Taking a novel approach to fill one job role with two faculty, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences (SPTRS) in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine recently selected both Kelly Allegro, PT, DPT, NCS, and Yvonne Budd, PT, DPT and USF DPT, to serve as co-directors of clinical education for the physical therapy program.

Dr. Kelly Allegro

Dr. Yvonne Budd

“We had a unique opportunity to re-envision our physical therapy clinical education model this spring and, with leadership and search committee approval, we altered the model to shift from being supported by a team of several to one led by two co-directors who will share the responsibility and duties necessary to lead and support a successful clinical education program,” said Douglas Haladay, DPT, PhD, director of SPTRS and associate dean in the Morsani College of Medicine.

“This re-alignment and restructuring will benefit our students by increasing access with the co-directors, as well as benefit our clinical partners by being able to better support them and their needs. Furthermore, in today’s health care environment, the co-directors will support one another and hopefully prevent burnout, which is common in this position.”

Dr. Budd and Dr. Allegro are both already on faculty at SPTRS.

“I am excited about this new opportunity with USF DPT clinical education team, and to share the role and responsibilities with Dr. Allegro,” Dr. Budd said. “We both have different backgrounds in physical therapy which helps us better support our students by bringing diverse perspectives and ideas to clinical education, as well as better connect with clinical instructors. We have already been able to create synergy as a clinical education team. We support each other and have been able to balance the workload well.”

Dr. Allegro added, “The co-director model is truly a collaborative model. It has come together quite organically over the last few months. It has allowed for dual decision-making amongst the directors of clinical education while also giving us the opportunity to give more one-on-one time to our students out on clinicals.”

The hope is that this new structure will not only continue to advance USF Health’s DPT program and clinical education but will also become an increasingly familiar model for other DPT programs to consider, Dr. Haladay said.

“We strive to be innovative, and are constantly working to improve the culture for our students, faculty/staff, and community,” Dr. Haladay said. “Health care and physical therapy are constantly evolving and adapting, and our curriculum and programs must as well to continue Moving Lives Forward and Making Life Better.”