Less than a year into opening on UCF’s main campus, the UCF Physical Therapy Clinic has already seen great success.
The clinic, which was started by faculty from UCF’s physical therapy program and is located inside the UCF Student Health Center, provides progressive, evidence-informed physical therapy services to UCF and the local community.
“The UCF Physical Therapy Clinic was created as an academic health practice that blends high quality patient care and contemporary education,” says Patrick Pabian, director of the physical therapy program. “Our clinical faculty are providing highly-specialized care in sports medicine and orthopedic physical therapy, while enhancing the learning experience for students who do clinical rotations in this unique clinical environment.”
Sheila Klausner and Randi Richardson are both clinical faculty who serve as board-certified clinical specialists at the clinic. They provide advanced care to patients and mentorship of doctoral students.
“Helping to set up a new clinic was an awesome opportunity because I get to treat patients on-campus, help serve the UCF community, and also teach the UCF PT students and help them develop their skills,” says Richardson.
The clinic offers rehabilitation care for injuries and those recovering from surgery, in addition to evaluation services for pain, and prevention services to support health and wellness.
“The PT clinic is an extension of the program and allows the students to participate and see the transition between what they learn in the classroom and how it applies practically in the real world,” Klausner says.
Marielle Garvey, a senior psychology major at UCF, has been a patient at the clinic since August 2020. She was referred to the clinic by her doctor for lingering pain from a back injury sustained from a car accident in 2015.
Garvey says that she appreciates the personalized care that she receives from the clinic. Following an assessment with the clinicians, they worked together to develop a home and clinic treatment plan.
“I got the chance to develop a really close connection with my physical therapists,” Garvey says. “The clinic feels so intimate and personal, and they take really good care of you.”
“The opening of the PT clinic complements the array of clinical services offered by the College of Health Professions and Sciences through our clinical enterprise,” said Bari Hoffman, associate dean of clinical affairs. “We look forward to continuing and growing our portfolio of care to the local community.”
More information about the clinic and its services is available online.
