Physical Therapy

I’m an orthopedic physical therapist who treats a wide range of orthopedic conditions, including spine and extremity injuries that are acute, chronic, or post-surgical. In the clinic, I also assist with student clinical education and experiences for students in the UNC Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and the Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency Program as a mentor. Also, I’m passionate about patient advocacy for physical therapy via direct access.

Deidra D. Charity, PT, DPT is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is engaged in clinical practice and academic instruction for UNC’s Division of Physical Therapy. She is a board-certified clinical specialist in sports physical therapy. Dr. Charity is engaged in patient care at University Physical Therapy and UNC’s Campus Health Physical Therapy clinic. Her expertise and experience in sports and orthopedic rehabilitation inform her work as the course director for the Topics in Sports Physical Therapy course, the lead instructor for the knee module in the musculoskeletal curriculum, and clinical teaching as an instructor for the Integrated Clinical Experience course. Dr. Charity also serves as a mentor in UNC’s orthopedic residency program. Outside of the clinic and classroom, Charity is professionally engaged with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and APTA North Carolina where she serves at the state and national levels.

As Director of Clinical Education, Jennifer works collectively with a team of individuals to place and manage physical therapy students on clinical rotations throughout their educational program. As part of this work, she also trains clinical educators and values the partnership with clinical sites and clinical instructors. Jennifer teaches clinical education seminar courses which prepare students for their clinical rotations and ultimately working as professionals in the field of physical therapy.
Jennifer also serves as the Assistant Director of Clinical Practice for the faculty physical therapy practices. In this roll, she leads day to day clinic operations upholding the standards of the profession, the University and UNC Health. Patient-centered care is a hallmark of this work.

As a dedicated physical therapist and educator, my work focuses on enhancing care for individuals with a variety of neurologic conditions and advancing fall prevention strategies for older adults. I find deep fulfillment in clinical practice and in mentoring students across a variety of settings—from the clinic to the classroom and through hands-on community engagement.
I lead an interdisciplinary service-learning trip to Tyrrell County each Spring Break, where students work with underserved populations and gain a deeper understanding of how social determinants of health impact patient care.

I am a clinician by training who values helping patients recover from injury and/or surgery to regain mobility and function and ultimately enhance their quality of life. I enjoy working with patients with orthopedic conditions across the lifespan from pediatrics to geriatrics. I am passionate about health equity, ensuring that underserved communities have access to competent and compassionate care. I strive to reduce disparities in healthcare outcomes by offering accessible services for all.
This passion for the profession first led me to clinical teaching with DPT students then classroom teaching. I have a similar passion for my teaching responsibilities as I do clinical care. I aim to create a warm and engaging learning environment that challenges students to think critically and grow in their clinical reasoning. Just as I individualize care for patients, I strive to meet students where they are and support their development into thoughtful, evidence-informed practitioners.

As the director in the Division of Physical Therapy, it is my primary responsibility to facilitate communication among the educational, research, and clinical components of our Division and to ensure that each has the support it needs to be successful. I have secondary roles in teaching and research but spend the majority of my time doing what I enjoy most – connecting our people with the resources they need to accomplish our collective mission and realize our collective vision.