USD School of Health Sciences Success Spotlight: Catherine Bilyeu, PT, DPT, PhD
Catherine Bilyeu, PT, DPT, PhD
Degrees: Doctor of Physical Therapy, PhD in Physical Therapy
Current Position: Associate Director of Clinical Education | Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
For Catherine Bilyeu, the USD School of Health Sciences made the path from practicing physical therapist in Canada to academic leader in Colorado considerably smoother than it might otherwise have been. Bilyeu says USD recognized her unique journey from the beginning and helped her fill educational gaps at every stage of her career.
Bilyeu grew up in Canada where she earned her original PT degree and built a successful clinical practice. But a few years into her career, she found herself at a crossroads: "I got to a certain point where all PT programs in the US had transitioned to a clinical doctorate and I just had a bachelor's degree," she says.
When she decided to pursue a clinical doctorate, USD had protocols in place that made it especially attractive to a foreign-trained graduate. "A lot of other programs wouldn't recognize that my education had already been credentialed, but USD did,” she says.
USD's DPT program proved to be exactly what Bilyeu needed. It gave her the tools to not only critically assess research literature but also get started producing her own. "It really filled the gaps that I had in my education to allow me to practice at a higher level," she says.
Later, when Bilyeu transitioned to education full-time, she returned to USD to hone her skills. "I had such a great experience in my clinical doctorate that I decided to pursue my PhD at USD," she says. "The program allowed me to fill the leadership and research gaps and enhance my knowledge around teaching and learning."
Today, Bilyeu is using the knowledge she gained to do research on faculty development and competency frameworks for clinical instructors. "I really can't speak highly enough of the USD program," she says. "It has dramatically changed my depth of knowledge around health professions education."