This past weekend, alumni of Ohio University’s physical therapy program gathered at dinners and a Gala to celebrate 40 years of the program. As the alumni board itself was created just 10 years ago, the PT program has had an extensive journey at OU.
“The original program was supposed to start in 1982 but we started another, the bachelor’s program in June of 1984,” said Stephen Trotta, an instructor of the PT program, board member and a graduate of the first-ever PT class at OU.
Over time, the PT program has grown to become the program that many students are now familiar with.
“It’s grown from an entry-level bachelor to then a master’s program, and now it’s a clinical doctorate program,” Trotta said.
The PT program focuses heavily on its students, and as it prepares students to continue their careers successfully, it’s a challenging program, ensuring that each student is qualified and capable in all skills.
“The program, I think, is very student-oriented,” Trotta said. “We teach students a variety of skills that they’re going to might not get in other programs.”
The program best ensures that students are prepared by educating and challenging them in various facets. The first-time pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Exam or NPTE is consistently among the top 5-10% of programs.
OU’s program is also ranked in the top 25% of physical therapy programs in the nation by U.S. News.
“We have a heavy base on manual therapy,” Trotta said. “We also have some electives … there are different aspects of what you can take as electives that you might not get at other programs.”
The PT program fosters well-equipped doctors, preparing them to easily continue their journeys. In the past, students have been recruited even before graduating because of their exposure to clinics and their strong educational base.
The PT alumni board has worked in conjecture with instructors to create and foster an educational and successful program. The board of alumni is made up of different classes, which allows alumni who normally wouldn’t meet up to gather and discuss the current program.
“Trying to get our alumni involved with whatever we’re doing, getting information to them, having them come back, getting people to donate money to help the school,” said Sheryl Ketchum, member of the board, a ‘94 graduate and adjunct professor.
Ketchum was an adjunct professor between 2017 and 2023, helping in the School of Physical Therapy with the labs for pediatrics and neurology.
“It was just really fun getting to know the students, what they were learning now, compared to when I was in school,” Ketchum said.
A different facet of the PT program is that since it’s a small number of students, these students can form connections and relationships with fellow students and faculty.
There are generally 44 to 48 students per class, so the program can have better student-professor connection.
“I had a great experience in PT school,” Ketchum said. “I think a lot of people do, because it’s such an intimate group, and you’re together all the time, so you really get to know each other. So I think that kind of makes that profession special.”
Ketchum also shines a light on how students can specialize and concentrate on a specific area in their third year.
“Now they have their third year, which they can do different specialty areas that they’re more interested in,” Ketchum said. “So they can go into a focus area, which we weren’t able to do when I went to school.”
The PT program also gives back to the community with an annual fundraiser out of Columbus.
“We do a fundraiser for a quad-rugby team out in Columbus called the Buckeye Blitz, we’ve been doing that for about 18 years … and over that period we’ve raised about $81,000 for that team,” said Gary Chleboun, a professor and program director of the PT program.
However, working with the students and being a student-focused program is at the heart of this program.
“The connections with the students, and now in the last 10 years or so focusing on connecting with the alumni, that’s a lot of fun,” Chleboun said.
Having alumni come back to celebrate 40 years of education shows the success of the program.
“Having that connection with the alumni and the students is important,” Ketchum said. “I think that also shows students how much we care about the program and how we care about their success.”
