Widener University

Civic Engagement/Community Service

•Chester Community Physical Therapy Clinic – Opened in September 2009, the Chester Community Physical Therapy Clinic is a student-led pro-bono clinic developed to serve the physical therapy needs of our surrounding community – specifically for those without insurance coverage or those that have had their benefits exhausted. Examination and intervention services are provided by Widener University DPT students that are supervised by Pennsylvania licensed physical therapists, many of whom are Widener alumni. The clinic relies on donations from alumni, community, and friends as well as external grant support. To donate to our clinic, please visit our website on Widener Pride Net. 

•Community Health and Wellness Practicums  – Students in the entry-level DPT program lead sustainable physical  activity and health education programming on a weekly basis in the Chester Commmunity. These ongoing programs occur at the Freedom Baptist Church After-School Program, Stinson Tower, and the Widener Child Development Center. Students rotate through all of these sites in their first year. At the completion of the first year, students commit to one site and are mentored by third-year DPT students to successfully lead the program. This portion of the DPT curriculum provides an opportunity for the students to engage with clients in our local community as well as to provide peer mentorship to each other.

•Martin Luther King Mobility Clinics – Each year to commemorate the life and contributions of Dr. King, the Institute’s faculty and students hold clinics throughout the Chester area at community and residential locations. Third-year DPT students practice supervisory skills as they mentor first-year DPT students in the examination and evaluation of mobility equipment. Community residents can bring their mobility devices to the clinic for cleaning and basic maintenance. Faculty members coordinate and supervise the event, which occurs in conjunction with the University’s Martin Luther King Day of Service. For more information, contact the Institute.

Unique Education Opportunities

•Professional Conferences – The Institute hosts a variety of conferences and professional education opportunities for practicing physical therapists. These include the Martin Luther King Leadership Conference and the Teaching and Learning Conference.

 

For more information on our professional continuing education offerings, contact the Institute.

•Elective Tracks – Students in the DPT program each select an elective track to pursue during their three years at the University. Widener is unique in offering this exceptional opportunity for interprofessional education which we believe enhances the student experience and helps jump start our alumni in their professional development. Two elective options lead to a certificate in an area related to physical therapy practice. These certificates are in Health Care Management in conjunction with the School of Business and Assistive Technology for Children with the Center for Education. Both of these certificates provide knowledge and experiences, including an additional credential to add to the student’s resume. A third option is the Student board elective track, in which students serve as the leaders of the Chester Community Physial Therapy Clinic. The fourth option provides a student with an opportunity to experience clinical research as an assistant to one of our faculty. Students pursuing this “specialty focus” learn about clinical research and about clinical practice in a specialty area of physical therapy. Many of these students enhance their resume as a co-author on a presentation or publication that results from the collaborative research. To learn more about these unique options, contact the Institute.