Mercer University Department of Physical Therapy

02/21/2026

Huge congratulations to Dr. Dale on being awarded the 2026 Katherine Harris Educator Award!

🏆 Katherine Harris Educator Award

Congratulations to Daniel Dale, PT, DPT, recipient of the Katherine Harris Educator Award, recognizing excellence and leadership in acute care physical therapy education.

Dr. Dale is a Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Director of Clinical Education in the Department of Physical Therapy at Mercer University. He earned his DPT from Armstrong Atlantic State University (now Georgia Southern University) and is both a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator and Certified Lymphedema Therapist.

Through his teaching, simulation leadership, clinical practice, and service within APTA at the state and national levels, Dr. Dale has advanced best practices in acute care education and helped prepare the next generation of physical therapists.

👏 Thank you, Dr. Dale, for your outstanding contributions to acute care physical therapy education.

02/17/2026

Mercer DPT and Post-Professional faculty, alumni, and students were highly active at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in Anaheim, CA! See below for a list of national awards, presentations, and posters! If we missed your name, please leave us a message below or email dale_dc@mercer.edu and we will be sure to add you!

AWARDS:
Dr. David Taylor, Clinical Professor and Director of Clinical Education: APTA Geriatrics Joan M. Mills Award

Dr. Daniel Dale, Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Director of Clinical Education: APTA Acute Care Katherine Harris Educator Award

PRESENTATIONS:
Dr. Deborah Wendland, Professor: ACEWM Platform Session Moderator AND Move It to Heal It: Exercise for Patients with Wounds

Dr. Ann Lucado, Professor: APTA Hand and Upper Extremity Platform Session Moderator

Dr. Daniel Dale, Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Director of Clinical Education: An Oxford Debate: Float or Focus: Should Acute Care Therapists be Rotated across Hospital Units?

Dr. Teri Biven and Dr. Maggie Carpenter: Transplant Troubles: Complex Wounds Post-Organ Transplant

Dr. Stephen Ramsey and Dr. Ben Purrington: When the Barrier to Early Mobility is Us: Rethinking Rehab’s Role in the ICU

Dr. Stephen Ramsey: The Use of Outcome Measures for Temporary MCS Devices, Beyond the Pump: Bfr, Endothelial Function, and the Power of Ultrasound

Dr. Andrew Teare-Ketter (DPT Class of 2019): Negative Neuroplasticity: Unraveling the Connection between Maladaptive Strategies, Cortical Reorganization, and Persistent Symptoms Post-Concussion

POSTERS:
Dr. Margaret Schad (DPT Class of 2024): Conservative Management of “Shoulder Impingement”: A Case Study

02/05/2026

Proud of our students and alumni for their legislative advocacy efforts on behalf of the profession and patients!

01/12/2026

Seven Mercer DPT students (Classes of 2026 and 2027), along with Dr. Deborah Wendland and Dr. Tami Phillips, recently participated in an international service-learning trip to Vietnam in December 2025. As part of the inaugural elective PT 747: Vietnam Service Learning Initiative, students explored cultural competence, navigated language differences, and provided physical therapy services within an international health system.

This initiative partnered with the Mercer on Mission Engineering program, which delivers prosthetic limbs to individuals with upper and lower extremity amputations in South Vietnam. Our DPT students contributed by offering:
• Vital sign and diabetic foot screenings
• Health promotion education
• Wound care
• Gait training and home exercise programs for individuals with amputations
• Interventions for a variety of orthopedic and neurologic conditions in a hospital-based outpatient clinic

Throughout the seven-day clinic, students collaborated with Vietnamese clinicians and health professions students, exchanging knowledge and sharing U.S.-taught physical therapy techniques.

We are deeply grateful to the Vietnamese clinicians, students, and clients for their hospitality and for creating this unique learning opportunity. Special thanks to our donors whose generosity helped provide medical supplies and offset student costs.

12/10/2025

We are so pleased to share that Dr. Anne Rohling, PT, DPT, (Class of 2015) has been awarded APTA’s Emerging Leader Award! Dr. Rohling was nominated by the APTA Georgia Chapter.

The purpose of APTA’s Emerging Leader Award is to identify and honor one physical therapist or physical therapist assistant “emerging leader” from each APTA component, who has demonstrated extraordinary service early in his or her physical therapy career. The individual should have made exceptional overall accomplishments and contributions to the American Physical Therapy Association, the component, and the physical therapy profession to advance APTA’s vision.

Dr. Rohling was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Georgia in 2011. She is a graduate of the Mercer Doctor of Physical Therapy Class of 2015. She was recognized with the DPT Program’s Golden Bear Award for outstanding diligence, commitment, and sustained effort in supporting the structure and integrity of the class.

Since graduation, she has practiced as a physical therapist and clinic director. Dr. Rohling is currently the Supervisor of Outpatient Rehabilitation for Northside Hospital, overseeing 25 physical and occupational therapists across three outpatient clinics in Metro Atlanta, with various specialties including orthopaedics, sports, neurology, and wound and lymphedema management. Dr. Rohling currently serves as APTA Georgia Delegate and South/Coastal Local Area Network (LAN) Director. She is also the Chair of the APTA Georgia PT Day at the Capitol Committee, one of the largest state legislative events in the country.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Rohling on this outstanding accomplishment!

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from Mercer University's Department of Physical Therapy!!

11/14/2025

We’re pretty excited about this!

11/14/2025

We are incredibly proud of our Mercer DPT Engagement and Collegiality Committee and our DPT Students!

Mercer's Atlanta campus has opened up Bear Necessities Basic Needs Pantry, which is a confidential resource available to any Mercer student experiencing food insecurity.

Our Engagement and Collegiality Committee led a challenge to all faculty, staff, and students to bring in donations as they were able. We celebrated this morning by delivering our goods to the Pantry, while celebrating with donuts and juice.

Congrats on a great drive, supporting our fellow students in need on the Mercer Atlanta campus!

11/12/2025

🏈 It’s Homecoming time, Bears! The College of Health Professions invites alumni, students, and friends to join us at our tailgate tent. Enjoy great food, fun games, and good company before cheering on our Mercer Bears against the University of Tennessee–Chattanooga. We can’t wait to see you there! 🖤🧡

11/01/2025

Happy Halloween! We have photos of 1st-years, 2nd-years, 3rd-years, faculty, staff, and even alumni and clinical partners all dressed up for the special day!

10/28/2025

Elevate - Accelerate - Specialize! Applications are Now Open through RF-PTCAS!

10/28/2025

Last Friday, students and faculty gathered to assemble and pack birthday boxes for children in foster care. This was an activity led by Mercer DPT’s Simon Society in partnership with the Foster Love organization to provide something special for kids in foster care on their birthday. We thank everyone for their contributions, participation, and support!