Administration & Staff
Dr. Jessica Maxwell, PT, DPT, PhD, is the Nashville campus DPT program director and Professor in the School of Physical Therapy at South College. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Science in Physical Therapy from Boston University, a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, and a PhD in Epidemiology from the Boston University School of Public Health. Dr. Maxwell has been a practicing Physical Therapist for over 26 years, and her clinical expertise is primarily in the field of orthopedic physical therapy, having completed a fellowship in orthopedic manual therapy in 2000 and earning board certification from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in 2008. She has experience in leading clinicians as a Clinical Supervisor in a large hospital-based outpatient clinic and owning her own private practice. Dr. Maxwell has over 16 years of experience as a core faculty member in Doctor of Physical Therapy programs, developing and teaching coursework throughout the curriculum and managing clinical education programs. Her research work initially centered on patient-centered outcomes in people with knee osteoarthritis and following knee replacement, but her more recent work has been in the areas of educating physical therapy students in health promotion and wellness, and inclusivity in clinical education environments.
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Doctor of Physical Therapy – Nashville
South College Nashville is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist education program from CAPTE. The program is planning to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, on December 01, 2023. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the professional phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; [email protected]
IMPLICATIONS OF SEPTEMBER GRADUATION The developing physical therapy program at South College Nashville is planning for a charter class graduation in September 2026. Initial accreditation decisions are acted upon at the next regularly scheduled Fall Meeting of the Commission following the on-site visit, which must occur during the penultimate term when the charter class is enrolled. CAPTE will not make exceptions to its Rules to accommodate graduation dates that precede regularly scheduled CAPTE meeting dates, e.g., graduation in the summer. A summer graduation does not allow the initial accreditation decision to occur prior to the graduation date. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) sets the dates for licensing exams. The first sitting for which students with a September graduation date would be in January. Therefore, the timing of the planned graduation date increases the likelihood of a significant financial disadvantage for students due to an approximate six month delay in possible employment as a Physical Therapist.
