UCF Physical Therapy

UCF Physical Therapy Welcome to the Official UCF Doctor of Physical Therapy page. The program requires a total of 36 weeks of full-time clinical training.

Learn more about admissions, faculty news, alumni updates, student highlights, PT news, and more! The mission of the University of Central Florida’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is to cultivate excellence in physical therapist practice through comprehensive and focused doctoral education. The program fosters excellence through its dedication to foundational sciences, clinical skill proficien

cy, research and evidence-based practice, service and professional duty, and lifelong learning. The program is committed to the development and strengthening of the healthcare community in order to optimize patient care in the dynamic healthcare environment. The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program is a full-time professional doctoral program requiring completion of 114 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. The course work is taken in a prescribed sequence over nine semesters as provided here and all course work is required. During the clinical affiliations, students work under the direct supervision of a licensed physical therapist.

09/03/2026

We know healthcare is better with a team-based, collaborative approach.

A curriculum-embedded interprofessional education (IPE) program for CHPS students will be piloted this year to help our students prepare for careers with exactly this in mind.

This program kicked off last week with a social event complete with pizza, IPE bingo and a visit from Knightro. The goal for students was to learn about the roles and responsibilities of their peers in other health disciplines and communicate collaboratively and effectively.

What’s ahead for the program? We’ll introduce healthcare delivery topics such as social determinants of health and trauma-informed care, focusing on how these topics support patient care, and how interprofessional collaborative practice can further improve health outcomes.

We're pleased to welcome this year's neurologic and sports residents! The collaboration between UCF and Orlando Health o...
08/28/2026

We're pleased to welcome this year's neurologic and sports residents! The collaboration between UCF and Orlando Health offers advanced training and mentorship for physical therapists, helping them develop skills and knowledge in an area of specialized care to better serve patients in our region and beyond. Charge On!

From left to right:
Clinical Associate Professor Morris "Rick" Beato (Neurologic Residency Program Director)
McKenna Reedy, '26 (neurologic resident)
Sophie Lane (sports resident)
Carlie Rucks, '26 (neurologic resident)
J.C. Scott (sports resident)
Kaitlyn Campbell, '26 (neurologic resident)
Meredith Chaput (Sports Residency Research Coordinator)

Hello, high performers! We're proud to share that the Class of 2026 had an impressive 97.3% first time pass rate on the ...
08/17/2026

Hello, high performers! We're proud to share that the Class of 2026 had an impressive 97.3% first time pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Exam, once again bringing in a mean score above the national average. Charge On!

Congratulations to our latest UCF and Orlando Health residency program graduates!We’re so proud to fuel this pipeline of...
08/14/2026

Congratulations to our latest UCF and Orlando Health residency program graduates!

We’re so proud to fuel this pipeline of competent and compassionate physical therapists who demonstrate advanced clinical skills and a commitment to improving the quality of life for patients in our community.

Congratulations are also in order for the clinicians named Outstanding Mentors for their program!

Together, they’re helping shape the future of PT.

⭐Graduates:
Sarah McLennan - Neurology
Gabriela Rodriguez - Neurology
Maya Edwards - Orthopedics
Maysam Kermalli - Orthopedics
Bransyl Boston - Pelvic and Women’s Health
Ashleigh Ditmyer - Pelvic and Women’s Health
Tsianna Barnwell (not pictured) - Sports
Alvaro Zapata - Sports

🏆 Outstanding Mentors:
Orthopedics: Simon Brossier, Orlando Health
Neurology: Marissa Conrad, Orlando Health
Pelvic and Women’s Health: Katie Coleman, Orlando Health (not pictured)
Sports: Lee Spilman, Orlando Health (not pictured)

Associate professor of physical therapy Nicole Dawson Loughran brought her expertise in geriatric rehabilitation and per...
08/10/2026

Associate professor of physical therapy Nicole Dawson Loughran brought her expertise in geriatric rehabilitation and person-centered dementia care to the 2026 VISN 8 Annual Dementia Conference on Aug. 5–6 in Lake Nona.

She delivered the conference keynote, “Reimagining Dementia Care—Innovation, Humanity, & Workforce Readiness,” and presented three additional sessions focused on strength-based approaches, adapting interventions as dementia progresses, and using non-verbal communication and functional approaches to address resistance to activities of daily living.

Her presentations equipped VA clinicians and staff with practical, evidence-based strategies to better support Veterans living with dementia and their caregivers across care settings.

With more than 20 years of clinical experience as a geriatric physical therapist and a research focus on improving functional and psychosocial outcomes for older adults with dementia, Dawson Loughran is helping shape a more compassionate, person-centered approach to dementia care — while preparing the healthcare workforce to deliver it.

And the winners are… 🏅⁠⁠Congratulations to our Integration Emmy Award winners from Friday’s white coat ceremony!⁠⁠🏆Outst...
08/03/2026

And the winners are… 🏅⁠
⁠
Congratulations to our Integration Emmy Award winners from Friday’s white coat ceremony!⁠
⁠
🏆Outstanding Patient Award: Chidera Ibewuike⁠
🏆Outstanding Examiner Award: Reese Lescher

Welcome to the white coat club! 🥼 To the DPT students who put on their white coats and entered the next step on their ...
08/03/2026

Welcome to the white coat club! 🥼 To the DPT students who put on their white coats and entered the next step on their clinical practice, we can’t wait to see what's next for you as you embark on this incredible journey! Thank you to Brooks Rehabilitation and CORA Physical Therapy for sponsoring this ceremony!

Congratulations on your incredible achievement! The future of healthcare is brighter with you in it! 💛🖤

Congratulations to the DPT students who are stepping into their next chapter with a new coat! 🥼 The Doctor of Physical...
08/03/2026

Congratulations to the DPT students who are stepping into their next chapter with a new coat! 🥼 The Doctor of Physical Therapy White Coat Ceremony is more than a transition from the classroom to professional practice, it demonstrates our students’ patience, empathy, and readiness to care for their future patients. Thank you to Brooks Rehabilitation and CORA Physical Therapy for sponsoring this ceremony!

Congratulations to our newest student clinicians! Charge On! ✨

Chronic pain can be multidimensional, deeply personal, and complex, so addressing it requires collaboration across disci...
07/30/2026

Chronic pain can be multidimensional, deeply personal, and complex, so addressing it requires collaboration across disciplines.

For her independent study, kinesiology doctoral student Violette Gibbs developed a two-day workshop designed to introduce rehabilitation professionals to evidence-informed therapeutic yoga as a practical strategy for improving care for people living with chronic pain.

Why yoga? Chronic pain can create disconnection, from the body, from movement, from meaningful activities, and from others. Yoga, at its heart, is a practice of connection.

Through discussion, reflection, and experiential activities, participants explored how evidence-informed therapeutic yoga may help individuals reconnect with their bodies and move with greater confidence.

The workshop was attended by students in physical therapy, kinesiology, social work and athletic training and communication sciences and disorders, offering an exciting opportunity for interdisciplinary learning around a shared goal of helping people return to what matters most in their lives.

A special thank you to the faculty collaborators who were instrumental to the success of the project: professor of physical therapy William Hanney, clinical assistant professor of kinesiology Caitlin Cheruka, and clinical instructor Angela Ziegler in communication sciences and disorders.

We think they’re ready. 💪🏻Second year physical therapy students take Integrative Clinical Practice ahead of their first ...
07/23/2026

We think they’re ready. 💪🏻

Second year physical therapy students take Integrative Clinical Practice ahead of their first clinical rotation to help prepare them for the real-world cases they’re about to experience.

The student PTs take on “patients” (their peers) with specific orthopedic, neurological or general medical conditions, navigating cases in a classroom designed to replicate an outpatient clinic, or as in last week’s session, a hospital setting.

Their next step? Out into the field where they’ll continue learning alongside healthcare professionals in the community. 🥼

Address

12805 Pegasus Drive
Orlando, FL
32816

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+14078233462

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