American Council of Academic Physical Therapy - ACAPT

06/19/2026

Building the Next Generation of PT Leaders

ACAPT is proud to spotlight Anette Karim, PT, DPT, PhD of Azusa Pacific University for her commitment to developing future physical therapists through mentorship, leadership, and innovation in education.

Thank you, Dr. Karim, for your dedication to academic physical therapy and the students who will carry our profession forward.

Read more:

Anette Karim is focused on building the next generation of leaders in physical therapy and rehabilitation and movement science, guided by her faith and devotion to the students and patients she serves and faculty she serves alongside.

06/18/2026

Can a strong culture of scholarly inquiry thrive in a hybrid environment?

Join ACAPT for Session 4 of One Vision, Many Paths: Advancing the Culture of Scholarly Inquiry Across Physical Therapy Education as we explore how hybrid DPT programs foster scholarship, collaboration, mentorship, and innovation across distributed learning environments.

Date: June 24, 2026
Time: 3:00 pm EST

Join this important session:
https://www.pathlms.com/acapt/courses/125954

06/17/2026

In our next episode of FlexCast, ACAPT welcomes members of the Advanced Professional Workforce Alliance (APWA) for a discussion on the federal policies shaping the future of health professions education and workforce development.

Abe Saffer, former Senior Legislative Representative at AOTA and current Director of Government Relations at the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE); Allison Reed, Associate at Lewis-Burke; and ACAPT's President Kimberly Varnado, PT, DPT, DHSc, OCS, FAAOMPT, explore the coalition's mission, the importance of unified advocacy, and several key policy developments impacting academic programs and students. The conversation highlights why these issues matter beyond higher education, influencing workforce sustainability, access to care, and the future of healthcare professions.

Tune in on Apple or Spotify to learn how coalition advocacy is helping health professions speak with one voice on the issues that matter most.

https://open.spotify.com/show/3LWsOo2WzPxWZ7kFwE1Aex?si=854f1dc0428f495c&nd=1&dlsi=9f20cd2e8147493c

06/16/2026

What have ACAPT volunteer leaders been working on?

Join us today to hear from the Institute of Teaching and Learning's Task Force on Social Determinants of Health.

Over the past two years, this group surveyed DPT programs nationwide, examined current educational practices, and developed practical resources to support faculty and programs.

This is an opportunity to learn from peers, exchange ideas, and join the conversation about the future of physical therapy education.

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/gX9Mb-icQzCkAQGomPxo5Q #/registration

06/16/2026

Registration is Now Open for ! We can't wait to see you this fall!

The 21st Annual Education Leadership Conference, taking place October 16–18, 2026, in Washington, DC, will bring together colleagues from across physical therapy education for innovative programming, meaningful networking, leadership development, and forward-thinking conversations.

Whether you're a faculty member, program director, researcher, administrator, or emerging leader, ELC is your opportunity to connect, learn, and lead.

Register today: https://www.xcdsystem.com/elc/program/1ir20mQ/index.cfm?pgid=3175

06/15/2026

Tomorrow's the Day!

Registration for the 2026 Education Leadership Conference ( ) opens Monday, June 15.

We're excited to bring the academic physical therapy community together in Washington, DC, for three days of education, networking, innovation, and inspiration.

📍 Washington, DC
🗓 October 16–18, 2026

Check back tomorrow for registration details! https://www.xcdsystem.com/elc/program/1ir20mQ/index.cfm?pgid=3175

06/12/2026

Planning for ? Don't forget to book your hotel!

Make the most of your Education Leadership Conference experience by staying at the Marriott Marquis Washington, DC, the official conference hotel for ELC 2026.

Rooms in the ACAPT room block are available now, but availability is limited.

Reserve your room today: https://book.passkey.com/gt/221101237?gtid=699207304b7eb4764baaaad7035b6fe4

We can't wait to welcome you to Washington, DC, October 16–18 for another incredible Education Leadership Conference!

06/11/2026

Inspiring the Next Generation of Physical Therapists

Last Friday, ACAPT Executive Director Dr. Celia Chomón Zamora had the honor of serving as keynote speaker at the Bellarmine University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program White Coat Ceremony.

As students donned their white coats and officially began their professional journey, Dr. Chomón Zamora shared insights on leadership, purpose, and the incredible impact physical therapists have on the lives of others.

White coat ceremonies symbolize a commitment to excellence, compassion, and service. ACAPT is proud to celebrate these future physical therapists as they take their first steps toward transforming healthcare and improving lives.

Congratulations to the Bellarmine DPT Class of 2029! We can't wait to see the difference you will make.

06/10/2026

Innovation in physical therapy education is happening now.

We're excited about this recently published paper exploring how Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technology may support accreditation preparation and compliance. Two of these authors, Doug Haladay, PT, DPT, PhD, MHS, and Michael Seils, PT, DPT, Ed.D., MBA, serve on ACAPT's Education Programming and Innovation Committee (EPIC).

The paper highlights how emerging AI tools can help programs improve document retrieval, organization, and efficiency while maintaining essential human oversight throughout the accreditation process.

At ACAPT, we're excited to see educators exploring new ways to support quality, accountability, and continuous improvement in DPT education.

Congratulations to the authors on this important contribution to the profession!

Read the article:

could streamline accreditation preparation, these models pose risks by producing plausible but inaccurate outputs, known as hallucinations. To mitigate risks, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) can improve the reliability and factual grounding of LLMs by incorporating retrieved source documents. S...

06/10/2026

What did ACAPT's Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Task Force discover after surveying DPT programs nationwide?

Join us to explore:
📊 National trends
📚 New faculty resources
💡 Curriculum strategies
🤝 Peer discussion and collaboration

See what your colleagues are doing, share your perspective, and discover ideas you can bring back to your own program.

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/gX9Mb-icQzCkAQGomPxo5Q