First Doctor of Physical Therapy Program students begin studies
The Class of 2028 met for the first time and kicked off its three-year journey in the long-awaited program.
The inaugural class of the University of Arizona’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program started its studies this semester, three years after the Arizona Board of Regents approved the program.
Photo by Kris Hanning, U of A Health Office of Research and Partnerships
Wilbur and Wilma Wildcat may be the official mascots of the University of Arizona, but the humble guinea pig has a special place in the hearts of students in the new Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.
The Class of 2028 adopted the guinea pig as its mascot since students are “guinea pigs” for the newly launched Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.
Photo by Kris Hanning, U of A Office of Research and Partnerships
A cartoon guinea pig adorns the Class of 2028’s swag, from T-shirts to totes. At the recent open house to reveal the newly completed Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant Learning Studios in the Health Sciences Innovation Building, stuffed guinea pigs served as table centerpieces. They were a nod to the 52 students’ historic spot as the first class of the School of Health Professions program in the U of A Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.
“After much planning and anticipation, it’s exciting to have our innovative Physical Therapy Program underway,” said Kevin Lohenry, PhD, PA-C, vice dean of Health Professions Affairs and executive director of the School of Health Professions. “Our students are on their way to making a difference in people’s lives and filling a pressing health care need in our communities.”
For Tucsonan Nathan Hurtado, the U of A’s PT Program was his top choice. His brother, who’s five years older and already a practicing physical therapist, never had the option.
“He would have loved to have gone here,” said Hurtado, a Sunnyside High School graduate. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be in this program. I wanted to come back to the community that raised me to give back.”
The Arizona Board of Regents approved the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in 2022. Along with the Physician Assistant Program, which is expected to enroll students in 2026, the Physical Therapy Program aims to address our state’s critical health care needs. The field is expected to grow 14% — much faster than average — through 2033, as the population of the United States ages, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(From left) Kelan Huffman, Nathan Hurtado and Brodie Garrett are members of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program's first class.
Photo by Kris Hanning, U of A Office of Research and Partnerships
Compared with national averages, Arizona has fewer physical therapists per capita and a higher population of people age 65 and over. Chris Childers, PT, PhD, founding director of the Physical Therapy Program and a professor, said local clinicians worry about a severe lack of physical therapists in the region and a specific need for those with advanced certifications in geriatrics, as well as cardiopulmonary and neurology. Partnerships with after-school programs, assisted-living facilities and even interprofessional education experiences within the U of A Health Sciences colleges, like taking vital signs at a mobile health clinic, will give students a wide array of experience.
“We’ve worked hard to establish clinical partnerships throughout the community and stress hands-on service learning,” said Childers. “Students will hit the ground running and be in the community starting on their very first day.”
On Aug. 18, the program’s incoming students spent the day getting to know each other and faculty while touring the roughly 8,000-square-foot studio. The space includes three labs, including the main PT/PA lab with adjustable orthopedic tables. The studio has 19 screens that ring the circular room and will be able to show footage from cameras that use AI image-recognition software to follow the instructor. During the open house, the screens displayed photos and bios of the incoming students. A large, round light at the center of the main lab mimicked a skylight, flooding the entire space with faux sun.
“I like how bright it is,” Hurtado said. “The space feels very welcoming.”
The Class of 2028 is evenly split between men and women, and 34 of them are permanent Arizona residents. For 15 students, including Mark Scarber, the program is a complete career change.
Scarber spent the first half of his life as a baker. He was churning out sourdough bread from his garage bakery long before the COVID-19 pandemic sent everyone scrambling into the kitchen to experiment. After several entry-level jobs in the restaurant industry, Scarber, who graduated from the U of A with a degree in physiology this summer, said he’s thrilled to start the journey to a stable, much-needed career that can support a family. He said he loves the idea that everyone — students and faculty alike — is starting fresh with the brand-new program.
Grace Granda received her undergraduate degree from the U of A and already knows some classmates and faculty members.
Photo by Kris Hanning, U of A Office of Research and Partnerships
“I feel like the amount of attention and care is going to be amazing,” he said.
As a nontraditional student who never thought he’d attend college, Scarber is looking forward to a new beginning.
“I feel incredibly lucky,” he said. “I feel like my best days are ahead of me.”
The fully in-person PT Program will be taught in a block format, with clinical experiences comprising 36 weeks of the three-year curriculum.
Grace Granda, who grew up in Phoenix, said she can’t wait to start her service project, which will have her working with elderly clients at a senior-living community.
Since Granda graduated from the U of A with a degree in physiology and medical sciences, she’s already seen plenty of familiar faces.
“I really believe in the faculty, their ability to make this a top program and their vision to be pioneers in the physical therapy world,” she said. “It feels amazing, like a once-in-a-lifetime experience because it’s new.”