The Doctor of Physical Therapy program of Harding University, Searcy, Ark, has been granted full accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). The educational program was given a 5-year term extending until June 2019, according to a news report from The Beebe News. The CAPTE board of directors made the decision to award full accreditation status following site visit in January.
The group examined every aspect of the program, including faculty, scholarship, curriculum, clinical rotation sites, and facilities and resources. Harding’s physical therapy program is only the third in the state of Arkansas.
Michael McGalliard, ScD, PT, COMT, director of the program, says, “We are very blessed that, from the board of trustees to the president, everyone has been very supportive of this program. This is a team effort. They’ve given us great support in terms of equipment and facilities. Our priority is to fully embrace the mission of the University.”
The timing of the granting of full-accreditation status also comes with a historic milestone for the university with the graduation of the program’s inaugural class. Commencement ceremonies were held in May, and Harding’s first-ever physical therapists received their Doctor of Physical Therapy degrees.
The program’s inaugural class was seated in 2011, which included 11 female and 10 male students from 13 states.
Commencement and hooding ceremonies were held on campus in Benson Auditorium with President Bruce D. McLarty presenting diplomas to all graduates, as indicated on The Beebe News news report. McGalliard states, “We had a really special group of students.”
Source: The Beebe News
