Ready for researchers

Next fall the UC College of Allied Health Sciences will welcome its first cohort of students pursuing a PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, offering the first PhD training at UC in several areas of study, including athletic training, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy and movement science. The program is geared toward clinically trained professionals, as well as students without a prior clinical master’s or doctorate degree..

The initiative to launch a doctorate program of this nature isn’t motivated by any external requirements set by an accreditation body but rather is a result of internal motivation at UC and a survey of regional health care providers. The new program will not only provide students with advanced, state-of-the-art training in research methods and analysis, but it will also help strengthen the evidence base in health and rehabilitation sciences and increase the number of faculty in allied health programs who are equipped with PhDs.

The PhD program was designed with working clinicians in mind. The hybrid curriculum offers students the ability to engage in most courses online, except for those that require laboratory equipment. Students can also choose to participate at a full-time or part-time capacity; full-time students will spend about four years completing the program.

“One of the really nice things about this program is that it’s flexible to meet the needs of the student,” Boyne says. “There are core required classes that provide a strong foundation in research and academic skills, and then depending on a student’s prior education and experiences, they’ll develop an individualized learning plan with their mentor.”

Both Boyne and Riley are excited to serve as faculty mentors to future PhD students in the new program. Riley, who holds a decade of experience previously co-directing the PhD program in Psychology at UC, has mentored 17 PhD students and still co-mentors one psychology student today. He says training students in research and supporting their professional development is something he’s passionate about and mentorship is an integral part of a student’s learning journey.

“It’s important for students to have someone who is looking out for their professional development and training, everything ranging from technical skills and how to conduct research in a hands-on way to the conceptual and theoretical understanding of their field of study to how to find a job in academia,” Riley says. “Having someone who is invested in the student and helping them grow from the onset of the program will set them up for success.”