News

Dr. Tyler Floyd

Congratulations to Dr. Tyler Floyd, PT, DPT, PhD, who had an article published in October 2020. Based on his dissertation work, the article titled “Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Can Alter Cortical Excitability of the Lower Extremity in Healthy Participants: A Review and Methodological Study” is published in the journal Frontiers of Neurology and Neuroscience Research. Dr. Floyd authored this work along with Dr. Chad Lairamore formerly of the University of Central Arkansas, who is now the Chair of the PT Education Department at Western University of Health Sciences in Oregon, and Dr. Garrison and Dr. Rainey of the University of Central, as well as Drs. Mennemeier, Kiser and Padala of UAMS and Dr. Woods of the University of Florida.

Dr. Floyd completed his PhD in Physical Therapy from the University of Central Arkansas in December 2017 as well as his DPT degree in 2014 and his BS degree in 2011 as a summa cum laude graduate and was in the UCA Honors College.  Currently in clinical practice in central Arkansas, Dr. Floyd has also been serving the Department as an adjunct lab instructor in the DPT program since 2015.

Link to article

Department of Physical Therapy

The University of Central Arkansas (Conway, AR) invites applicants for the position of Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy to begin July 1, 2021. This is a 12-month, tenure-eligible position. Housed in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, the Department offers both the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and PhD in Physical Therapy degree along with a pediatric residency program. Currently, the Department includes 15 faculty: nine with the terminal degree of PhD and nine who are ABPTS Board Certified Specialists.  For more information about the position, visit https://jobs.uca.edu/postings/7552. For more information about the department, visit https://uca.edu/pt/.

University of Central Arkansas Employment Opportunities | Department Chair-Physical Therapy (uca.edu)

When you Give We Grow.  PT Student Scholarships

When you give, we make big strides. On March 11, pick the Physical Therapy Student Scholarships to give learning opportunities and experience to our PT students – and hope to their future patients. Get ready for Day of Giving at uca.edu/go/DOGPT. #UCADayofGiving

The UCA Department of Physical Therapy will continue to suspend the requirement for DPT Applicants to complete physical therapy observation hours for the October 1, 2021 application deadline in order to support social distancing efforts that are still in place for COVID 19. We appreciate your understanding as this allows our clinical partners to focus on patient needs. Students are encouraged to learn about the profession of physical therapy in other ways. For example, the American Physical Therapy Association provides information about the profession at the following link Becoming a Physical Therapist | APTA.

Alexia Sharp, DPT Class of 2022

The Department of Physical Therapy awards four privately funded student scholarships to Doctor of Physical Therapy Students each year.  These scholarships are made possible each year by the generous contributions received by many alumni of the UCA Physical Therapy program.  Their gifts not only impact students currently in the program, but positively  impacts the programs in physical therapy at UCA as well as the future of the profession.  These scholarships each honor a person who is special to the alumni, students and faculty of the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Central Arkansas.

Thomas Meadows PT Scholarships 

The 2020 recipient of the Thomas Meadows Memorial Scholarship is second year student Alexia Sharp.  Thomas Meadows was a UCA PTA student at the time of his death in 1999, and this scholarship honors his legacy.

Madeline Ann Grubbs Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to the 2020 recipients of the Madeline Ann Grubbs Memorial PT Scholarship third year students Hannah Nelson, Matt Lim, Treslyn Fletcher, Justin Johnson, and Beth Justice, recipients of the Madeline Ann Grubbs Memorial Scholarship for this academic year.  This scholarship honors the late Madeline Ann Grubbs, daughter of University of Central Arkansas Physical Therapy Alumnus and former instructor in the Department of Physical Therapy Nat Grubbs (wife Traci), sister of Emily Grubbs and UCA DPT alum Meredith Grubbs McKelvy, Class of 2016.

2020 Charlotte Mills Fant Scholarship Recipients

Join us in congratulating two of our first year students, Sarah Sparks & Becca Mize, the recipients of the Charlotte Mills Fant Memorial Scholarship for the 2020-2021 academic year. This scholarship honors the legacy of the late Charlotte Fant, a beloved staff member & pre-Physical Therapy advisor at UCA.  This scholarship is awarded each year to a student in their first year of the DPT program.

2020 Joe Finnell PT Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to the 2020 recipients of the Joe C. Finnell Physical Therapy Scholarship.  This scholarship is named after Mr. Finnell who founded physical therapy program at the University of Central Arkansas in 1969 and served as its first chairperson beginning in 1970  The first class of PT Students graduated in August of 1972.  The 2020 recipients of the Joe Finnell PT Scholarship are Justin Johnson, Lindsey Trussell, Mathew Lim and Treslyn Fletcher each of the Class of 2021 as well as Alexia Sharp of the Class of 2022.

The Arkansas Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, APTA Arkansas, recently held statewide elections and two UCA PT faculty were elected to serve.  Dr. Steve Forbush, Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, was elected as Chief Delegate to serve a three-year term.  Dr. Kevin Garrison, Interim Chairperson and Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, was elected as Delegate to serve a two-year term. They will represent Arkansas Physical Therapists in the APTA House of Delegates held annually in June.