Open Rank - Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

About The University of Texas at El Paso:

The University of Texas at El Paso is a Carnegie R1 and Community Engaged research university at the heart of the U.S.-Mexico border region that is increasing access to excellent higher education. UTEP enrolls more than 24,000 students, and more than half of undergraduates are the first generation in their families to attend college.

The city's border location makes it an ideal venue for academic programs and research studies on topics of national interest such as bilingual education/language acquisition, border environment and immigration, environmental sustainability and infrastructure, health disparities, and international trade and commerce.

The Paso del Norte region's center for intellectual capital, UTEP is one of the major economic engines in the region, adding more than $1.4 billion to the local economy annually.

El Paso's active arts and culture community features the state's longest-running symphony orchestra, a nationally recognized chamber music festival, art galleries, museums, and a full schedule of seasonal events and festivals. UTEP adds to the arts and entertainment scene with an award-winning dinner theater, music and dance productions, contemporary and student art galleries, and a natural history museum. 

For sports fans, the UTEP Miners offer exciting Division I college athletics at several campus venues including Sun Bowl Stadium, the Don Haskins Center, Kidd Field, University Field, and the Helen of Troy Softball Complex. Southwest University Park, located a mile away in lively downtown El Paso, is home to the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, and the El Paso Locomotive, a professional soccer team founded in 2019.

THE COLLEGE: The College of Health Sciences prepares the next generation of health and human service professionals to improve quality of life and address health disparities in their communities. The College offers five undergraduate degrees in Clinical Lab Science, Health Promotion, Rehabilitation Sciences, Social Work, and Kinesiology.  There are four master's degrees in the college: Speech-Language Pathology, Public Health, Social Work, and Kinesiology. There are currently three doctoral programs in the College: Doctor of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy Doctorate, and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. High impact educational experiences enable students to develop leadership, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, as well as a strong sense of social responsibility through community and global engagement opportunities.

Faculty and students engage in teaching, research, and service incorporating Boyer's Model of the scholarship of discovery, integration, application/engagement, and teaching and learning, all related to the applied health sciences (https://www.utep.edu/chs/ ). The College's facilities and programs are designed to promote interprofessional teaching, learning, research and community & global engagement initiatives. The College enjoys a strong and collaborative relationship with a range of local, national and global community partners.  Graduate and undergraduate students participate actively with faculty clinical and research mentors in conducting a variety of projects relevant to addressing health inequities and improving quality of life in the Paso del Norte region and beyond.

THE DEPARTMENT: The Department of Physical Therapy & Movement Sciences has been recently created and currently includes the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and a post-professional Residency in Orthopedic Physical Therapy. Departmental faculty members actively participate in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program. The Department has a close relationship with the Bachelors in Rehabilitation Sciences, which has 450+ students, and the Department of Occupational Therapy, with which they share the newly renovated space of the Rehabilitation Sciences Complex. Its faculty members are widely recognized for their scholarship/research and teaching on rehabilitation sciences in a Hispanic border context.

THE PROGRAM: Founded in 1993, the UTEP Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (https://www.utep.edu/chs/pt/ ) offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. The Program currently admits 36 students per year. Each cohort attends classes and clinical rotations for 9 consecutive semesters, graduating 36 months after entering the program. The current full-time and adjunct faculty have expertise in cardiopulmonary, integument, orthopedics, neuromuscular rehabilitation, and pediatrics. Physical Therapy faculty members hold a primary appointment in the in the Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences and have the opportunity to participate in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program jointly administered by the College of Health Sciences and College of Nursing. Faculty members are also encouraged to collaborate in teaching and research with other programs across the University as well as with clinical partners and other universities regionally, nationally, and internationally. The DPT Program's mission is to graduate highly qualified doctors of physical therapy prepared to provide culturally proficient and linguistically competent care in our border region and beyond. The Program is currently housed in the Rehabilitation Sciences Complex, a newly renovated building on UTEP campus.

Job Description:

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) College of Health Sciences invites nominations and applications for a full-time tenured/tenure-track Assistant, Associate, or full Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy & Movement Science's Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program. This is a 9-month appointment with potential for summer teaching. The successful applicant will be a physical therapist with an academic doctorate (preferably PhD) in physical therapy or a related field and have expertise in one or more of the following clinical fields: Geriatrics, Sports, Oncology, Orthopedics, Cardiopulmonary, Pediatrics, or Gender Health. Job responsibilities include teaching, scholarly activity (e.g., grant writing, manuscript submissions, and conference presentations), and service to the program, college, university, community, and profession. The anticipated appointment date is fall 2024. The ideal candidate will excel at incorporating active-learning strategies in teaching, have a highly productive research agenda or will soon develop one, thrive in a bi-national setting, embrace the opportunities to work with underserved groups, and flourish in an independent work environment.

This position represents an excellent opportunity for an outstanding individual to build on an established program and shape the direction of new initiatives. Multiple scholarly/research opportunities are available in community and clinical settings on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Teaching excellence and current scholarship/research will determine appointment at the Assistant, Associate, or full Professor level.

Requirements:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates are required to have: (1) a clinical doctoral or non-doctoral degree in physical therapy; (2) an academic doctorate (preferably PhD) in physical therapy or a related field (candidates who are ABD will be considered); (3) a demonstrated record of scholarly/research activity and potential for securing external funding; (4) demonstrated experience with or potential for graduate teaching excellence; (5) at least 3 years of clinical experience as a physical therapist; (6) demonstrated skills or potential to develop proficiency in instructional technology; (7) eligibility for physical therapist licensure in Texas; (8) experience in or potential for service to the program, college, university, community, and profession; and (9) ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: (1) currently licensed as a physical therapist in the United States; (2) demonstrated record of securing external funding; (3) post-doctoral research training; (4) ABPTS clinical specialization; (5) demonstrated record of substantively involving undergraduate and/or graduate students in scholarship/research; (6) current membership in the American Physical Therapy Association; and/or (7) a record of leadership roles in physical therapy.

Additional Information:

SALARY/BENEFITS:  The initial salary is negotiable and based on qualifications and experience. The position comes with research start-up package and excellent fringe benefits.  

Hiring decisions are based upon budget approval.

In keeping with its access, excellence, and impact mission, The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that honors the talents, respects the differences, and nurtures the growth and development of all. We seek to attract faculty and staff who share our commitment.

The University of Texas at El Paso is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity in employment or the provision of services in accordance with state and federal law. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes an employee's or prospective employee's right to be free from sexual harassment under Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972. Inquiries-including the filing of a Formal Complaint or reporting an incident-about the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, who can be reached by phone at (915) 747-8358, by email at [email protected] , or by mail at 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, TX, Kelly Hall, Room 312.

For accommodation information for employees and applicants with disabilities, please contact UTEP's Equal Opportunity Office at [email protected] .

Application Instructions:

Review of applications will begin immediately, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Candidates must submit the following: (1) letter of interest addressing how candidate meets each required qualification, and any applicable preferred qualifications; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) abbreviated research plan (2 pages or less); (4) brief teaching philosophy (2 pages or less); (5) a copy of up to three first-authored or co-authored peer-reviewed publications relevant to current scholarly/research agenda; and (6) complete contact information for at least three references. Applicants will be notified before references are contacted.

For more information about the position, contact:

Dr. Alvaro N Gurovich, Search Committee Chair
The Department of Physical Therapy & Movement Sciences
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
[email protected]