50 Heroes: Dr. Brandy Schwarz

Dr. Brandy SchwarzBoth inside and outside the HSC walls, Dr. Brandy Schwarz has earned a reputation for rising to every challenge.  To her students, she is a sought-after mentor and role model.  To her faculty colleagues, she is an innovator and collaborator.  And to her community (which stretches to all corners of the globe), she is a true servant leader.

Schwarz, who joined the Department of Physical Therapy faculty in 2011, does everything with passion and determination.  A lifelong learner, she has earned doctorates in Physical Therapy and Education Leadership, and Master’s degrees in Occupational Therapy and Business Administration. This breadth of knowledge has expanded the pathways she can pursue.  And pursue them, she does.

“We kid Brandy that she is an interprofessional team within herself being both a licensed Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist,” said Dr. David Farmer, HSC’s Director of Interprofessional Education and Practice. “She has helped lead the charge in introducing interprofessional education with clinical preceptors to enhance the learning environment for students.”  Another colleague commented, “Brandy teaches students about professional behavior and clinical skills, but also strives to enhance students’ soft skills, critical thinking, and cultural competence.”

These strengths were recognized in 2018 when Brandy was named to Fort Worth’s “40 Under 40” list, as well as being inducted as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academy of Practice.  These honors followed a year during which she worked to enroll PT students into an international training rotation in Malawi and then traveled to Swaziland with a delegation from Fort Worth’s Sister Cities International to meet with local healthcare workers and deliver wheel chairs.

In 2019, she organized a week-long trip for physical therapy students to Costa Rica, where students treated and provided health education to men, women, and children suffering from orthopedic problems, seizures, high blood pressure and more.  Closer to home, Dr. Schwarz teams with geriatric faculty to engage PT students in the HSC SAGE (Students Assisting in Geriatric Education) program.

“Her commitment to inclusivity, respect, collaboration, and ethical conduct are among her greatest attributes,” commented Dr. Haylie Miller, a faculty colleague. “I feel so fortunate to collaborate with her, and to benefit from her knowledge and experience. It is my pleasure to sing Brandy’s praises.”  Given her drive and energy, the singing seems sure to continue.

Congratulations to Dr. Brandy Schwarz, whose contributions – past and future – are worthy of celebration.


50th Anniversary Logo

Join us throughout 2020 as we celebrate the people, events and innovations that made UNTHSC all it is today — and look ahead to the next 50 years.

For the 50th anniversary, team members nominated people whose contributions make them HSC Heroes. Each week, a new Hero will be revealed.

View the list of all our Hero profiles published so far this year. There is a new one each week.

Recent News

Siddarth Vyas
  • Community
|Jun 18, 2025

From finance to medicine: UNTHSC graduate charts bold new course

Siddarth Vyas was working as a corporate financial analyst when he decided to shift his focus — and his future — toward health care. This transition started with “significant reflection” and a long journey that included volunteering, shadowing and completing the prerequisite courses f...
Image
  • Our People
|Jun 18, 2025

Changing the flight plan: UNTHSC student redirects from aviation to health care

Taylor Harden was in a high-flying profession when she decided to reroute to a new destination. Her successful landing into health care moved her from an exciting career in aviation and travel into the business of healing and improving the lives of others. Harden recently completed the online Bac...
Eun-Young Mun
  • Our People
|Jun 16, 2025

Dr. Eun-Young Mun receives national award for advancing prevention science

  Eun-Young Mun, Ph.D., a regents professor and associate dean for Research and Innovation at The University of North Texas Health Science Center of Fort Worth’s College of Public Health, has received the Nan Tobler Award at the 33rd annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Researc...
Dr. John Licciardone
  • Research
|Jun 12, 2025

Long-term study shows better chronic pain outcomes in patients treated by osteopathic physicians

The first long-term study involving three years of follow-up of osteopathic medical care for chronic pain has been published in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. The research team was led by Dr. John Licciardone, executive director of the Osteopathic Research Center and regents professor at T...