Live Events

6th Annual AHU Doctor of Physical Therapy Research Night

Registration Fee: FREE! April 15, 2026
Promotion Code: Apply
When
April 15, 2026
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Where
Virtual Platform: TEAMS
Presenter(s)
Jodi Liphart PT, DHSc, NCS; Bill Young PT, DPT, PCS; Elizabeth Clark PT, DPT, EdD, NCS, RYT 200; Laura Podschun PT, DPT, OCS, CMT; Jeff Emde PT, DPT, CSCS; Laura Lopez PT, DPT, CCS; Alessandra Swarowsky PT, PhD, and Mohtashem Samsam MD, PhD
Contact
Dr. Jodi Lipart
407-303-1552
jodi.liphart@ahu.edu
Details

Graduating students and faculty will co-present faculty-driven research, via virtual platform, to promote scholarly inquiry, professional discovery, and networking. The intended audience are practicing PT clinicians that seek to infuse their practice with research, and may want to generate future scholarly agendas in collaboration with AHU DPT students and faculty.

Upon completion of this research event, attendees will:

  1. Embrace the importance of evidence informed practice.
  2. Successfully network with AHU DPT faculty and future graduates in a professional forum.
  3. Seek to integrated evidence to inform practice and/or future scholarly agendas.

Target Audience: Community Clinical Instructor's and Clinical Partners, PTs, PTAs

Agenda

This event will begin at 5:30 with an Introduction and Welcome by Dr. Jodi Liphart.

Presenters:

AHU DPT Students:

About Our Research Project Mentors:

Dr. Elizabeth Clark is a Professor of Physical Therapy at AdventHealth University. Dr. Clark has a bachelor’s degree in biology from State University of New York (SUNY): Geneseo, a masters and doctoral degree in physical therapy from Upstate Medical University, and an EdD in executive leadership from St. John Fisher University. She has been board certified in neurologic physical therapy since 2008, and her primary areas of interest in clinical practice, teaching, and research include both neurologic physical therapy as well as leadership training and practices in health care. Dr. Clark has previously provided pro-bono physical therapy services and education locally and internationally in the area of neurology. Dr. Clark has published manuscripts in the areas of leadership, international service learning, and neurologic physical therapy.

Dr. Jeff Emde has served as the Director of Clinical Education at AHU’s DPT Program since August 2014. He completed his PT degree from Andrews University in 1996, and his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of New England in 2016. Dr. Emde worked as a physical therapist for two years at Florida Hospital, prior to moving to Maine. In Maine, he worked as a physical therapist, Director of Rehabilitation, and Director of Outpatient Services for a local medical system, before moving back to Florida to assist with the development and ongoing activities of AHU DPT Program. During his career, he has always had a passion for clinical education, serving as a clinical instructor and Center Coordinator of Clinical Education at multiple health care institutions. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and has completed both the American Physical Therapy Association’s Basic and Advanced Credentialed Clinical Instructor Programs. His area of clinical interest revolves around the care of orthopedic patients and his primary research interests include imposter phenomenon and its prevalence and impact in DPT education and the impact of global service-learning experiences on DPT students.

Dr. Jodi Liphart is an Associate Professor with 40 years of both clinical and academic experience. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from The Ohio State University, her Master’s degree in Health Science from the University of Central Florida and a Doctorate in Health Sciences (emphasis on motor control and motor learning) from the University of St. Augustine. She is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy (NCS). Her area of clinical expertise and research interests involve patients with neurologic disorders especially patients post stroke or patients with balance or vestibular dysfunctions. 

Dr. Laura Lopez earned her BSEdin Exercise and Sports Science from the University of Georgia and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Miami and a Doctor of Health Science in Educational Leadership from MCPHS University. She is a Board Certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist and a level two Credentialed Clinical Instructor. Her primary area of clinical expertise is acute care including critical care as well as both inpatient and outpatient cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. In addition, she has administrative and program development experience as an acute care manager in an academic medical center. Dr. Lopez’s teaching and research interests include acute care and interprofessional practice especially bridging the gap from the classroom to the hospital.

Dr. Laura Podschun earned her BS in Microbiology from University of Florida, Master of Physical Therapy from Hahnemann University, Doctor of Physical Therapy from Arcadia University, and a PhD in Physical Therapy at Nova Southeastern University. She is board certified in orthopedic physical therapy and a certified orthopedic manual therapist. Her primary areas of interest in clinical practice, teaching, and research include both orthopedic physical therapy and Global Service Learning experiences. With orthopedic physical therapy, her primary areas of research focus include running-related injuries and implementation science to improve patient outcomes.  Dr. Podschun developed the AdventHealth Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency program in 2009 and continues to teach continuing education modules for the residents.

Dr. Alessandra Swarowsky-Martin earned her Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy at the Lutheran University of Brazil in 2000. She also has a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. degree in Neuroscience from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil. She completed two post-doctoral fellowships, one in Neuroscience (in Brazil) and the other one in Motor Control at the University of Miami – Miller School of Medicine. While in Brazil, she was an Associate Professor at the Physical Therapy Department at the Santa Catarina State University from 2010 to 2019. Before coming to the DPT Program at AHU, Dr. Swarowsky was an Associate professor in the DPT Program at the University of Jamestown (North Dakota) from 2019 to 2021. She obtained her Florida PT license in 2022. Her area of expertise is Neurological Rehabilitation, especially movement disorders, and movement analysis. Dr. Swarowsky has published several manuscripts in peer-review journals and her primary research interest is Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Mohtashem Samsam is a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Director of research at AdventHealth University (AHU). He joined AHU in August 2020. Dr. Samsam studied Medicine in English language program of Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Medical University, in Szeged, Hungary (1991- 1996) and received his PhD in Neurosciences from the Dep. of Cell biology and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Spain, in 2002. He did his post-doc studies in Developmental Neurobiology in the Neurology University Clinic of Wuerzburg University, Germany (1999- 2002).  Publishing several articles in headache and migraine during his MD and PhD studies he continued his post-doc studies examining the mechanism of neurodegeneration in animal models of inherited peripheral neuropathies and treatment of Charcot-Marie Tooth disorders using gene therapy and alteration of immune response.  Prior to AHU, Dr. Samsam was a Professor of Medicine at the University of Central Florida (2004-2020), teaching anatomy, clinical neuroanatomy, and clinical neuroscience to undergraduate, graduate, and medical students.

Dr. William Young earned his BS in Physical Therapy from the University of Central Florida and his Doctor of Physical Therapy from Arcadia University. He is a Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist.  Dr. Young has extensive experience in private practice as an owner of a pediatric clinic and consulting business. He has also experience in acute care, outpatient and as a Director of Rehabilitation. His primary teaching areas are pediatrics, physical therapy evaluation and examination, and physical therapy treatment interventions. He has considerable experience in teaching and course development as an instructor in a physical therapist assistant program and as an Assistant Professor in a Doctoral physical therapy program.  His areas of research interest include student academic success, evidence-based education, and the use of Biophysical Agents in physical therapy.

Thank You for supporting AHU DPT Program and Students!

Continuing Education Credit:

Licensed PT attendees that wish to be awarded CE MUST provide license number upon registration, and MUST complete port test upon completion of the event. CE will only be awarded to those registrants that attend for the entire presentation time, AND complete the post test.

Continuing Education

Cancelation Policy: A refund minus 20% will be granted to written requests received 10 days or more prior to the start date of the program. Cancellations must be submitted in writing via email to (person from department). No refunds will be granted to cancellations less than 10 prior to the event scheduled date. Registrants unable to attend may send a substitute.

Completion Requirements: Licensed PT and PTA attendees that wish to be awarded CE MUST provide license number upon registration. To receive continuing education credit commensurate with the credit awarded for this activity, the participant must:

  • Sign-in prior to the start time and attend the full activity session.

  • Pass the online test if applicable.

  • Complete and submit the on-line evaluation.

Certificates of Completion: will be available to print immediately upon finishing the completion requirements. You are encouraged to print and save your certificate for your portfolio as required by your licensing body. Interdisciplinary accredited activities, activities having multiple accreditors, will be listed individually on the Certificate of Completion.

Conflicts of Interest and Commercial Support: There have been no conflicts of interest disclosed by planners, authors, or presenters; nor has there been disclosure of any relevant financial relationships with any commercial companies or their products pertaining to this activity.

Non-Endorsement of Products: AdventHealth University (AHU), as an accredited provider, has demonstrated proficient experience and viable resources to provide for valid and reliable evaluation of CE activities. The accuracy of the facts and opinions contained in this activity are the responsibility of the presenters/author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of AHU or its sponsors. Practitioners should consult primary resources, state regulations, and their healthcare facility policies and procedures for specific application of said content to their local situation. AHU does not imply that there is real or implied endorsement of any product, service, or company neither referred to in this cpresentation nor of any company subsidizing costs related to this activity. All information contained in this activity is for educational purposes only. Our host site, Adventhealth University Division echelon® chooses full disclosure with all of their education providers and with each activity to report any author conflicts of interest or commercial affiliation or support in conjunction with any activity.

Electronic Record Retention: All activity records are kept on file for a minimum of six (6) years.