Management of the award-winning Fellowship in Higher Education Leadership has transitioned to the APTA Academy of Education. Both organizations see the change as way to ensure that the program continues to deliver one-of-a-kind training to PT and PTA program faculty committed to increasing their leadership skills.
The fellowship is a yearlong learning program, delivered online and on-site, that addresses the current and future needs of the physical therapy profession through the profession’s academic community. New and emerging academic administrators must apply to the program and be supported by their institutions.
The fellowship features high-caliber faculty for teaching experiences, experienced academic administrators to provide mentoring, and peer networking to facilitate the development of future mentors and leaders. In 2019, the innovative program earned national recognition when it earned (under its original name, the APTA Education Leadership Institute) a "Power of A" Silver Award from the American Society of Association Executives for its leadership in "advancing society and improving the economy." The award, according to ASAE, is "the highest recognition an association can receive for any program they conduct with their members."
The APTA Academy of Education will operate the program beginning with admissions and enrollment for the 2023-24 cohort. More information on the program can now be found on the academy's fellowship webpage.
"This program is a great example of APTA demonstrating leadership through the development of the first ever non-clinical fellowship in physical therapy," said APTA Senior Vice President of Scientific Affairs Tara Jo Manal, PT, DPT, FAPTA. "Transitioning this program to the APTA Academy of Education will ensure ongoing success and progress."
The transition also better aligns with best practices for fellowship programs by increasing the separation between the sponsoring program, the APTA Academy of Education, and the accrediting organization, the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education, which is a program of APTA.
"We are enthusiastic about transferring the prestigious Fellowship in Higher Education Leadership to the APTA Academy of Education," said Pamela K. Levangie, PT, DPT, DSc, FAPTA, president of the academy. "Bringing the fellowship into our fold will support our growing collection of resources that serve our mission to advance physical therapists and physical therapist assistants as educators."
