates collaborative scholarship and research opportunities; recruits, engages, retains, and mentors their network of members; and advocates the value of interprofessional practice and improves healthcare and policy for all.

To learn more about the WVU Division of Physical Therapy, visit medicine.wvu.edu/pt/.