CSM’s Dr. Varnado to present at invite-only physical therapy conference
Dr. Kimberly Varnado, director of College of Saint Mary’s (CSM) Doctor of Physical Therapy program, has been invited to present at a conference hosted by the Physical Therapy Learning Institute.
The 2022 Disruptive Innovation in Physical Therapist Education Virtual Summit: “Are We Really Educating PTs to Transform Society?” is an invitation-only conference for 100 leaders in physical therapy education. It will be held on April 8 and 9.
Dr. Varnado will present “Fully Embracing Lifelong Learning: Building Cultures of Change” and provide a forum for “discussing strategies to assess readiness for change and build the individual and collective capacity to act.”
“I’m honored to be asked to present at the conference on embracing lifelong learning and building cultures of change. What we are building at CSM with our learning community is unique. We’ve identified challenges in the healthcare industry and health professions education programs, and we’re working together to find solutions,” Dr. Varnado said. “It is not uncommon for the CSM DPT community to discuss new books, ideas, concepts, or industries that we are exploring to identify solutions for the healthcare industry. We (faculty, students and staff) are a diverse group of learners, so we assess challenges differently. We leverage our diverse perspectives to challenge the status quo. I’m grateful to be on this journey with the CSM learning community. In addition, I’m excited to learn and share some ideas to empower others to build cultures of change in their respective communities.”
Dr. Varnado said CSM is being recognized as a disruptive innovator in physical therapy education while it’s a newly developing program. “I think this is huge because we’re still in the candidacy phase of the initial accreditation process,” she said. “If students are looking for a place to learn how to be effective practitioners for the evolving healthcare industry and society, CSM is a great place to learn.”
CSM’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program offers a blended-learning and competency-based model with core faculty certified in online instruction. This allows students to study from the comfort of their own homes while attending onsite program sessions throughout the year.
