Goodyear, AZ Economic Development

In 2008, Franklin Pierce University (FPU) became the first private postsecondary education institution in Goodyear, Arizona. The campus is located on the southeast corner of Van Buren Street and 145th Avenue, less than 30 minutes from downtown Phoenix. The Goodyear location offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and today celebrates the expansion of both its building and the programs offered to include a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Hybrid Program.  FPU is dedicated to prepare students to provide compassionate care with the highest level of clinical excellence and ethical standards.

Franklin Pierce University is an accredited private university that achieves outstanding student success. Students earn degrees through the doctoral level in classroom-based and online programs. As FPU embarks on its 60th Anniversary in 2022, they will continue to grow, evolve, and deliver programs and educational experiences that develop essential intellectual and professional skills; promotes close community connections; and empowers students to realize their full potential.

MASTER OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS PROGRAM

Health care providers are more in-demand than ever, and Physician Assistants will continue to be an important part of the medical team. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic, projected employment of physician assistants is expected to grow 31 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for other occupations. About 12,200 openings for physician assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

The U.S. News & World Report, also ranked Physician Assistants as the #1 Best Jobs in 2021.

The hybrid program offers a technology-rich environment where students will be engaged in the virtual classroom by expert instructors and receive in-person clinical training experiences at one of our Arizona or Texas hubs, or one of our other clinical sites across the country. Students develop hands-on, practical skills during scheduled immersion weeks throughout the program at the Goodyear, Arizona campus and have the benefit of completing the program in 24 months without having to relocate during the preclinical year.

The Franklin Pierce University Physician Assistant Hybrid Program has applied for Accreditation-Provisional status with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). The university anticipates matriculating its first class in November 2022, pending achieving Accreditation-Provisional status at the June 2022 ARC-PA meeting.

For more information or to pre-register for the PA program, click here.

DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM 

Franklin Pierce University also recently announced a substantive change in the delivery model for its Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program on Monday, December 6. With approval from Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), the accrediting body that oversees the program, Franklin Pierce’s Arizona program will pivot from traditional, full-time and face-to-face education to a hybrid model with intensive lab modality and expand its cohort size from 36 to 56 students starting the Fall 2022. 

“This change to the delivery model of our DPT program in Arizona is a critical component of our strategic plan, Pierce@60, as we continue to focus on innovation in teaching and learning,” shared Dr. Catherine M. Paden, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The programs that we offer must not only resonate with the demands of the broader marketplace, but also continue to establish Franklin Pierce as an institution that meets the needs of those who choose to enroll. Innovation is central to the way programs are developed and in the methods through which students are taught.” 

Franklin Pierce University has successfully established two Doctor of Physical Therapy programs in two states—New Hampshire and Arizona. Since April 2018, Franklin Pierce administration and physical therapy faculty have been exploring strategies to not only enhance enrollment but also to meet the needs of significant population growth anticipated in the Phoenix West Valley. 

Priscilla Marsicovetere, JD, PA-C, Dean of the College of Health & Natural Sciences, believes that Franklin Pierce’s hybrid delivery model allows the University to be on the cutting-edge of where education is headed, especially in the allied health professions. “This change to our delivery model in Arizona paves the way for more innovation in the way we teach and train the next generation of healthcare workers,” she shared. 

“This is an exciting opportunity for Franklin Pierce, for our DPT students and for our faculty and clinical staff,” shared Letha B. Zook, P.T., Ed.D., Department Chair and Associate Professor of Physical Therapy. “The flexibly of a hybrid-based program provides a more productive use of class time with active learning experiences and evidence-based practice for our faculty, and allows students from all over the country to join our program, complete their education more quickly and at lower cost, all without having to permanently relocate themselves and their families.” 

The program based the curricular changes upon an analysis of the current courses, with a goal of decreasing the length of the program maintaining strong student outcomes, including a 100% board pass rate and 100% job placement within six-months of program completion. In addition to the full-time clinical experiences at the end of the program, students participate in short-term clinical experiences during the immersion labs, working alongside peers and faculty to treat volunteers and community members with limited access to health care during the intensive lab portions of the program. These experiences along with the didactic curriculum prepare the student for entrance into the physical therapy profession. 

For more information or to register for the PT program, click here.