Professor Vicki Stemmons Mercer, PT, PhD, a long-time faculty member in the Division of Physical Therapy, is retiring after more than 30 years of distinguished service in the field. Becoming a Tar Heel Mercer first came to UNC in 1985 to pursue a master’s degree in physical therapy. At the time, she was interested in … Read more

Associate Professor Michael Lewek, PT, DPT, imagines his Heelprint in this year’s UNC athletics commercial, which will be broadcast during football and other sporting events throughout the fall.

Timothy “Tim” Eckard, PhD, joins the Division of Physical Therapy, one of the eight divisions within UNC’s Department of Health Sciences, following his time as associate professor with tenure in the Department of Physical Therapy at Western Carolina University (WCU), where he has been a faculty member since 2018. Eckard is making a return to … Read more

Chris Lane, PhD student in the Human Movement Science Curriculum program, recently received a Southern Association of Health Professions Deans (SAHPD) Student Leadership, Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Award. This award is given to students in an allied health related field who demonstrate leadership in DEI and/or reducing health disparities. “I am thrilled that my work … Read more

A Human Movement Science Curriculum (HMSC) PhD student, Rachana Gangwani, was recently awarded the program’s Duquette Scholarship. Gangwani is a 4th year graduate student studying under the guidance of Division of Physical Therapy faculty Dr. Jessica Cassidy. The Duquette Scholarship was created in honor of Louis and Eleanor Duquette to reflect their commitment to higher … Read more

APTA’s Combined Section Meeting is always a highlight of the year in the Physical Therapy profession, and UNC’s Division of Physical Therapy will have multiple faculty and students attending and presenting at the event in Boston, MA, taking place February 15-17, 2024. Those in attendance hope to connect with alumni, colleagues and friends throughout the … Read more

The study, titled “Postural Control Measurements to Predict Future Motor Impairment in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review”, included contributions from two UNC alumni, one UNC Neonatal Physical Therapy Fellowship alumnus, and two faculty members – Dr. Dana McCarty and Dr. Jessica Cassidy – from the Division of Physical Therapy in the Department of Health Sciences. … Read more

The Division of Physical Therapy, located within the UNC School of Medicine’s Department of Health Sciences, hosted its first Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Exploratory Day on April 22nd  in Bondurant Hall. The full-day event aimed to extend the program’s reach to potential applicants and students from groups who are underrepresented within the physical therapy … Read more

Laurie Ray, PT, PhD, has been named Interim Director of the Division of Physical Therapy in the Department of Health Sciences. Dr. Ray is an associate professor within the division and serves as consultant for physical therapy and Medicaid for NC’s Department of Instruction. She has supported public and charter schools in all 100 counties … Read more

APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting is always a highlight of the year in the Physical Therapy profession, and UNC’s Division of Physical Therapy will have multiple faculty and students attending and presenting at the event in San Diego, taking place February 23-25. Those in attendance hope to connect with alumni, colleagues and friends throughout the week. … Read more