RADFORD – Edward C. Swanson, Ph.D., M.B.A., PT has been appointed as director of Radford University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. He will be responsible for developing and implementing the new program. Renee Huth, P.T., D.P.T., has been appointed as director of clinical education. Her role at RU is to develop and manage the clinical education aspect of the curriculum including obtaining contracts with local physical therapy practices.

Swanson (right) was director of the doctor of physical therapy program and assistant dean of the School of Health Sciences at American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. He has more than 36 years of clinical experience and more than 10 years of academic administration experience as a program director and assistant dean at the college level.

Huth (below, right) brings management and faculty experience. She managed a large outpatient multi-disciplinary facility in Roanoke that incorporated physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology. In 2008, Huth initiated the improvement of clinical education within the hospital and clinic including credentialing  90 percent employed physical therapists as Clinical Instructors through the American Physical Therapy Association.  Previously, Huth taught various classes, including a collaborative effort with the departments of nursing and athletic training to develop and co-teach Clinical Pathology and Sports Medicine for Hampton University’s doctor of physical therapy program.

Huth says, “Students may expect a total of 36 full-time weeks of experiential learning within various settings including hospitals, nursing homes, private practice, rehabilitation facilities, as well as opportunities to explore specialty areas of sports, pediatrics, geriatrics, wound care and lymphedema, just mention a few.”

As one of many initiatives within the university’s strategic plan, 7-17, Forging a Bold New Future, the physical therapy department aims to establish a program that helps place RU on the national map for allied health by helping meet the growing demands of physical therapy within the local community, region and across the Commonwealth.

Radford University is seeking accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of American Physical Therapy Association (1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org. The program will submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status nor does it assure that the program will be granted Accreditation.