Auburn prepares for Doctor of Physical Therapy program coming in 2025

Ryan Babl

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October is National Physical Therapy Month, and Auburn is gearing up to launch its inaugural Doctor of Physical Therapy program in summer 2025.

Housed in the College of Education’s School of Kinesiology, the Doctor of Physical Therapy program will prepare clinical physical therapists who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and values needed to provide exceptional patient-centered care. Applications for the charter cohort of 38 student physical therapists will close Oct. 31.

Harsimran Baweja, director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, is ready to welcome students to campus after months of overseeing classroom and lab space renovations, finalizing curricula and hiring faculty.  

One of those hires is Ryan Babl, an assistant professor and founding faculty member of the program. Babl comes to Auburn from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, where he spent seven years as a physical therapist educator working inter-professionally with colleagues from various health care professions in both research and educational program development. He also has more than 10 years of clinical experience as an outpatient physical therapist.

“I am committed to enhancing the learning experience for our students,” Babl said. “My passion lies in student teaching, active engagement, mentorship and promoting overall wellbeing, all of which I believe are crucial in shaping the next generation of compassionate and skilled physical therapists.”

He said the opportunity to join Auburn’s program from its inception is both unique and rewarding.

“Being part of establishing a new program's culture is both an exciting and humbling experience,” he said. “I am eager to contribute to building a strong foundation that will set us on the path to becoming a gold-standard physical therapist education program.”

“Together, we collaborated on initiatives aimed at enhancing both clinical patient care and health care student education,” he said. “My experience as a physical therapist clinician-turned-educator has helped prepare me for the role of a founding faculty member in the DPT program. I've had the privilege of working closely with both patients and students, witnessing firsthand the journey toward achieving their goals. This dual perspective — understanding both health care delivery and education — has deepened my ability to be an effective educator and clinician.”

Baweja said Babl’s work has a strong alignment with the mission and vision of the School of Kinesiology and the program to set a gold standard in physical therapy education while training physical therapists to serve rural Alabama.

“Dr. Babl’s research is focused on reducing barriers in physical therapy and health care-related carrier choices and increasing representation in health care,” Baweja said. “He brings rich clinical experience in orthopedics and sports injuries as well as the scholarship of teaching and learning to physical therapy education. Dr. Babl is acutely aware of and passionate about reducing the barriers to entry and retention in physical therapy schools and the profession.” 

Babl, a Nebraska Husker-turned-Auburn Tiger, is looking forward to bringing his expertise to the Plains as he plays a pivotal role in educating the next generation of physical therapists. 

“My experience collaborating with educators for various health care professions has highlighted the critical importance of interprofessional communication and coordination. These skills are essential for improving health care experiences, enhancing outcomes and reducing costs. I’m excited to bring these experiences to our students, enriching their educational journey and helping them develop into well-rounded, compassionate physical therapists,” he said.

While developing clinical physical therapists who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and values needed to provide exceptional patient-centered care is a major goal of the program, research and outreach will also be key components of the student experience.

“We want to contribute to the advancement of the physical therapy profession and address health care disparities in the communities we serve,” Baweja said.

He said the mission of the program was fueled by Auburn University’s land-grant mission.

“We will cultivate a community that is dedicated to enhancing the practice of physical therapy through innovations in education, research, outreach and advocacy,” he said. “We are committed to establishing a gold standard in the advancement of physical therapy and promoting the health of our society.”

The program is grounded in evidence-based practice and will integrate innovative teaching methods to prepare graduates to adapt to the evolving health care landscape. Faculty members will foster critical thinking, clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills through hands-on experiences in diverse clinical and research settings, particularly those that serve under-resourced communities.

“Physical therapists play an important role in promoting health and wellness, preventing disease and injury and restoring function and mobility across the lifespan,” Baweja said. “Our graduates will be prepared to work collaboratively with health care teams and engage in lifelong learning to provide high-quality care and contribute to the advancement of the profession.” 

Auburn’s charter cohort of physical therapy students will begin in summer 2025. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is a full-time, three-year (nine semesters) graduate clinical degree. This includes two years of didactics and 38 weeks of clinical experiences across various patient care settings. For more information, including how to apply, go to https://aub.ie/dpt. Applications will close Oct. 31.