Mission and Vision
Program Mission
The mission of the Physical Therapy Program is to advance health for all by optimizing movement through education, research and service.
We fulfill our mission by preparing physical therapists and other healthcare professionals, students of other health professions programs, graduate students, or members of non-healthcare professions such as engineers or statisticians to:
- Deliver ethical, evidence-based, person-centered care as members of an interprofessional team.
- Conduct innovative research that translates to clinical and educational practice.
- Engage in professional service at the local, state, national and international levels.
- Promote health and wellness for individuals, organizations and society.
- Contribute to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging efforts.
Our involvement with these other individuals may be in the form of interprofessional education of students, continued education, service opportunities, or research mentoring and collaboration.
Vision Statement and Principles for the Physical Therapy Profession
Adopted by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)'s House of Delegates in 2013, the following vision statement demonstrates how the profession and society will look when this vision is achieved:
“Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.”
The APTA states the profession’s belief that movement is a key to optimal living and quality of life for all people that extends beyond health to every person's ability to participate in and contribute to society. The complex needs of society, such as those resulting from a sedentary lifestyle, beckon for the physical therapy profession to engage with consumers to reduce preventable health care costs and overcome barriers to participation in society to ensure the successful existence of society far into the future. While this is APTA's vision for the physical therapy profession, it is meant also to inspire others throughout society to, together, create systems that optimize movement and function for all people. The principles supporting the profession’s vision are Identity, Quality, Collaboration, Value, Innovation, Consumer-centricity, Access/Equity, and Advocacy. Full description from APTA.
Physical Therapy Program Research Mission
The mission for research and scholarship in the Physical Therapy program is to promote innovations in professional education, health, and participation in society across the lifespan by optimizing movement, teamwork and community engagement.
Our research focuses on four key areas:
- Professional Education
- Movement for Health
- Community and Rural Health
- Chronic Disease Management
Our faculty work within interdisciplinary research teams to lead scientific projects that promote a healthy physical therapy workforce and develop clinically translational evidence to improve the health of the patients we serve.
We measure and develop knowledge in human movement within the collaborative space of the Clinical Movement Analysis (CMOVA) Lab. We train graduate students, physical therapy students and other professional students for careers in evidence-based physical therapy and movement research. Our research is supported by millions of dollars from federal, foundation, and university funding.