DPT Clinical Student Program

At Peak, we believe that in order to provide the best care possible to patients, but also to continue to shape our profession as a whole, we need dynamic, motivated, and well-educated therapists. As our organization has grown, we’ve established a strong clinical internship program for physical therapy doctoral students from the Boston area and from across the country.

We have clinical contracts with multiple schools, including MGH's Institute of Health Professions, Northeastern University, Boston University, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Simmons University.

While taking on a physical therapy student can be intimidating and hard work, it can also be one of the more rewarding experiences as a PT. As therapists, we've all gone through the process of being clinical students, and each of us can point to experiences that helped to shape us into the therapists that we are today. We currently have a strong group of clinical instructors in many of our locations, and we’re always looking to expand the group to continue to grow Peak's student program and make a difference in the PT community as a whole. 

We currently offer both full-time orthopedic clinical rotations and pelvic health clinical rotations with students learning about our other specialties either with their clinical instructor, or through opportunities to work with various PTs during their clinical rotation. Such experiences include aquatics, TMD, post-concussion, vestibular, pediatrics, pelvic health, and return-to-sport, which allow students for a truly well-rounded experience during their time at Peak.

As part of our commitment to excellence in education of our clinical students, we offer a comprehensive mentorship program for new clinical instructors, with the intent to help our clinical instructors reach their potential as educators.

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“As a new clinical instructor, it was really valuable to have mentorship time throughout taking a full-time clinical student in order to make sure I created the most positive learning environment for my student. It helped me have clear expectations on where my student should be during her clinical and to ensure she was on track in her learning experience. I was able to learn tips on adjusting learning style and communication needs to foster a positive learning environment. Although taking a student can be hard work, having mentorship behind the experience made it easier for me to feel more comfortable and confident throughout the entire experience.” - Ashley Mahan PT, DPT

In our experience as a clinical partner with PT doctoral programs, we've found that our student program not only makes a difference in our profession as a whole, but also develops exceptional therapists who are key contributors to our excellence in the communities we serve and treat.

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Meet Julia, Site Coordinator for Clinical Education (SCCE)

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Julia Cross joined Peak in our Norwell location in September 2018. She has always had a strong interest in education and teaching, so it was an easy decision when she was asked in 2019 to take over the role of SCCE. She currently treats all orthopedic conditions, and specializes in TMD, post-concussion therapy, and aquatic therapy. In addition to her role as SCCE at Peak, she is also a clinical instructor. Julia strongly believes that in order to continue to advance our profession, we need to educate highly skilled and compassionate therapists, and at Peak, we strive to provide clinical experiences that reflect this.