Strategic Plan 2025–2030

Goal: Prepare career-ready graduates through a dynamic, responsive curriculum.

Aligned Pillars: Optimize Student Success | Drive Innovation & Discovery

Objective 1.1: Build Future-Focused Curricula

Advance the DPT curriculum by integrating emerging technologies, including AI simulation and case-based learning, to prepare students for evolving practice environments and diverse patient populations.

• Integrate AI, simulation, and case-based learning into core content.
• Embed “Future of Work” competencies: digital literacy, leadership, and population health.

Objective 1.2: Strengthen Board Exam Success

Enhance National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) preparedness through structured integration of PEAT, formative assessments, and individualized remediation to support first-time pass rates and scores above national averages.

• Create longitudinal NPTE preparation and advising.
• Provide individualized support plans for student success.

Objective 1.3: Expand Interprofessional and Community-based Learning

Broaden experiential learning by incorporating collaborative experiences, strengthening clinical reasoning through exposure to real-world, community-integrated physical therapy practice.

• Integrate interprofessional learning modules into the curriculum.
• Create interprofessional community-based learning with local partners.

Goal: Strengthen recruitment, retention, and student life.

Aligned Pillars: Optimize Student Success | Fortify Institutional Viability

Objective 2.1a: Improve Early Outreach and Advising (Undergrad)

Establish formalized recruitment pipelines, including Pre-PT pathways and community engagement, to attract a diverse and prepared applicant pool while enhancing early advising to support applicant readiness.

• Strengthen relationship with undergraduate admissions and undergraduate programs to promote undergraduate early assurance (EA) transfer opportunities and EA opportunities for BS in Exercise Science students.
• Host immersive “PT Preview” and mentorship opportunities for high school and undergraduate students.

Objective 2.1b: Improve Retention, Early Outreach, and Advising (DPT)

Enhance retention and student belonging by strengthening BRIDGE academic advising and Peer2Peer tutoring, embedding early advising checkpoints, and using early alert data to personalize student support throughout the DPT curriculum.

• Strengthen advising and peer support systems to enhance student retention, belonging, and academic success through proactive outreach and personalized guidance.

Objective 2.2: Improve Student Belonging & Well-Being

Foster a supportive program culture through consistent use of BRIDGE wellness check-ins, peer mentoring, and co-curricular engagement to strengthen student connection and retention.

• Facilitate faculty-student mentorship relationships through consistent student advisement opportunities.
• Schedule regular check-ins to enhance student belonging and well-being.

Goal: Advance Faculty Development and Resource Capacity to Support Innovation, Scholarship, and Student Success.

Aligned Pillars: Sharpen Institutional Identity | Drive Innovation | Fortify Institutional Viability

Objective 3.1: Expand Faculty Research Output

Promote scholarly output through interdisciplinary collaboration, funding, and strategic partnerships within New York Tech and the broader healthcare community to increase research opportunities, productivity, and impact.

• Pursue external grant funding to support collaborative faculty research initiatives, fostering scholarship that informs contemporary practice and enhances student learning.
• Support seed grants and internal funding for pilot studies.

Objective 3.2: Strengthen Student Scholarship

Building on the existing foundation of required capstone dissemination and an annual research symposium, the program will now focus on increasing the reach, quality, and visibility of student scholarship through external presentations, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strategic growth of the symposium.

• Increase external dissemination of student capstone research through conference presentations and publications.
• Enhance the visibility and impact of the annual New York Tech School of Health Professions and Physical Therapy Student Research Symposium through expanded participation and partnerships.

Objective 3.3: Support Professional Growth

Support faculty in achieving excellence in teaching, scholarship, and leadership by formalizing faculty mentorship, supporting terminal degree completion, and fostering interdisciplinary academic collaboration.

• Develop a structured peer mentoring initiative that matches faculty based on shared interests in teaching, scholarship, or clinical practice.
• Create interdisciplinary working groups to explore emerging topics in physical therapy education, share best practices, and co-develop scholarly or instructional projects.

Goal: Strengthen relationships with clinical affiliates and professional partners to enrich student learning and advance program excellence.

Aligned Pillars: Fortify Institutional Viability | Sharpen Institutional Identity

Objective 4.1: Deepen Clinical Collaboration

• Enhance clinical site communication and feedback through structured site visits, annual surveys, and consistent engagement from the clinical education team.
• Expand clinical faculty development via continuing education, guest lectureships, and recognition initiatives (e.g., Clinical Instructor of the Year Award).

Objective 4.2: Strengthen Alumni Engagement and Involvement

• Establish an alumni mentorship program for alumni with current students to provide career guidance, professional development, and networking support throughout the curriculum.
• Integrate alumni into key program activities by inviting alumni to participate in admissions panels, orientation, and co-curricular events such as “A Day in the Life of a PT” and the annual Capstone research symposium.