DPT Newsroom

Joanne Farley, Senior Curriculum Coordinator for the Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, has received the Dean’s Professionalism and Integrity Staff Award—an honor that highlights her outstanding dedication, ethical leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence in health professions education.

The Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program celebrated 104 graduates from its Class of 2026 during commencement exercises held Monday at 9:30 a.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The ceremony marked a milestone for the program—its 83rd graduating class—and honored a tradition of excellence that dates to Duke’s distinction as the 18th physical therapy program established in the United States.

Tawana Reed, SHRM-CP, Operations Manager for the Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Division and Human Resource Support Coordinator in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, has received the Dean’s Community and Culture Impact Staff Award—an accolade recognizing her outstanding leadership in cultivating an inclusive, supportive, and people-focused workplace.

The Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program recently welcomed Megan Donaldson, PT, DPT, PhD, as the Eleanor Branch Lecture Visiting Professor, offering students an engaging and thought-provoking perspective on leadership, professional responsibility, and the evolving future of physical therapy.

This past April, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. through my Federal Advocacy course in Duke’s DPT program. This year’s trip coincided with APTA Capitol Hill Day, in which physical therapists from around the country came together to advocate on behalf of the profession and healthcare issues. This included legislation on Medicare payment reform, workforce shortages, and federal student loans.

APTA North Carolina was proud to host its 9th Annual Student Conclave at Duke University this month, welcoming more than 170 students representing nine Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs and four Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) programs from across the state. Held in Duke’s Interprofessional Education (IPE) Building, the one‑day conference brought together future clinicians for professional development, networking, and conversations focused on the evolving future of healthcare.

Leonardo Ferreira, PT, PhD, associate professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Interim Division Chief and Vice Chair for Research at Duke University School of Medicine, has accepted an invitation from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to serve as Chair of the Integrative Myocardial Physiology/Pathophysiology B (MPPB) Study Section within the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences Integrated Review Group.

Faculty, staff, and students from Duke University School of Medicine traveled to Peru this March to advance a growing global health partnership with Vidawasi Children’s Citadel in the Sacred Valley. The effort represents Duke’s second visit to Vidawasi, further strengthening a collaboration that blends shared expertise with immersive, hands‑on clinical training for Duke trainees.

Yao “Joy” Xiao, a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student at Duke, has been selected to receive the Forever Duke Student Leadership Award, a university-wide honor recognizing graduating students who exemplify the spirit of service, leadership, and stewardship at Duke. Joy will be formally recognized this spring during the award’s 10th-anniversary year.

A collaborative team has received funding from the Barth Syndrome Foundation to advance research into the feeding and gastrointestinal challenges faced by individuals with Barth syndrome. The project, “Gut Microbiota and Metabolites in Barth Syndrome: Potential Mechanistic Links to Feeding and Gastrointestinal Dysfunction,” brings together expertise from physical therapy, orthopaedics, medicine, microbiome science, and genetics to explore how gut health may influence symptoms that affect daily life and long‑term well‑being.