ATI Physical Therapy and University of St Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) announce the formation of a multi-faceted collaborative agreement to jointly improve physical therapy practice.
The collaborative agreement aims to expand internship opportunities and mentoring programs, create on-site continuing education programs and establish a research initiative that will further support the program’s outcomes, notes a media release from ATI Physical Therapy and USAHS.
As part of the agreement, ATI Physical Therapy will expand its student internship program to accommodate greater numbers of USAHS students who will be able to complete an industry-leading mentorship program during their internship with the chance to directly transition to employment.
USAHS and ATI Physical Therapy will work together to assess the impact of their programs and create a research foundation to drive further improvements.
The joint agreement will also focus on continuing education, including manual therapy and craniofacial certifications, providing ATI employees with a valuable opportunity for professional development starting in fall 2018.
USAHS faculty will provide instruction for the weekend seminars, which will also be open to all physical therapists in the community. Attendees in the new program can earn continuing education units (CEUs), which can be applied toward licensure requirements in their state, the release explains.
“The opportunity to extend our relationship with USAHS to further combine resources and give academic access to the PT community as a whole is a major step forward in meeting the demands of professionals and the industry,” says Brett Windsor, vice president of clinical excellence, ATI Physical Therapy, in the release.
“This exciting initiative will help create seamless transitions for students from academia to clinical practice as well as leverage continuing education and research to advance the physical therapy practice.
The new program also solidifies clinical placement opportunities for students at ATI rehabilitation centers across the US; students must complete on-site internships, also known as clinicals, as part of the degree requirements for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program.
“Our students benefit from this clinical relationship with ATI, providing them the opportunity to complete their PT training at one of the nation’s leading rehabilitation centers and one of the largest employers in the industry,” states Dr Divina Grossman, USAHS President, in the release.
“Our goal is to provide access to educational opportunities to help address the critical shortage of physical therapists across the country.”
[Source(s): ATI Physical Therapy, University of St Augustine for Health Services; Globe Newswire]
