LAFAYETTE, La. (NEWS 15) — Louisiana is experiencing a critical shortage of physical therapists. In response, a new hybrid program in Lafayette is aiming to expand physical therapy education and address this workforce gap.
A partnership between Ochsner Health and LSU Shreveport has introduced a Doctor of Physical Therapy program, combining online coursework with hands-on clinical education. This initiative, based in the Oil Center, is designed to prepare students through collaborations with local healthcare providers.
“And it’s the first hybrid DPT program affiliated with a public institution in the country. So, what we have been able to do bring a new health care workforce education program into this part of the state, and we’ve brought it in a new way,” said Daniel Flowers, Chair of Physical Health at LSU Shreveport…