The American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) has placed strategic priority on establishing mutually beneficial relationships to advance education and professional development of physical therapists as leaders within the healthcare team to promote health in our society. ACAPT seeks innovative relationships that promote teaching, scholarship, research and service activities within the academic and clinical setting.
About ACAPT
Who We Are
ACAPT organizational membership includes 95% of all U.S.-accredited physical therapist programs in higher education. The decision-makers for those programs, including program chairs, are also ACAPT members. Learn more about ACAPT here.
What We Believe
ACAPT is the principal voice representing academic physical therapists.
As critical members of the health care team, physical therapists enjoy high job satisfaction, interest from students, consumer demand and good employment rates. ACAPT celebrates this excellence, and we want to preserve and nurture it.
Our Vision
As a respected leader in academic physical therapy, ACAPT will create a shared culture of excellence to improve societal health.
Our Mission
ACAPT member institutions are champions of innovation, inclusion and inquiry in academic physical therapy.
Audience
Individual ACAPT members include:
- Physical therapist faculty
- Academic administrators, including program directors and deans
- Clinical educators
ACAPT’s Core Values
- Excellence and distinctiveness in academic physical therapy.
- Entrepreneurial Leadership toward a desired future that engenders innovation, flexibility and creativity.
- Respect for diverse perspectives while being committed to high standards.
- Collaboration and shared responsibility for promoting best practices and outcomes in academic physical therapy and the profession.
- Engagement and empowerment for direct and open participation, discussion and decision making among all stakeholders.
ACAPT embraces and actively seeks out partnerships with various organizations that share its core values and help to achieve its mission, vision and the goals and objectives of its strategic plan.
What We Do
ACAPT develops the entrepreneurial leadership skills of physical therapist academicians so they can develop tomorrow's leaders in health care.
- We create methods to benchmark excellence in PT education.
- We're expanding and promoting educational research.
- We advance innovative clinical education models.
- We promote professional and community service.
- We collaborate with organizations representing health professional education.
Why Become a Partner
- Exposure and opportunities for targeted marketing and promotion top stakeholders and decision-makers at U.S.-accredited physical therapist programs - including program chairs, faculty and clinical partners.
- Create brand awareness and increase brand loyalty among a targeted audience of physical therapy educators and decision-makers.
- Recognition at the Educational Leadership Conference (ELC), the only conference dedicated to academic physical therapy.
- Establish your commitment to supporting physical therapist educators.
- Stand out from your competition.
- Drive interest and visibility to your products and services by reinforcing your brand messaging.
Annual benefits:
- Post a 2–5-minute video of your product, service or latest innovation as a solution on ACAPT’s YouTube Channel. Featured on our “Solutions for your Program/Clinic” playlist
- Company logo, description & link to company website appear on ACAPT’s Partners web page
- Company logo, description, and link to company website on ACAPT’s social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter) posts quarterly
- Company logo, description, and link to company website listed in article on ACAPT Enews (reaching 8,000+ subscribers/PT education contacts) quarterly
- Promotional material (flyer) and/or logo recognition at ACAPT’s most attended meeting for ACAPT members and stakeholders including during the annual Education Leadership Conference (ELC):
- ACAPT Business Meeting: ACAPT presents its annual report and presents motions brought forward by members each year in a formal setting during the Educational Leadership Conference. This event is known as the ACAPT Business Meeting. Attendance is approx. 300.
Additional opportunities: There are numerous other opportunities in development that may be offered in addition to the above for an additional rate. These include:
- ACAPT's 10-year anniversary - in 2024, we will celebrate our 10-year anniversary.
- Preconference courses at ELC - ACAPT always has at least one if not two or three in-person courses before the Education Leadership Conference begins.
- ACAPT's Clinical Education Commission. The Commission meets at the Educational Leadership Conference to share updates on their work, invite networking opportunities, collaborate on projects, and share challenges and opportunities with one another. Attendance is approx. 125-200.
- ACAPT Institute Meetings: ACAPT’s four (4) institutes host meetings at the Educational Leadership Conference to discuss the work of their institute, invite feedback, and discuss important issues. Attendance ranges from 50-300 each.
- Clinical Education Roadshows - ACAPT leadership travels to the regional clinical education consortia around the country to share information on work that may impact them, invite ideas and opportunities for further engagement and collaboration on projects to benefit our clinical educators and the academic-clinical partnerships.
- Educational workshops - we have several hybrid courses/workshops launching in 2024 with an in-person and online component to them.
- Accessibility Summit - This summit, to be held in-person in 2024, is to promote equal access for students with disabilities in physical therapy education by identifying and addressing challenges with technical standards and accommodations, known barriers faced by students, and equipping educators with the tools necessary to address equity in their programs.
- Leadership Compass - A self-paced leadership development tool designed specifically for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) & Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) administrators, faculty & clinical educators & students.
- Center for Excellence: Supports a culture of excellence & assessment through trustworthy & transparent data management and analysis for academic physical therapy, including the annual Institutional Profile Survey.
- Learning Management System - we have a new LMS and will be launching it in 2024.
- A Blueprint for Excellence e-book: Will outline elements of what an excellent DPT program should consider at its foundation - including curriculum, IPE, clin ed, faculty/student success & more. This will be available in 2024.
- Clinical Reasoning Toolbox: A searchable site with data & related instruments on all things clinical reasoning. This will be available in 2024.
- Interprofessional Education (IPE) Compendium - with sample IPE activities to inspire your DPT program. This will be available in 2024.
- Simulation Scenario Library
- ACAPT Webinars
We are also interested in being a partner to you. We welcome learning more about what you may be able to offer that aligns with our mission, vision, and purpose. Perhaps you're interested in presenting educational content in the form of a webinar, or lunch & learns at a host facility; inviting feedback from select focus groups to gain insights that may impact your company's work; providing documents for access by our members on a special topic of interest to them (e.g., guidelines, tools, best practices), and more. There are many opportunities that may be mutually beneficial and we welcome the chance to explore them all with you.
And then there are the fun ideas that are generated based on a specific activity and are spur of the moment concepts that are best conceptualized in our conversations.
*Partner is responsible for shipping/bringing promotional material to the conference. All promotional material must be approved by ACAPT. The above list is subject to change.
Partner Eligibility
The following are eligible to partner with ACAPT:
- Commercial organizations whose products and services are related to PT education
- Nonprofit or philanthropic organizations, such as recognized and accredited schools and national foundations
- Recognized and reputable health organizations and associations
- Persons or organizations that provide continuing education for PT educators
*All partners must be approved by the Finance Committee of ACAPT
ACAPT would be interested in opportunities to place promotional items with the Partner organization, such as:
- ACAPT logo and link on your website, newsletters, or social media
- ACAPT events/meetings linked to your events page/calendar
Terms & conditions
The American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) partnership policy contains terms that constitute a binding agreement between the partner and ACAPT:
- All partner applications must be approved by the Finance Committee of ACAPT. The Finance Committee of ACAPT is authorized to act on behalf of the Board of Directors in granting promotion on behalf of a strategic partner. ACAPT has the right to accept or decline any partner application.
- All advertisements must conform with ACAPT’s purpose, mission, vision and core values. ACAPT reserves the right to decline or cancel/remove any advertisement considered contrary to, or in conflict with, ACAPT bylaws, standing rules, policies, and ACAPT’s core values. However, compliance of this does not guarantee acceptance of an advertisement.
- The appearance of an advertisement on the ACAPT communication channels does not constitute or imply endorsement. ACAPT does not verify the accuracy of claims made in advertisements and running an ad does not imply endorsement by ACAPT.
- ACAPT may decide that certain products or services are not eligible for promotion if it consistently or significantly departs from ACAPT’s purpose, mission, vision or core values. ACAPT shall have the right to approve or deny all requests as well as advertising or promotional material prior to publication. All advertisement requests must be submitted no less than three weeks in advance of the requested posting date.
- For any potential promotion from ACAPT to occur, the group, organization, or individual requesting a partnership must reveal if there is any real or potential conflict interest.
- Submission of payment constitutes acceptance of the above terms. Only upon receipt of full payment shall promotional materials be published. There are no options for partial or prorated payments, etc. No cancellations or refunds will be issued. ACAPT’s partnership benefits are effective for one year after acceptance of application.
- ACAPT reserves the right to make changes to its policies, and the partner’s continued benefits with ACAPT constitute acceptance of these changes.
- You assume any and all liability associated with your partnership. Applicant and its officers, representatives and staff agree to indemnify and hold ACAPT harmless with respect to the partnership requested.
If you're interested in becoming a partner or have any other questions, contact:
- Express your interests with our educational programming strategist at events@acapt.org.