Accolades

Submitted by: Stacey Stephens, staceys@uca.edu on 01/28/2025

Congratulations to faculty and students presenting research at the American Physical Therapy Association’s Combined Sections Meeting to be held in Houston, Texas on February 13-15, 2025. UCA Department of Physical Therapy faculty and DPT students have 6 projects that were accepted for poster presentations based on their research conducted during the DPT program at the national meeting in the sections of acute care, education, clinical electrophysiology & wound management, research, and geriatrics. Student research projects were led by PT faculty authors including Dr. Melissa Allen, Dr. Mieke Corbitt, Dr. Lara Davis, Dr. James Fletcher, Dr. Leah Lowe, Dr. Margaret McGee, Dr. Brian Odom, and Dr. Charlotte Yates.

The following posters will be presented on Thursday, February 13: “Enhancing Dementia Care Competence through Experiential Learning: An Examination of DPT Student Attitudes and Self-Efficacy” by Dr. Melissa Allen, Assistant Professor; Dr. Mieke Corbitt, Clinical Instructor; Emily Adkins (DPT2025), Grace Loftin (DPT2025), Reagan Reed (DPT2025), Jordan Martin (DPT2025), and Keely Tucker (DPT2025) for the Geriatrics Section, as well as “Effect of Student-Led Wellness Program on Mobility and Fall Risk in Older Adults with Dementia” by Dr. Melissa Allen, Assistant Professor; Hannah Kobayashi (DPT2025), Jacob Luther (DPT2025), Mary Grace Dupuy (DPT2025), Elysian Majeske (DPT2025), Robert Hogue (DPT2025), and Kerry Jordan, for the Geriatrics Section, and finally, “Effect of Blood Flow Restriction on Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels” by Dr. Joshua Landers (DPT 2003, PhD 2023), Dr. Melissa Allen, Dr. Leah Lowe, and Dr. James Fletcher in the Research Section.

Additional poster presentations will be held on Friday, February 14: “The Effects of Experiential Learning with Simulation in Wound Care Management on Confidence and Self-Efficacy” by Dr. Brian Odom, Dr. Leah Lowe, Taylor Phillips (DPT2025), Cayla Bass (DPT2025), Julianne Futrell (DPT2026), and Dr. Charlotte Yates, Professor; presented by Dr. Odom for the Section on Clinical Electrophysiology & Wound Management; as well as, “Implementing Anatomy Outreach with Physical Therapy-Based Activities to High School Students in Arkansas” by Dr. Lara Davis, Ciana Diaz (DPT2025), Kyler Hulsey (DPT2025), Kaylee Miller (DPT2025), and Jaqueline Mondragon (DPT2025), presented by Dr. Davis for the Education Section; and finally, “Impact of Simulation Experiences on Physical Therapy Student Confidence in the Acute Care Setting” by Dr. Lara Davis, Dr. Margaret McGee, Nami Ikawa (DPT2025), Madeline Morgan (DPT2025), and Peyton Vowels (DPT2025), presented by Dr. Davis for the Acute Care Section.

https://csm.apta.org/

Submitted by: Stacey Stephens, staceys@uca.edu on 01/28/2025

DPT student Austin Fortinberry (DPT2025), has an article published with UCA DPT and PhD alumnus Dr. Josh Landers (DPT2003; PhD 2023). On January 17, 2025, their article entitled “Bilateral medial malleolar fractures in a young athlete: the role of biomechanics in non-contact injuries” was published in the Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy (2025) 30:3. This clinical case describes physical therapy treatment provided by Dr. Landers for a young athlete with a non-contact injury. Austin Fortinberry is from Summit, Mississippi and is currently in his third year of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at UCA and will graduate in August 2025. During the DPT program, Austin has served as a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Kevin Garrison and the Gross Anatomy course. Dr. Landers is currently Associate Professor and Chair of Biomedical Sciences at Lyon College Institute of Health Sciences, Lyon College School of Dental Medicine in Batesville, Arkansas. Previously, Dr. Landers practiced physical therapy at D1 Sports Training in Little Rock, Arkansas.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s43161-025-00264-4