Comes from University of Southern California, the top rated PT school in the country
Jack Turman Jr., Ph.D., an internationally recognized developmental neurobiologist, has been named director of physical therapy (PT) education in the School of Allied Health Professions (SAHP) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
The appointment, which was effective July 1, was announced today by Kyle Meyer, Ph.D., associate dean of SAHP.
Since 2002, Dr. Turman has served as founder and director of the Center for Premature Infant Health and Development at the University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine.
"Dr. Turman brings more than 25 years of clinical and academic experience to the position," Dr. Meyer said. "He has been associated with the top physical therapy school in the country and will further enhance our already outstanding PT program."
A native of Bakersfield, Calif., Dr. Turman began his career in the area of pediatric physical therapy. For the past 15 years he has been a faculty member at USC, which U.S. News & World Report has ranked as the top PT program since 2004.
Dr. Turman plans to build a center at UNMC similar to the one he founded at USC. He also wants to develop a PT residency program focused on sports medicine or orthopedics, develop greater integration of nutrition and public health and develop research that maximizes UNMC’s strength in rural health and wellness programs.
He earned his Ph.D. and master of science in kinesiology at the University of California, Los Angeles and a bachelor of science degree in physical therapy at Washington University in St. Louis. His research interests have focused on nutrition intervention in the NICU and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
"I know what a great PT program looks like and UNMC, historically, has had a well respected and honored program," Dr. Turman said. "I appreciate the stability of the program and the hard work of those associated with it. There’s a strong foundation from which to build.
"I am so impressed by the outstanding reputation UNMC has across the country. There is unanimous agreement that this is an academic medical center that has solid, outstanding researchers, educators and clinicians, and that there is great momentum moving UNMC upwards."
As the state’s only academic health science center, UNMC is on the leading edge of health care. Breakthroughs are possible because hard-working researchers, educators and clinicians are resolved to work together to fuel discovery. UNMC’s extramural research support now exceeds $100 million, resulting in the creation of 3,600 jobs in Nebraska. UNMC’s academic excellence is shown through its award-winning programs, and its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through its commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading health care centers. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 550 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.