Welcome
Welcome to the website of the University of Colorado Physical Therapy Program! As one of the top programs in the country, we are proud of our commitment to physical therapy education, research, and service for over 75 years. Our program is part of the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation in the CU School of Medicine with a residential location at the Anschutz Medical Campus and a hybrid campus located at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). The Anschutz Medical Campus is comprised of graduate-level students at a location purposefully designed to foster interprofessional collaboration across the spectrum of patient care. Additionally, the hybrid campus at UCCS is housed with the Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center which provides an innovative setting for patients and students as clinical practice is joined with graduate and undergraduate education and research. All of our students benefit from their access to an outstanding faculty who excel as educators, scholars, researchers and clinicians.
Our curriculum for both DPT pathways introduces students to a clinical education experience within their first semester and provides the option of a unique year-long, paid internship. Many students are very involved in service opportunities, volunteering at the Stout Street Clinic for individuals that experience homelessness, DAWN Clinic for the high-needs Aurora community, and other non-profit organizations in the Denver metropolitan area. Our commitment to service and community engagement informed our efforts to establish a DPT-MPH dual degree track for entry-level students.
We are deeply committed to our research endeavors, offering a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences, leading the way with groundbreaking grants and clinical studies, and providing a number of opportunities for students to get involved with faculty research. Our CU Rehabilitation Science Consortium houses multiple laboratories, providing a space for research assistants, post-doctoral fellows and PhD students participating in faculty research.
Our partnerships on the Anschutz Medical Campus and surrounding greater Denver area enhance our research capabilities and strengthen our clinical relationships. We have over 120 clinical partners throughout the region, with The Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Children’s Hospital and UCHealth located steps away. Our hybrid campus at UCCS benefits from clinical partnerships with Penrose/St. Francis-Centura Health and UCHealth clinical affiliates in Southern Colorado and the surrounding region. In addition to these valuable organizational partnerships, both programs also partner with smaller clinics who are committed to educating the next generation of physical therapists. Students at both campuses benefit from the Colorado Area Health Education Center (Colorado AHEC) which provides student housing assistance during full-time clinical rotations in rural communities throughout the state. Refer to the AHEC website for more information: https://www.cuanschutz.edu/centers/coahec/clinical-training
I welcome prospective students and program alumni interested in physical therapy education to reach out to our program staff and faculty. Your active involvement is essential to the success of the University of Colorado Physical Therapy Program. We look forward to our continued growth and progress within the University system and the profession!
Michael Harris-Love, PT, MPT, DSc, FGSA, FAPTA
Associate Dean for Physical Therapy Education and Director, CU Physical
Therapy Program
Why Choose CU PT?
Previous Program Directors: Mary Lawrence (1947-1950), Dorothy Hoag (1950-1972), James Clinkingbeard (1972-1977), Elizebeth Barnett (1978-1987), Marcia Smith (1987-1988), Pauline Cerasoli (1988-1996), Carolyn Heriza (1996-2004), and Margaret
Schenkman (2004-2019)