Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) is proud to acknowledge the accomplishments and efforts of faculty who excel in their role as healthcare professionals, instructors, and mentors. The University recognizes these efforts through three annual awards: the Rising Star Teaching Award, Adjunct Faculty Award, and Hartgraves Award for Excellence in Teaching.
RISING STAR TEACHING AWARD
The Rising Star Teaching Award is given to a faculty member who has been full-time faculty for less than five years at the rank of Assistant Professor and demonstrates outcomes related to excellence in teaching. The 2022 Rising Star Teaching Award recipient is Jonathan Wright, PT, DPT, CSRS, an assistant professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program.
Wright joined the DPT program at RMUoHP in 2018. He holds a Bachelor of Science in exercise science and a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and he is currently enrolled in the RMUoHP PhD program with a concentration in Healthcare Leadership and Administration.
Wright is board-certified as a Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy (NCS), certified as a Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist (CSRS) through the National Stroke Association, and an APTA Advanced Credentialed Clinical Instructor.
Dr. Wright’s research interests include fall risk and prevention, hospital readmissions, VP shunt candidacy, and plantarflexion activation following stroke. One of Wright’s students remarked, “Dr. Wright does a great job relating his lectures to real life experiences which helps a lot with retention.”
Furthermore, his nomination related that “Dr. Wright is consistently involved in his own development as a teacher. He attended more faculty development webinars than any other faculty member at the university last year. Because of his interest in faculty development, Dr. Wright was invited to serve on the University Teaching Effectiveness Committee and has been active in that role for over a year. On that committee, he helps to plan and host bi-monthly development webinars and assess course evaluations and feedback on teaching assistantships.”
ADJUNCT FACULTY AWARD
The Adjunct Faculty Award publicly recognizes and acknowledges adjunct faculty, who have been with RMUoHP for a minimum of three years, for outstanding teaching. The 2022 Adjunct Faculty Award recipient is Trever J. Ball, PhD, MPH, MS, adjunct faculty in the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Sciences program and the Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology (SLPD) program.
Ball joined RMUoHP as adjunct faculty in 2017 and instructs courses related to healthcare delivery, biostatistics interpretation, research methods, and healthcare policy and economics.
In addition to teaching at RMUoHP, Ball is the Director of Clinical Research & Data Quality for Population Health at Northwell Health in New York, in which he directs interdisciplinary research for clinical cost outcomes of population health management programs, including chronic disease prevention. He also serves on the national Clinical Practice Committee for the Exercise is Medicine® initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Dr. Ball brings this experience into many of his courses to assist students in understanding the complex principles in healthcare administration and biostatistics content. His nomination noted, “Dr. Ball presents strong evidence that inspires students to enlist in efforts to improve healthcare access and quality while reducing cost. I not only gained knowledge in his course but motivation to make a difference. That is the impact of inspirational teaching.”
HARTGRAVES AWARD for EXCELLENCE in TEACHING
The Hartgraves Award for Excellence in Teaching is the highest honor designated for an active faculty member who has been at the University for at least five years. The 2022 Hartgraves Award for Excellence in Teaching recipient is Misti Timpson, PT, DPT, PhD, NCS, an associate professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Timpson joined the RMUoHP DPT program in 2011 and is recognized by her students as being “brilliant and enthusiastic.” She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in health education and biology, a Master of Science in physical therapy, a post-professional Doctor of Physical Therapy, and a PhD in health promotion and wellness.
Timpson is a Board-Certified Specialist in Neurological Physical Therapy (NCS) and a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS). She is a certified World Health Organization instructor, deeply involved in international medical services for wheelchair provision. She is involved with Healing Hands for Haiti, which has developed an outpatient PT and prosthetic clinic in Port au Prince, Haiti.
During her 30 years as a physical therapist, Timpson has enjoyed teaching people with spinal cord injury how to ski, horseback ride, cycle, play tennis, and waterski. She infuses her love of giving freedom back to spinal cord-injured patients in her teaching, which she shares with students in the DPT program.
Her nomination letter shares how she organized DPT students to assist in the care of a local gentleman who suffered a spinal cord injury but lacked medical benefits for outpatient rehabilitation to improve his functional ability. “Many students have an interest in spinal cord injured patient rehabilitation but will not get an opportunity to work in inpatient rehabilitation during their clinicals. The opportunity she created helped the students practice new skills learned, helped a young man recover function and restore quality of life, and enhanced the reputation of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in service and commitment to the community.”
Congratulations to the 2022 faculty teaching award recipients!
