Beyond Transcripts: Beyond the Transcript: Measuring What Physical Therapy Students Truly Learn

In this session, Dr. Pavithra Suresh and Dr. Sabrina Altema of Howard University share how the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program has built a student-centered, equity-driven model of assessment that goes far beyond the traditional transcript. Their approach focuses on preparing graduates who are not only clinically competent but also culturally sensitive and deeply committed to serving under-resourced communities. The presentation highlights Howard’s university-wide framework, the Howard Annual Assessment Process (HAP), and its six guiding pillars: centering students and equity, honoring community expertise, prioritizing quality over compliance, fostering collaboration, ensuring transparency, and cultivating lifelong learning. The DPT program illustrates these principles in action. With a 94% licensure pass rate in 2023–24, the program emphasizes training underrepresented physical therapists and embedding community service into the student experience. Assessment is designed “with the end in mind,” developing confident and competent practitioners through scaffolded practical exams, formative feedback, Bloom’s Taxonomy made transparent to students, and authentic clinical experiences supported by standardized evaluation tools and trained preceptors. Evaluation is holistic, capturing cognitive knowledge, psychomotor skills, and affective growth, while also addressing the “hidden curriculum” of professional norms and communication. Faculty monitor progress at both individual and program levels through weekly meetings, developmental teams, comprehensive exams, and curricular mapping aligned with evolving accreditation standards. Key takeaways include the importance of faculty and student buy-in, the value of empowering learners with self-assessment tools, and the role of transparency in deepening engagement. The Howard DPT program demonstrates how assessment can drive both student success and continuous program improvement, ensuring graduates leave with the competence, confidence, and commitment to serve where they are most needed.