Equal Access Birmingham
This student-run free clinic provides meaningful, service-learning encounters for our PT students. It is a tremendous opportunity for our students to apply their learned skills to assist and educate the medically underserved of Birmingham. Our PT students also experience collaboration with UAB healthcare students from medicine, occupational therapy, social work and more.
We Can Do It
In 2014, we became the first in Alabama to launch the I Can Do It, You Can Do It program. What began with 35 of our PT students helping 37 children is now a program with more than 160 students from the UAB Department of Physical Therapy, Department of Occupational Therapy, and the School of Education’s Kinesiology Program impacting more than 100 children and adults with disabilities in locations like the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind (AIDB), United Ability, and the Horizons School.
Firehouse Shelter Clinic
In 2016, the UAB School of Health Professions established the student-led Firehouse Shelter Clinic to provide free access to compassionate health care for those who seek assistance at the Birmingham homeless shelter. Our students evaluate mobility problems, focus on available resources, and tailor physical therapy services and guidance to these clients every other Wednesday throughout the school year.
Global PT Day of Service
Every October, our students coordinate community-wide efforts for the Global PT Day of Service as part of the American Physical Therapy Association’s National Physical Therapy Month. In the past, students have worked with PTs, PTAs, PT staff, PT students, and PTA students to volunteer for a series of service events at places like Fair Haven Community Center, Habitat for Humanity, The Red Barn, AMBUCS, Wish 2 Enrich and more.
Gone Fishin’
Through a partnership with Exceptional Anglers, our faculty and students support Gone Fishin’, a program that introduces basic fishing skills to students with special needs from Alabaster and Pelham city schools, as well as Shelby County and Jefferson County schools. What may appear to be a simple outdoor activity becomes a meaningful opportunity for confidence building, motor skill development, and social connection. The experience reinforces the value of engaging students in inclusive, community-based recreation that promotes health, independence, and enjoyment.
Come Roll with Me
Developed by UAB physical therapist Cathy Carver, Come Roll with Me is an experiential program designed to strengthen communication, empathy, and respect for individuals who use wheelchairs. Through guided activities and discussion, participants gain practical insight into how wheelchair users navigate daily life and community spaces. Each semester, Doctor of Physical Therapy students lead sessions with UAB student organizations and local groups, encouraging thoughtful dialogue and a deeper understanding of accessibility, inclusion, and shared responsibility in creating supportive environments.
Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
Our department partners with the Summer Health Professions Education Program to support students from backgrounds underrepresented in health care as they explore professional pathways. Throughout the program, PT faculty and students build sustained relationships with participants through mentoring, classroom engagement, and career preparation. Students observe physical therapy coursework, participate in mock DPT interviews, engage in faculty-led discussions, and gain exposure to clinical reasoning and professional expectations. These interactions strengthen the pipeline into physical therapy and reflect our commitment to broadening access to health professions education.
Community of Hope
As part of an Integrated Clinical Experience, Doctor of Physical Therapy students serve at Community of Hope, a pro bono clinic focused on individuals who are uninsured or underinsured. Under faculty supervision, students assess movement dysfunction, provide evidence-based orthopedic interventions, and deliver health education aimed at prevention and long-term wellness. This experience emphasizes the influence of social drivers of health, introduces students to the operational structure of free clinics, and prepares them to work effectively with interpreters and individuals with limited English proficiency.
UAB Foster Scholars Initiative
Established through the generosity of Steve and Jana Foster, the UAB Foster Scholars Initiative is a mentored, year-long experience for second-year DPT students focused on sustainable community engagement. Scholars examine social drivers of health, conduct community needs assessments, analyze available data, and collaborate with local partners to design initiatives that advance population health outcomes. Through this work, students develop leadership skills grounded in service and accountability. Upon completion, Scholars join a dedicated alumni network that sustains collaboration, shared learning, and continued impact across communities.
Visit our Blazer Pulse page for the most up to date information on UAB Physical Therapy’s Community Engagement and volunteer opportunities.