Category: DHS News

Dana McCarty, PT, DPT, PhD, shared her research and expertise at two major international conferences this past summer. In June 2025, she was invited to speak on a panel titled “Exploring the Intersection Between Therapeutic Interventions for Infants and Parent-Child Dyad” at the 4th Triennial Meeting of the International Alliance...

The Division of Physical Therapy is proud to announce that applications are now open for its Sports Division I Fellowship in Physical Therapy, an elite 12-month program designed to elevate licensed physical therapists into leaders in collegiate athletics care. The University of North Carolina Sports Division I Fellowship aims to...

The Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC) is run entirely by student volunteers from the UNC Health Science schools and divisions. Students gain clinical skills while also engaging in interdisciplinary service-learning. This past weekend, students volunteered and ran in the Annual SHAC 5k to raise funds for the organization.  Current SHAC...

Attention graduate students! Want to make the most of spring break while gaining valuable experience? Consider applying to our Tyrrell County spring trip, where you’ll collaborate with community agencies and residents to promote well-being and reduce health risks in under-resourced communities. This week-long trip includes one course credit for PHYT/SPHS...

The UNC Student Physical Therapy Association (SPTA) and the Division of Physical Therapy proudly welcomed 37 incoming students from the Class of 2028 during a professionalism ceremony held on September 5, 2025, at the Medical Biomolecular Research Building.  This meaningful event welcomed students into the profession of physical therapy, highlighting...

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 Houston, TX taking place February 13-15, 2025. Those in attendance hope to connect with alumni,...

A first-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student, Jake Sentman, was recently awarded a $14,000 scholarship from the Rizing Tide Foundation. The foundation was founded in 2020 by Dr. Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, who wanted to increase diversity in the physical therapy profession. Rizing Tide Foundation awards scholarships annually to...

The UNC Department of Health Sciences in the School of Medicine and UNC Health Rehabilitation Services Physical Therapist Residencies are pleased to partner with Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina. Thanks to the new partnership, which is a part of the UNC and Novant Health affiliation,...

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...

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.