Spring Update from the CSU DPT Clinical Education Program

It’s been a busy spring for Cleveland State University DPT students!  Our third year students are currently finishing up their intermediate level placements (Applied PT II & III).  The first and second year students continue to assist in providing pro bono physical therapy care at two locations downtown: the Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland and the Care Alliance Health Center.  Our program is extremely grateful for the ongoing support of the many physical therapist clinician volunteers who make this experience possible for our students!   In addition to these service-learning experiences, our students have been fortunate to participate in additional clinical labs off campus through the generosity of our clinical partners. 

 

A new and exciting collaboration that the CSU DPT Program started this spring is our partnership with the Cleveland Museum of Art's (CMA) Vital Signs Program.  The CMA art galleries provide unique laboratories that engage students in activities that are transferable to healthcare practice.  Second year students participated in art rounds where they viewed and discussed several pieces in the gallery and also a contour drawing activity.  Through these activities they explored key concepts including: close observation and mindfulness, distinguishing subjective from objective information, self-awareness of individual habits in observation and interpretation, importance of process as well as outcomes, and more.  Following the activities at CMA, students completed video reflections of their experiences in which they were asked to further consider how these concepts relate to physical therapy clinical practice. 

 

Outside of the classroom and clinic, our CSU DPT students continue to be extremely involved in our profession.  CSU had over 20 students who advocated for physical therapy issues at OPTA Advocacy Day.  We also had excellent participation at OPTA State Conference, including the student challenge. 

 

One final exciting spring update is that two of our clinical instructors and one of our students were honored for their achievements at the Ohio Physical Therapy Association Spring Conference.  Dr. Karoline Lubbeck from the main campus of the Cleveland Clinic was awarded OPTA's Outstanding Clinical Educator Award, Dr. Lynn Czup was awarded the Outstanding Physical Therapist Award, and Dr. Jeffrey Swiers (DPT Class of 2014) was awarded the Outstanding Student Award. 

 

We are extremely grateful for all of the efforts of our clinical partners this spring, and we are looking forward to an exciting summer ahead!  

 

Karen McIntyre, PT, DPT - Director of Clinical Education, CSU DPT Program