Associate Professor or Professor - Tenure Track
Associate Professor or Professor - Tenure Track
Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
Department of Physical Therapy
College of Health & Human Services
Western Michigan University invites applications and nominations for the position of a full-time fiscal year, 12-month Tenure Track Associate Professor, or Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy. This individual will join a DPT faculty of eight (8) in a growing and assessing a contemporary, innovative, and student-centered 2.5-year DPT program.
The Department of Physical Therapy and the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program were established and approved in 2015. The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at WMU achieved initial accreditation in December 2021 and will seek reaffirmation of accreditation in 2026. We are seeking highly motivated, energetic, and team-oriented individuals with demonstrated contemporary expertise in at least one of the following:
• Program Development and Evaluation
• Research Foundations
• Neurosciences Applied to Physical Therapy
• Geriatrics
• Management of Integumentary Conditions
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Healthcare Practice Management
Major Responsibilities:
• Teach in areas of expertise and additional assigned content areas.
• Contribute to the department’s program development and management
• Supervise and advise students.
• Develop and sustain a scholarly research agenda in accordance with contemporary CAPTE standards and WMU institutional expectations.
• Contribute to curricular development and assessment.
• Participate and provide expertise to reaffirm program accreditation.
• Provide service to the DPT program, department, university, profession, and community.
• Contribute to an interprofessional environment of instruction and community collaborations
• Contribute to the department's recruitment and retention efforts
Minimum Qualifications:
• Earned Physical Therapy (PT) degree from an accredited institution
• Academic credentials to include any of the following:
o PT degree AND an academic doctoral degree (PhD, ScD, EdD, or DHSc), OR
o Clinical doctorate in physical therapy (DPT) AND ABPTS certification
• Current, active physical therapy licensure, and eligibility to obtain Michigan physical therapy licensure
• Demonstrated academic rank of Assistant Professor for a minimum of 3 years
• Demonstrated academic contemporary expertise in one or more of the identified areas
• Demonstrated teaching excellence and assessment experience at a graduate level
• Demonstrated experience conducting research with evidence of a strong scholarly agenda including external funding and peer-reviewed scientific study publications
• Strong oral, written, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to function well within a collegial, collaborative work environment
Desired Qualifications:
• Demonstrated expertise AND at least 3 years of graduate level teaching (must be completed by date employment would commence)
• Minimum academic rank of Associate Professor
• Completion of APTA accredited fellowship or residence
• History of mentoring faculty in research
• Experience with CAPTE accreditation process
• Membership in the American Physical Therapy Association
Expected start date. January 1st, 2026, or earlier.
The University: Western Michigan University (WMU), located in Southwest Michigan,
is a vibrant, nationally recognized student-centered research institution with an enrollment of over 18,000. WMU delivers high-quality undergraduate instruction, has a strong graduate division, and fosters significant research activities. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies WMU as a doctoral university and one of just 185 public universities in the nation conducting research at a high level.
The College: The College of Health and Human Services is in a 195,000 square foot building with state-of-the-art teaching technologies and spacious research laboratories. The college enrolls nearly 3,000 students, with more than a third of those at the graduate level. The college includes programs in blindness and low vision studies, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, social work, speech, language and hearing sciences, holistic health care, alcohol and drug abuse, health administration, interdisciplinary health services, public health, and a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary health sciences. The college has received several grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Department of Education, the College also operates the Unified Clinics, a multidisciplinary service/training clinic. Learn more about our growing college at http://www.wmich.edu/hhs, including our statement on race and anti-racism http://wmich.edu/hhs/antiracism.
Department: Department of Physical Therapy
Salary: Competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, with an excellent benefits package.
Application Deadline: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Required application documents:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Letter of application describing qualifications, accomplishments, and professional experiences related to the position
- List of 5 professional references
Chair of Search committee: Dr. Nicholas Smith PT, DSc, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT
WMU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities and all other qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.