Faculty
Arvie Vitente, PT, DPT, PhD, MPH, GCS
Program Director and Professor
Email: avitente@lewisu.edu
Dr. Vitente serves as a Program Director and Professor at Lewis University's Doctor of Physical Therapy program. He is responsible for overseeing the program's development and ensuring its success. Dr. Vitente believes that providing a sense of belonging to everyone is a key factor in achieving success and understands the criticality of meaningful collaboration in attaining personal and professional goals.
Dr. Vitente has received accolades throughout his career, including recognition as Faculty of the Year at Angeles University Foundation in the Philippines in 2007 and the Therapist of the Year Award at the national level from Amedisys Home Health in 2016. He has also been honored with the Fred Rutan Excellence in Service Award in 2022 and recognized as an Outstanding Neurologic Physical Therapist in Education in 2023 by the Florida Physical Therapy Association. These awards highlight his dedication and expertise in the field.
He is a Board-certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy and has completed the APTA Fellowship in Higher Education Leadership, emphasizing his commitment to academia and higher education leadership.
With extensive experience in physical therapy, Dr. Vitente has held positions such as Campus Director, Program Director, Director of Admissions, Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education, and Core Faculty at PT and PTA programs. These experiences enable him to effectively educate and mentor future physical therapists.
Dr. Vitente actively participates in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and served as a Florida and New Mexico State Delegate to the APTA House of Delegates in the past years, contributing to shaping the future of the profession. His appointment to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) Examination Development Committee further demonstrates his commitment to service and upholding high standards in the field. Additionally, Dr. Vitente chairs the APTA Geriatrics Evidence-based Documents Committee and holds the position of Commission Secretary of the Clinical Education Commission of the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT).
Recognized for his knowledge and contributions to interprofessional collaboration, Dr. Vitente serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, the official journal of the National Academies of Practice. He is also a co-founder of the Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy, showcasing his ability to contribute valuable insights to the field through research and publications.
Mary Raymond PT, DHS, MS
Director of Clinical Education (DCE) and Assistant Professor
Email: mraymond@lewisu.edu
Dr. Mary Raymond is an Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education in the developing Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Lewis University. Dr. Raymond completed her Doctor of Health Sciences degree with a focus on Health Professions Education from Midwestern University. She earned a Master of Science in Management of Rehabilitation Services and a Certificate in Rehabilitation Facility Administration from DePaul University. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from Northwestern University.
Dr. Raymond’s clinical experience in a variety of settings include acute care, inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient clinics as well as academic experience as tenured faculty and Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education in a PTA Program. Dr. Raymond is an American Physical Therapy Association Certified Clinical Instructor and has served the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy as an item writer for the PTA Examination.
Dr. Raymond’s scholarly interests include critical thinking and the development of clinical reasoning skills in PT students. She presented a poster presentation nationally at the Education Leadership Conference on the topic of PTA Students' Critical Thinking Skills as a Correlation of Clinical Performance in an Entry-Level PTA Education Program.
TO BECOME A CLINICAL SITE FOR THE LEWIS UNIVERSITY DPT PROGRAM
Contact the Director of Clinical Education:
Mary Raymond PT, DHS, MS
Email: mraymond@lewisu.edu
Accreditation
Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.
Lewis University is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist education program from CAPTE. The program is planning to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, on May 1, 2024. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the professional phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.
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