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One of the attributes that makes the Gannon DPT Program unique among physical therapy educational programs is our addition to the curriculum of a 5-credit Community Health Initiative course sequence. This course sequence seeks to improve students' skills in health promotion and develop their professional role as educators, advocates and consultants working with community organizations in the Erie area. Students learn about the context in which community service is provided, the connection between their service and their academic coursework, and their roles as citizens and socially responsible healthcare professionals.

Past service-learning experiences have involved:

• Assessing whether the height of assistive walking devices such as canes and walkers have been appropriately measured for a senior population in an assisted living facility
• Assessing the healthcare needs of a resident population in a homeless shelter
• Partnering with a school-based physical therapist and physical education teacher from a local school district to assess the fitness levels of a classroom of 14 to 18 year old special education students with mental retardation; then working with the physical education teacher by recommending remedial exercises and activities
• Assessing the health and wellness status of elderly, "retired" nuns from 2 local religious communities and then developing individualized wellness programs for each individual
• Assessing the risk of seniors falling in two high-rise apartment complexes
• Mentoring students (K-8) at various local school and social service agencies