Creighton convenes national physical therapy education research summit
Creighton University recently hosted the inaugural Summit to Advance Education Research in Physical Therapy, bringing together 45 physical therapist education researchers from more than 25 institutions and organizations across the United States.
Held over three days at the CL and Rachel Werner Center for Health Sciences Education, the summit was designed to strengthen scholarly collaboration and accelerate innovation in physical therapy education.
The event was developed by a planning team led by Gail Jensen, PT, PhD, vice provost for Learning and Assessment, dean emerita and professor of physical therapy.
Jensen says she was “inspired by a vision to create a ‘Gordon Conference-like’ experience for education researchers”—an experience where scientific researchers could come together for focused discussion, collaboration and the exchange of emerging ideas.
Participants worked side by side to explore the future of physical therapy education and lay the groundwork for research that could shape how future physical therapists are educated and prepared for practice.
Jensen says the summit also was designed to address a longstanding need within the health professions: “developing stronger support systems, visibility, and scholarly infrastructure for education research, particularly in disciplines where teaching, learning, relationships, and professional development are central to patient care and workforce preparation.”
The three-day summit featured internationally recognized leaders in health professions education research and faculty development, including Patricia O’Sullivan, EdD, director of research in medical education at the University of California, San Francisco, and H. Carrie Chen, MD, PhD, associate dean for medical education research and scholarship at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine.
Investing in the future of physical therapy education
During the summit, Creighton announced the establishment of the Jensen-Gale Physical Therapy Education Research Symposium Fund, a new endowed initiative that will support an annual national symposium dedicated to advancing physical therapy education research. The fund is supported by Jensen and Judy Gale, DPT, associate professor emerita of physical therapy at Creighton.
The fund will support the development of research skills, strengthen connections between education and clinical practice, encourage theoretical rigor, foster scholarly community and elevate the status of education scholarship across the profession.
The summit was preceded by a public workshop, “Advancing Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research in Health Professions Education,” led by Timothy Guetterman, PhD, associate professor at the University of Michigan Medical School and an internationally recognized expert in mixed methods research. The workshop attracted 27 health professions educators and researchers from the region.
For Dayna Nakagawa, a second-year student, the event reflected Creighton’s values in action.
“It was inspiring to see the shared passion for advancing physical therapy education while highlighting the innovation that shapes future clinicians,” Nakagawa says.
By bringing researchers, educators and practitioners together, Creighton is helping build a stronger community of scholars focused on improving how physical therapists are educated and prepared to serve patients and communities.
