University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Clinical Education

The clinical faculty for the University of Colorado Physical Therapy Program has the opportunity to facilitate meaningful learning experiences and to mold future colleagues. Mentoring students is a great way to keep current with the evidence and knowledge in our field. Not only will students bring a new energy and infectious enthusiasm to your facility, but clinical teaching will allow you to give back to the profession.

Please contact cuptclined.placement@cuanschutz.edu if you are interested and seeking more information.

Interested in offering a Clinical Experience for CU PT students? Please email cuptclined.placement@cuanschutz.edu.

To view resources specific to clinical instructor development, clinical site and experience materials and documents specific to our curriculum, visit our resources page.

Become a Volunteer Clinical Faculty member.

Benefits

Process

Clinical Instructor Credentialing Course: We encourage all of our Clinical Instructors to complete the basic APTA Credentialing course, offered annually, to ensure consistency and quality for our clinical internships.

Clinical Education Curriculum

DPT Curriculum and CU PT Course Descriptions

Clinical Education Team

Residential Pathway Clinical Education Team

Hybrid Pathway Clinical Education Team

Eric Sawyer PT, DPT, OCS, STC, CFEI©

Assistant Professor Assistant Director of Clinical Education – Hybrid Pathway

Physical Therapy (SOM)
Core Faculty

Email Address:esawyer3@uccs.edu

View CU Doctors Profile

Mailing Address:

CU Anschutz

Education II South

13121 East 17th Avenue

Room 3124

Aurora, CO 80045

Areas of Expertise

Practice Site
Staff Physical Therapist, Fyzical Therapy and Balance Center City Park, Westminster, CO

Orthopedic physical therapy; clinical education

Education, Licensure & Certifications

University of St. Augustine, St. Augustine, FL, Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT), 2005

University of Colorado, Denver, CO, MS in Physical Therapy, 1998

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, BS in Recreation & Leisure, 1991

Licensure Information/Registration Number
Colorado #6509

Certifications
Certified Financial Education Instructor, National Financial Educators Council, 2023

Recertification: Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS)-APTA Board of Specialties, 2020

Advanced Credentialed Clinical Instructor, American Physical Therapy Association, 2009

Certified in Sports Therapy (STC), University of St. Augustine, 2003

Resumes/CV:

Eric Sawyer CAPTE CV February 2024

Awards

Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar, University of Utah Dept. of Recreation & Leisure, 1991

Courses

Teaching Responsibilities

Fall
DPTR 6404: Musculoskeletal Conditions IV, Course Coordinator
DPTR 7913: Clinical Education III, Instructor and Advisor

Spring
DPTR 5401 - Musculoskeletal Conditions I, Lab Instructor
DPTR 6732: Health Care Delivery II, Course Asst and Lecturer
DPTR 6931: CE I, Instructor and Advisor
DPTR 6932: CE II, Instructor and Advisor

Summer
DPTR 6402: Musculoskeletal Conditions II, Lecturer and Lab Instructor
DPTR 6931: Clinical Education I, Instructor and Advisor

Research

Completed Grant Activity

Co-Investigator $48,834 Awarded by: SI Bone Inc. 08/2013-10/2014
The purpose of this study is to investigate the validity of a new sacroiliac-joint specific disability questionnaire.

Publications and Presentations

Scholarly Agenda

My scholarly interests include assessing and improving financial literacy in PT and other healthcare students to reduce student debt and its impact.

Within the last five years

Peer Reviewed Publications

Patel VV, Sawyer EE, Mintken PE, Michener LA, Cofer CL, Lindley EM. Initial Validation of a Sacroiliac Joint-Specific Disability Questionnaire. Orthopedics. In Press.

Sawyer EE, McDevitt A, Louw A, Puentedura L, Mintken P. Use of Pain Neuroscience Education, Tactile Discrimination, and Graded Motor Imagery in an Individual With Frozen Shoulder. JOSPT. 2018 Mar;48(3):174-184.

Hammerich A, Whitman J, Mintken P, Denninger T, Akuthota V, Sawyer EE, Hofmann M, Childs J, and Cleland J. Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Combined with Epidural Steroid Injection for Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Parallel-Group Trial. Arch Phys med Rehabil. 2019 May;100(5):797-810.

Peer Reviewed Abstracts

Sawyer EE, Struessel, T. Debt impacts everything…a mini-course in financial health for students and new professionals.

Hansen S, Wilson D, DeLapp J, Christiansen C, Sawyer EE. A collaborative approach to bringing IPE into a real-world clinical environment. Academy of medical educators education and innovation symposium, 2022.

Sawyer EE. Assessment of Financial Literacy in Current DPT Students: Will They be Ready to Manage Educational Debt?

Sawyer EE, Gorman I, Eigsti H, Reinking M, Struessel T. Financial Literacy: Are Matriculating DPT Students Prepared to Manage Their Debt?

Sawyer EE, McDevitt AW, Struessel T. Teaching the Business of PT: Does it have to be boring?

Sawyer EE, Mintken PE, Michener L, Lindley EM. Validation of a New Outcome Measure for Sacroiliac Joint Pain – The Denver SI Joint Questionnaire

Nordon-Craft AJ, Sawyer EE, Gilliam EH, Brunner JM. Assessing Interprofessional Professionalism in Physical Therapy Students

Peer Reviewed Scientific and Professional Presentations

Sawyer E, Eigsti H, Gorman I, Reinking M, Struessel T. Assessment of Financial Literacy in Current DPT Students: Will They be Ready to Manage Educational Debt? [Poster presentation] Educational Leadership Conference, Milwaukee, WI. Oct 2022.

Hansen S, Wilson D, Christiansen C, DeLapp J, Sawyer E. A Collaborative Approach to Bringing IPE into a Real-World Clinical Environment [Poster presentation]. Educational Leadership Conference, Milwaukee, WI. Oct 2022.

Hansen S, Wilson D, Christiansen C, DeLapp J, Sawyer E. A Collaborative Approach to Bringing IPE into a Real-World Clinical Environment [Poster presentation]. Rocky Mountain Annual Conference and PT Expo, Breckenridge, CO. Sept 2022.

Hansen S, Wilson D, DeLapp J, Christiansen C, Sawyer EE. A collaborative approach to bringing IPE into a real-world clinical environment. Academy of medical educators education and innovation symposium, 2022. (Oral Presentation)

Sawyer EE. Assessment of Financial Literacy in Current DPT Students: Will They be Ready to Manage Educational Debt? (Poster Presentation)

Sawyer EE, Gorman I, Eigsti H, Reinking M, Struessel T. “Financial Literacy: Are Matriculating DPT Students Prepared to Manage Their Debt?” [poster presentation] Rocky Mountain Annual Conference and PT Expo, Denver, CO; September, 2021.

Sawyer EE. Studying Student Debt and Financial Literacy, University of Colorado Physical Therapy Program Educational Scholarship Group, Aurora, CO; April, 2021

Hammerich A, Whitman J, Mintken P, Denninger T, Akuthota V, Sawyer E, Hofmann M, Childs J, Cleland J. "Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Combined with Epidural Steroid Injection for Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Parallel-Group Trial" [poster presentation] Combined Sections Meeting, Washington DC; January, 2019.

Sawyer EE, McDevitt AW, Struessel T. Mission Possible: Maximizing Student Engagement in Your Business Content” [platform presentation] Combined Sections Meeting, New Orleans, LA; February, 2018.

Sawyer EE, Nordon-Craft A. Integration of the Acute Care Competencies to Enhance Doctor of Physical Therapy Student Preparation for Inpatient Settings” [poster presentation] Combined Sections Meeting, New Orleans, LA; February, 2018.

Sawyer EE, Nordon-Craft A. Integration of APTA’s Acute Care Competencies to Enhance DPT Student Preparation for Inpatient Settings. [poster presentation] UC Health Rehab Symposium, Aurora, CO: April, 2018.

Sawyer EE, Nordon-Craft A. Enhancing DPT Student Preparation for Inpatient Settings, Curriculum Revision and Interprofessional Collaboration. [poster presentation] Academy of Medical Educators Educational Scholarship and Innovation Symposium, Aurora, CO; January, 2017.

Non-Peer Reviewed Scientific and Professional Presentations

Financial Considerations for Physical Therapy School. University of Colorado PT Preview Day, Aurora, CO; April, 2023.

Introduction to Physical Therapy and Health Careers. Stargate High School, Thornton, CO; January, 2023.

DPT Student Financial Survival Skills – 101. University of Colorado, Aurora, CO; February, 2023.

The McKenzie Approach to Cervical Radiculopathy: Evaluation and Treatment. Fyzical Therapy and Balance Center City Park, Westminster, CO; December, 2022.

DPT Student Financial Survival Skills – 101. Regis University, Denver, CO; August, 2022.

Financial Considerations for Physical Therapy School. University of Colorado PT Preview Day, Aurora, CO; May, 2022.

Introduction to Physical Therapy and Health Careers. Stargate High School, Thornton, CO; January, 2022.

University of Colorado PT Clinical Education – An Introduction. Work Well Systems, Aurora, CO; January, 2022.

University of Colorado PT Clinical Education – An Introduction. Center at Lowry, Aurora, CO; January, 2022.

Introduction to Physical Therapy and Health Careers. Stargate High School, Thornton, CO; January, 2021.

Introduction to Physical Therapy and Health Careers. Stargate High School, Thornton, CO; January, 2020.

Applications of the Core Competencies for Entry –Level Practice in Acute Care to Improve Your Clinical Teaching – Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital, Colorado Springs, CO; November, 2019.

Are You Up To Date? Application of Clinical Practice Guidelines to Everyday Practice (Cervical Spine), UC Health – North, Ft. Collins, CO; August, 2017.

Are You Up To Date? Application of Clinical Practice Guidelines to Everyday Practice (Lumbar Spine), UC Health – North, Ft. Collins, CO; August, 2017.

Are You Up to Date on Electrotherapy and Other Modalities? Evidence and Clinical Decision Making: Choosing Wisely, University of Colorado PT Program, Aurora, CO; June, 2017.