Physical Therapy

Continuing Professional Education

The Division of Physical Therapy has a long-standing and very active program of continuing professional education taught by our highly qualified and nationally recognized faculty across the breadth of physical therapy practice, education, and research.

In addition, we co-sponsor courses with other units within the University to reach physical therapy professionals practicing in interprofessional settings such as schools, hospitals, and cancer centers.

Formats include in-person, on-site courses (many with lab skills) to synchronous and asynchronous virtual courses. Topics include assessment and treatment of clinical populations, innovations in physical therapy research, and emerging educational models for clinical teaching.

To recognize their invaluable contributions within our educational program, clinical faculty who supervise DPT students in clinical education always have priority for registration and discounts on fees for courses taught by Division faculty. WVU PT alumni also may receive discounts for these courses.

For more information about Continuing Professional Education through the Division of Physical Therapy, please contact Anne Swisher PT, PhD; Director of Post-Professional Initiatives at aswisher@hsc.wvu.edu.

Current continuing education opportunities are outlined below, with more options in development.

Annual Blue-Gold Continuing Education Day

This course serves as a fundraiser to help support DPT student scholarships and is held in April of each year (coinciding with the WVU Football Spring Blue/Gold Game). Recent topics have included:

  • Exercise for heart failure
  • Concussion management
  • Cancer rehabilitation
  • Ultrasound diagnosis for PT
  • Critical care PT
  • PT for chronic pain
  • Pelvic health PT
  • Outcome measures for adults with neurologic conditions
  • Updates in developmental assessments
  • Rehabilitation models for Parkinson's Disease

Annual Visiting Professor Lecture

This guest lecture is given in early fall each year by leaders within the PT profession. Past speakers have included:

  • Shirley Sahrmann
  • David Sinacore
  • Steven George
  • Anne Mejia-Downs
  • Dianne Jewell
  • Chad Cook
  • John Childs
  • Bill Boissonnault
  • Rebecca Craik
  • Kathy Sullivan

PT Grand Rounds and PT Faculty Enrichment Series

Approximately six times per year, didactic and clinical faculty in the Division of Physical Therapy provide one-hour talks within their areas of expertise with clinicians throughout the state and region. These talks are in a virtual, journal club discussion format. Recent topics have included:

  • Pain science
  • Ethics & ECMO
  • Sleep & health
  • Return-to-sports
  • Headache management
  • Medical simulation in PT

Co-Sponsored Courses

The Division of Physical Therapy co-sponsors courses with content applicable to physical therapy practice, with partners including IMPACT WV and the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities (WVU-CED). Examples of co-sponsored courses include: