Let's welcome and meet Grant Bitzer, PT, DPT, EdD candidate, and STEPs Coordinator in the DPT program beginning February 1.
Dr. Bitzer received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Northwestern University, and is in the dissertation phase in the Education Doctorate program at Baylor University. He is currently a Senior Physical Therapist II and Critical Care Specialist at Duke University Hospital, director of the acute care physical therapy residency program at DUHS, and former adjunct faculty at Campbell University and UNC-Chapel Hill.
He currently serves as a clinical instructor for the STEPs program, plays an important part in the DPT program Cardiopulmonary class as a clinical educator, and is actively involved in the Duke Interprofessional Education and Care Center.
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Q&A with Dr. Bitzer
Q: What brings me joy?
A: I enjoy spending time with my family and seeing my son (16 months) grow and go through all his milestones! I am also a big sports fan and attend and watch the St. Louis Cardinals and Fighting Illini games.
Q: What excites me about this role at Duke?
A: Having the opportunity to be a part of such an accomplished faculty. I am very excited to apply my EdD dissertation findings to this new role and get to grow professionally with DPT colleagues.
Q: Where do you see your area of PT going within the next 5 to 10 years?
A: Clinical education profoundly impacts the student's learning and is positioned to provide unique learning opportunities. I believe patient education competency and self-efficacy should and can be strengthened during a student's clinical education. I see this area being strengthened through didactic education of patient education and training of clinical instructors on proficient patient education instruction in the clinical setting.
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Student Team Experience in Practice (STEPs®)
During the first phase of the curriculum, students participate in a team-based, full-time, integrated clinical education experience called STEPs®. Over the first year, the STEPs® curriculum is scheduled for one and two-week blocks of time, providing students the opportunity to practice with two different patient populations. These experiences are designed to go hand-in-hand with the program’s coursework and provide students with a breadth of experience through collaborative learning.
STEPs® is an active learning experience, and students engage in hands-on patient care, clinical problem-solving, and peer-learning activities with mentorship and guidance from their clinical instructor. Students remain with the same team throughout the STEPs® experiences, complementing the Duke DPT team-based learning approach. Clinical instructors are carefully selected and provided with ongoing training and support that is specific to this unique learning experience.