Creighton's Summit to Advance Education Research in Physical Therapy

Vision 

A sustainable, collaborative community of physical therapy (PT) education scholars advancing theory informed, methodologically rigorous research that shapes priorities, informs policy, and drives excellence in PT education. 

Mission and Purpose

The Summit serves as an immersive forum dedicated exclusively to advancing educational research in physical therapy. By convening a community of scholars focused on rigorous, theoretically grounded research, the Summit provides the necessary space for multi-institutional collaboration and mentorship to generate high-impact scholarly products that shape the future of education, practice, and professional formation.

Intended Outcomes 

• • Clearly articulated research priority areas for PT education 
  • Strengthened conceptual and theoretical frameworks 
  • Actionable research plans (e.g., collaborative projects, multi-site studies, research partnerships) 
  • Tangible products (defined dissemination targets, including letters of intent, grant proposals, manuscript proposals or special issue concepts) 

Registration

Registration for the Summit is Free

Sign Up Here for the Pre-conference research workshop ($75): Advancing Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research in Health Professions Education

Need help registering? Click here.

Location

Creighton University
Werner Health Sciences Center
2616 Burt St
Omaha, NE 68178

Hotel Information

Creighton University has reserved a block of rooms at the Cambria Hotel for conference attendees. To secure the discounted rate, please book your stay using the link below.

The hotel will honor Creighton’s room block rate may be honored for guests arriving up to three days before the conference or staying up to three days after, based on availability. To request the discounted rate for an extended stay, please contact Hannah Harris at the hotel directly.

Hannah Harris
Sales Manager
Cambria Hotel: 740 N 14th St. Omaha, NE 68102
Phone: 402.218.1676
Email: hannah.harris@ohospitalitymanagement.com 

Book within Creighton's Room Block

Description

This invitational, retreat style Summit is designed to advance educational research as a distinct and essential domain within physical therapy. Unlike conferences focused on teaching practices in classroom, lab, or clinical environments, this Summit centers on rigorous scholarly inquiry aimed at transforming PT education through evidence, theory, and collaborative research. Through plenary sessions, mentored workshops, purposeful networking, facilitated small group work, and consensus building, participants will engage deeply in key areas of PT education research, including: 

• • Faculty Development: Advancing educator identity and professional formation.
  • Learning Sciences and Pedagogy: Integrating curriculum design, instructional theory, and learner assessment.
  • Competency-Based Education: Transitioning toward outcomes-focused educational models and future directions.

Led by Experts 

Led by nationally recognized experts in health professions education, bringing deep experience in research, innovation, and academic leadership.

• • Patricia S. O'Sullivan, EdD, MS
    Professor of Medicine and Surgery; Director, Research in Medical Education, University of California, San Francisco
  • H. Carrie Chen, MD, PhD
    Associate Dean for Medical Education Research and Scholarship; Professor, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
  • William B. Cutrer, MD, MEd, FAAP
    Professor of Pediatrics and Anesthesiology; Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
  • Sally Santen, MD, PhD
    Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Education; Associate Dean for Medical Education and Innovation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
  • Maria Mylopoulos, PhD
    Senior Scientist and Associate Director, Wilson Centre for Research in Education; Professor, University of Toronto
    

Future Direction 

The Summit aims to build long-term research infrastructure and promote a diverse community of education researchers. Rather than adhering to a fixed annual schedule, it prioritizes sustained collaboration, support for grant applications, and the dissemination of research priorities. The Summit website will provide details about upcoming themes, previous Summit outcomes, related publications, grant opportunities, and event announcements. 

Designed For

This Summit is designed for scholars, educators, and leaders engaged in advancing rigorous research in physical therapy education. Participants include faculty, clinician–educators, and academic leaders with an interest in theory-driven, methodologically sound inquiry and a commitment to collaboration, shared research agendas, and advancing the field.

Provided By 

• Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions
• Creighton University College of Professional and Continuing Education

Questions? 

Office of Continuing Education
College of Professional and Continuing Education
Creighton University
402.280.1830
CMedEd@creighton.edu