Dean of the School of Health Professions
Dr. Forister is the dean of the School of Health Professions at HSC. He has a clinical background as a PA, with nine years in orthopedic surgery. He has also also practiced military medicine, family medicine-acute care and pain medicine.
Department Details: Our school has three departments: Phyisican Assistant Studies, Physical Therapy and Personalized Health and Wellbeing.
What is our local PT landscape? PT is in high demand in the metroplex, due to a large aging population. We receive 1,200 applications a year for our 50-class seats in PT. We send our students to clinical training sites across the region, in different settings. Above average growth is expected in this region due to immigration from other states.
What’s the best way to work with your department? I would look at our faculty profiles. The PT department has 12 experienced PTs as full-time faculty. Most have added certifications in things like orthopedics, geriatrics and neurology. The PA department has 16 clinicians with experience in a wide range of disciplines. The PHWB department has seven core faculty with backgrounds in sports, nutrition and medicine. Their focus is on coaching patients to manage and prevent disease with lifestyle practices. You may be able to find lead mentors with expertise in your subject matter. At the very least you will find individuals who can provide helpful feedback about these different clinical domains.
Who are the best points of contact in your department? Currently myself and my department chairs: Misti Zablosky, Lauren Dobbs and Michael Furtado.
Additional Resources: AAPA, APTA, ACLM, SHP, HSC Physical Health Clinic, HSC Health
