“It’s a unique experience for students because they’re connecting with real-life clients that really need the services every single week. Our students are compassionate, caring and elevating their skills while doing great things for the community,” said Linda Bedard, faculty lead and clinical assistant professor of physical therapy. “There are a lot of pro bono clinics out there, but a lot of them are mandatory. We really pride ourselves on the altruistic value that this service and experiential learning brings.”

Established in 2012 at the School of Health Sciences on the North Haven Campus, the university program provides rehabilitative physical therapy (PT) care to Greater New Haven area clients who are either uninsured or underinsured.

Currently, 22 clients are being assisted during weekly visits held from 4 to 7 p.m. each Tuesday.  Clients meet with the same student treatment team each week. Teams are guided by professional faculty and alumni who also volunteer their time.

“Most of these clients would not have the services if it wasn’t for us, because there’s no billing involved. It’s all free of charge. They will receive anything and everything that we normally give in terms of any form of clinic out there,” Bedard said.

Client Barb Davis, who suffered a neurological injury, said the EQUIP clinic has helped her to make tremendous progress.

“When I first started coming here about four years ago, the students would come out to the car and bring me up in a wheelchair. Today, we walked in together,” said Davis. “I think the major goal since I’ve been here is to regain some independence in the walking area; with stairs, curbs, and all of the things that would make it easier for me to navigate the community by myself.”

As an additional benefit, the caring and compassionate culture Bedard has created at the clinic resonates throughout the graduate students and their supervisors, Davis said. 
“I have never heard a negative word here. The students are collectively the nicest and most dedicated I have ever seen. It’s amazing to me, because their program is so hard and the time they spend here they could be studying. They could be doing just about anything, and yet they’re volunteering,” said Davis.

As he works to regain his mobility following an accident, client John Potusek said the enthusiasm and dedication of the Quinnipiac DPT students motivates him. The Hamden, Connecticut resident has been a client at the EQUIP clinic for just over a year.

“When I first came it actually renewed my faith in physical therapy,” Potusek said. “My accident was 15 years ago, and previous to this, I would do physical therapy every year and it was the same old thing. Whereas when I come here, they push me outside of my comfort zone, which I couldn’t do on my own, but here it’s safe to do that. I’m so impressed that they’re willing to push me and try all of these things. It’s all fresh in their minds so they have these new, interesting ideas.”

He also can see the learning that’s underway as well as the innovative thinking students can bring to the program.

“I love to see the spirit of the students. They’re very interested in what they’re doing, and they’re also able to implement what they’re learning in class. And while they’re learning from working with me, I’m learning from them,” said Potusek.

Supervised by licensed physical therapist faculty or alumni, clinic treatment teams include first-year DPT graduate students and are mentored by second- and third-year cohort members. Teams assist the same client each week, tracking progress and working with their supervisor to make adjustments to help clients improve. Supervisors help students with pre-briefing, treatment oversight and post-briefing.

“They may be providing a bit of guidance, adding something new, or asking them some questions they never thought of to move the clients forward. So the students are constantly learning,” said Bedard.

Students also get real-world experience with documenting client progress using a universal PT electronical medical records system provided by the university.
Between 80 to 85% of all DPT graduate students volunteer with the EQUIP clinic each year. Once a student signs on they usually remain with the program throughout their time at Quinnipiac, Bedard said.

“I think its exceptional because it’s on campus, it’s weekly, our graduate students have the opportunity to participate all three years, and it’s not connected to classes,” said Bedard.  
Bedard also meets regularly with an EQUIP executive board of 12 upper-cohort DPT graduate students, including the clinic’s co-directors.

“They meet with me weekly, and then the co-directors have another meeting with the board,” said Bedard. “They’re learning leadership skills of planning, organizing, continuous quality improvement, how to market, how to fundraise, how to have safety management policies and procedures They’re learning all those skills of leadership at the same time they’re doing their volunteer work.”

Current clinic co-directors are Gabriella Moriera, DPT ’26, and Keirsten Dunn, DPT ’26.
Moriera said the EQUIP clinic gives first-year students an edge before entering their traditional clinical rotations.

“I think our students get a particularly interesting perspective of patient care before going out on clinical,” said Moriera. “When you’re at clinical, you get told this is how many visits you have, and you need to make those goals in that many minutes. A lot of times it can be discouraging and can feel like you’re not using your full potential as a PT. Having this experience before clinical, you really get to understand the process of rehab and PT without those barriers. It’s helpful for the patient and everyone involved.”

“I think the EQUIP clinic has given us incredible experience with hands-on experience,” said Dunn. “Being able to take everything we’ve learned in the classroom and being able to apply it to real patients has been invaluable in our education. Being able to have such close connections with our faculty and other outside PTs that come in and also volunteer in the clinic has given us the opportunity to ask a lot of additional questions that I wouldn’t necessarily ask in class."

After the pandemic, the EQUIP program grew to include the creation of six EQUIP Community for Life Teams which implement physical therapy avenues such as programs helping with adaptive sports and events helping children explore their mobility. Over 150 DPT students participate in EQUIP programs and an average of 50 to 55 students participate as EQUIP clinic volunteers each session.

“Our Community for Life Teams are a large part of all of our community services. They offer anything within the scope of PT practice that could be done on the outside,” said Bedard.

A Community for Life team Health & Wellness fitness class for seniors was underway at the School of Health Sciences at the same time as a recent EQUIP clinic, while another team’s virtual Seated Strong upper extremity class was also taking place.
Because the clinic also emphasizes providing empathetic care and informed communication with caregivers, one Community for Life team is currently outfitting a caregivers’ space to relax and recharge while physical therapy services are provided at the EQUIP clinic.

For Bedard, all of the outcomes of the EQUIP clinic are win-win-win.

“As director, I see it as an equilateral triangle. I have the patient, who is first and foremost; their family members, who need information, resources, and empathy; and I also have the students, who are learning in their engagement,” Bedard said. “I think it’s such a beautiful relationship. We want to have a positive impact on all of those things; and that’s the piece we feel great about every week. We’ve elevated 22 clients, we’ve elevated 50 to 55 students, and we’re constantly moving forward.”