UHart Physical Therapy Faculty Search Profile
We're growing—will you join our progress?
At the University of Hartford, we are committed to meeting the evolving needs of our students as they pursue careers that will make an impact.
We are seeking several full-time faculty members who are innovative professionals ready to support and challenge students to pursue their passions and make positive contributions to the health and well-being of their communities. The positions begin in Summer and Fall of 2023.
With an expanding program and a new academic building, you can be part of this momentum in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, joining our team of practitioners, experts, and leading physical therapists who are changing the landscape of this critical field.
Who We Are: College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions
At the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions (ENHP), we are preparing students for careers that make a difference. Through classroom and hands-on learning experiences, we are readying students to enter the world as passionate educators and empathetic caregivers. Our students study in deeply collaborative and scholarly environments and participate in real-world learning and research with faculty mentors early and often in their academic careers. Our community partners locally, regionally, and internationally also play an integral role in the development of our students.
Recently, the addition of new programs in nursing, occupational therapy, and exercise science have provided UHart students even more opportunities to explore their interests in these dynamic fields.
With more than 25 nationally accredited programs in four departments—Department of Education, Department of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, and Department of Rehabilitation Sciences—at ENHP, we believe that our professions have a lasting impact on society, helping more people live healthy and fulfilling lives.
What We Do: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate programs in physical therapy, prosthetics and orthotics, and occupational therapy.
The addition of new faculty to the department will enhance the curriculum and experience for aspiring physical therapists. The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) has recently approved the expansion of our Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program from 40 to 60 students, requiring more faculty to lead this growing student body.
Our Rehabilitation Sciences programs have a new home in the Francis X. and Nancy Hursey Center for Advanced Engineering and Health Professions, our new state-of-the-art academic building, which opened in Fall 2021. Along with the tremendous benefits this provides for students, department faculty can now enjoy interdisciplinary research and teaching with colleagues in related health fields.
As they prepare for careers as interdisciplinary movement system experts, capable of practicing in diverse and dynamic health systems, our students are ready to learn from the best and bring their newfound knowledge and expertise for physical therapy into the future.
About our Physical Therapy Programs
We offer a direct-entry program for undergraduates with a combined BS in Exercise Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy. The combined program includes a 3+3 option for students who wish to accelerate their bachelor’s degree. Our post-baccalaureate Doctor of Physical Therapy program has received CAPTE approval to expand from 40 to 60 students as noted above.
The quality of our DPT program is reflected in our student outcomes:
- Two-year average on-time graduation rate: 91.5% for 2020/2021
- Two-year average ultimate exam pass rate: 98.8% for 2020/2021
- Two-year average employment rate: 100% for 2020/2021
Licensed physical therapists can advance their skills in our Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency Program in partnership with Hartford Healthcare Rehabilitation Network. We also offer a 12-credit Certificate in Advanced Orthopedic Physical Therapy that allows licensed therapists to continue their regular employment while enrolled in the program.
About our Research
The role of research in education and health sciences is central to a college that prepares students to be engaged practitioners who have sound foundations in evidence-based best practices. Our research addresses challenges in communities we serve and focuses on a clear translation between theory and practice. Many of our students, both undergraduate and graduate, are mentored by faculty members and work closely with our research partners in school and clinical settings.
Pediatric Balance Lab
One example of our innovative research is the Pediatric Balance Lab under the direction of Associate Professor Sandra Saavedra. The lab aims to improve the postural stability, functional capacity and community participation of children with motor impairments such as cerebral palsy. The lab pioneers multidisciplinary research, offers clinical training in Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo), and strives to make our methods and resources accessible so they can be widely shared and applied.
Josh Breighner '20 and faculty advisor Sandra Saavedra with the Water Strider, a device Josh designed and built that enables children with cerebral palsy to play in the pool independently. Read more
Jason Hubeny Receives Mary McMillan Scholarship
Jason Hubeny D’21 has received the prestigious Mary McMillan Scholarship Award from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The national award recognizes students for superior scholastic performance, potential for future contributions to physical therapy, and service to APTA. Hubeny is the third winner from the University of Hartford to receive the award and the first at the Doctor of Physical Therapy level. Hubeny presented his research on building a Sit to Stand box for children with cerebral palsy at the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) annual meeting. Read more
Physical Therapy Student Takes Research to the Baseball Diamond
On many days last fall, ENHP honors student Matt Glassoff ’21 was hard at work on his senior project – but not in a classroom or laboratory. Instead, Matt was out on the athletic fields working with UHart’s baseball team, conducting research to help improve the team’s batting performance. Read more
Student's Invention Gives Children with Cerebral Palsy Freedom in the Pool
Josh Breighner D'20 designed and built the Water Strider as part of a research project with faculty members Sandra Saavedra and Donna Snowdon. The device allows children with cerebral palsy to play in the pool independently. Tests of the Water Strider have been so successful that Josh and the University have filed a patent application and hope to make it commercially available in the future. Read more
Physical Therapy Students and Professor Pioneer Exercise Program for Children with Disabilities
BFit is a unique power-based exercise program developed by UHart Professor of Physical Therapy Mary Gannotti and 15 of her students in partnership with clinicians from Shriners Hospitals—Springfield. Twice a week for 90 minutes, physical therapy students from the University’s College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions work with BFit “athletes” on exercises and programs designed specifically for their physical needs. Read more
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Scientific Inquiry Presentations 2019
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Scientific Inquiry Presentations 2020
Physical Therapy Faculty
Hear from our ENHP Community: Committed to well-being. Ready to make a difference.
Where We Learn: The Hursey Center
The Francis X. and Nancy Hursey Center for Advanced Engineering and Health Professions is UHart’s newest destination for growing, in-demand programs in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture; and the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions. The 60,000-square-foot academic building in the University’s academic quad houses new, specialized and technology-rich facilities for students and faculty alike.
The Hursey Center provides today’s physical therapy students and faculty the space and resources to explore their future profession in the classroom, and in the laboratories, simulation suites, and spaces dedicated to preparing health professionals with the practical experience to excel in the field. Facilities for physical therapy students include 2,800 square-feet of classroom and lab space in addition to 2,600 square-feet of physical and occupational therapy neuro lab space.
Explore the Hursey Center
Click images to enlarge.
Join Our Progress
Our students are ambitious, driven, and ready to make a meaningful impact. As our physical therapy program grows to meet the demand of a new generation of leaders in healthcare, so must our faculty. We are seeking knowledgeable, forward-thinking candidates who are committed to their practice, passionate and skilled teachers, ready to join our efforts to advance our work and prepare even more students for life-changing careers.
Working at the University of Hartford
Spread across seven dynamic schools and colleges, the University of Hartford has been guiding the purpose and passion of students for over six decades. On our 350-acre campus alongside Connecticut’s capital city, approximately 5,000 undergraduates and 1,800 graduate students from 48 states and 46 countries come together for a common purpose: to collaborate across different disciplines, diversify perspectives, and broaden worldviews. Our campus is only a two-hour drive from Boston and New York.
The University of Hartford is an open and welcoming community, which values diversity in all its forms. In addition, the University aspires to have its faculty and staff reflect the rich diversity of its student body and the Hartford region. Candidates committed to working with diverse populations and conversant in multicultural issues are encouraged to apply.