D'Youville University Physical Therapy Department

10/25/2026

Giving back and making a difference! 💙

On Friday, a large group of D’Youville DPT students, along with faculty member Dr. Eric Miller, volunteered with Feed My Starving Children to help pack meals for children in need around the world. We’re proud of our students for demonstrating the importance of service, compassion, and giving back to others! 👏

10/17/2026

Testimonial from second year DPT student, Donald Ernst, on the research collaboration with Roswell Park Cancer Institute:

I’m grateful to have recently completed my research experience with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and D'Youville University!
During this experience, I had the opportunity to work with individuals who are in remission from cancer, administering functional outcome measures and physical assessments to evaluate their abilities and progress. I also gained valuable experience modifying exercises to meet each individual’s needs, abilities, and goals.
This experience reinforced the importance of individualized, patient-centered care and the role that functional assessment and exercise can play in supporting individuals throughout their recovery and beyond cancer treatment.
As I continue my journey toward becoming a physical therapist, I’m thankful for the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned, contribute to meaningful research, and continue developing the skills necessary to help improve patients’ quality of life.
Thank you to everyone at Roswell Park and D'Youville who made this experience possible!

10/16/2026

🎉 Celebrating a D’Youville DPT Alumni and Faculty Collaboration!
We are excited to recognize Matthew Smith, D’Youville DPT alumnus, and Elizabeth (Beth) Horsmon, PT, MPT, PCS, Assistant Clinical Professor and Director of Clinical Education, for their contributions to the newly published resource, Advancing Student Success Through School-Based Physical Therapy!
Under Matt’s leadership, what began as a conversation and a shared passion for school-based physical therapy has grown into a valuable resource highlighting the important role physical therapists play in helping students access, participate in, and succeed in their educational environments.
This accomplishment is a wonderful example of how connections between D’Youville alumni and faculty can lead to meaningful professional collaboration and contributions to the physical therapy profession.
👏 Congratulations to Matt and Beth on this exciting achievement! We are proud to celebrate their work and their continued advocacy for school-based physical therapy.

10/16/2026

Congratulations to our first-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student Ella Hurrle, who recently celebrated her Senior Night this past weekend with the D’Youville Women’s Soccer team! 🎓⚽️

Ella has dedicated the past four years to the Saints soccer program, recording over 1,900 minutes of playing time and five goals throughout her collegiate soccer career! Her accomplishments extend beyond the field, as she was named to the 2026 College Sports Communicators Academic All District Team and inducted into Alpha Chi Sigma.

Ella is set to graduate in 2029 with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and hopes to pursue a career working with a professional sports team or in pediatric physical therapy.

Congratulations Ella! We are so proud of your dedication and accomplishments both on and off the field 👏🏼

10/13/2026

We are looking for 4 more children for our annual BOT fest! Please private message me if interested!

10/10/2026

This past weekend, a McKenzie Fine Tuning Clinical Procedures course was held at Powers Health in Crown Point, Indiana!
The course was led by Dr. Jane Borgehammar, with D’Youville’s own Dr. Joe Lorenzetti assisting with instruction and leading the OMPT manipulation portion in his role as Program Director of the McKenzie Institute USA OMPT Fellowship.
The course provided an excellent opportunity for clinicians to refine their manual therapy techniques, strengthen clinical reasoning, and enhance their skills to provide high-quality patient care.
We’re proud to see Dr. Lorenzetti sharing his expertise and contributing to the continued professional development of physical therapists across the country!

10/08/2026

🩺 Looking Ahead: The Future of Healthcare!
Today, D’Youville University hosted The State of Healthcare in 2027 and Beyond, bringing together healthcare professionals, educators, and community leaders to explore the challenges, innovations, and opportunities shaping the future of healthcare.
Our DPT program was proud to be represented at this important event! Pictured from left to right are Megan Whelan, Dean of the School of Health Professions; Beth Horsmon, DPT Director of Clinical Education; Heather Ferro, Assistant Dean; Naheed Ali-Sayeed, Nutrition and Dietetics Program Director; and Lori Book, Speech-Language Pathology Program Director.
Events like this highlight the importance of collaboration across healthcare disciplines and help us stay connected to the evolving needs of our profession. These conversations are essential as we prepare our future physical therapists to be knowledgeable, adaptable, and collaborative healthcare providers.
💙❤️ Proud to be part of a university committed to advancing healthcare education and strengthening our healthcare community!

10/07/2026

See below for an exciting opportunity with Onondaga PT!

Do you have the necessary training to excel in your role? Are you willing to put in the time to improve your skills? Do you have the confidence in your abilities? Do you have the same values as us? Have you done whatever it takes to get the job done in the past?

10/05/2026

Dr Jeff Podraza didnt have a good giant pumpkin season with the biggest in the picture at about 550 # due to poor weather. HOWEVER, his Field Pumpkin came in 1st place at 67.5 #. The Giant Tomato was also 1st place at 4.6 # and the smaller green one 3.55 pounds. Linus 🐶 approves!

10/04/2026

The D’Youville–Roswell Park Restore Program is completing its first 12-week, 24-session cohort, marking an exciting milestone for this unique, first-of-its-kind program. The inaugural cohort included 18 outstanding cancer survivors, 8 D’Youville DPT students, and 4 faculty members.
Participant feedback has been exceptional, with many survivors reporting that the program has had a meaningful impact on their lives, including improvements in movement, strength, physical function, and overall wellness. Participants took part in twice-weekly aerobic and strength-training sessions, along with weekly Dietetics lectures and hands-on cooking sessions.
Biomechanical and functional performance data were collected at baseline, midway through the program, and at the completion of the 12-week intervention. We look forward to using the findings to further develop the program and begin our next cohort in the fall.
The program is led by Co-Principal Investigators Dr. Andrew Ray of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and Dr. Jeff Podraza of D’Youville University, along with Co-Investigators Dr. Eric Miller and Dr. Dan Ramsey and RPCI dietician Kayla Kio.
D’Youville DPT student volunteers include Isabella Anderson, Kylie Springer, Eve Musielak, Pat Hajos, Donald Ernst, Hannah Dino, Sophia Arno, and Giselle Ramirez.