From Classroom to Clinic: How Freed-Hardeman's PTA Program Is Building Connections Beyond the Classroom
On any given day inside the South Jackson location of Dynamix Physical Therapy, patients recovering from surgery or learning to walk steadily again after injury may not realize they are watching three different chapters of Freed-Hardeman University’s Physical Therapist Assistant program working side by side.
One leads the clinic.
One recently graduated from the program.
And one is still learning.
Together during the spring 2026 semester, regional director and clinic director Jackson Clouse, PTA alumna Sarah Grace Callis and student Jaelyn Hickerson represented something unique: a growing program already shaping healthcare far beyond Henderson. “It’s exciting to see,” said Clouse, who graduated in 2015 and has worked for Dynamix for seven years. “You watch students come in eager to learn, then later they’re out here working with patients and making a real difference.”
Since launching in Fall 2022, Freed-Hardeman’s PTA program has grown quickly. The first graduating class completed the program in 2023, and the university will welcome its fifth cohort this coming fall. Program leaders say the growth reflects increasing demand for physical therapist assistants and the program’s strong reputation for preparing students clinically and professionally.
So far, graduates have achieved a 100 percent employment rate within 30 days of receiving licensure for three consecutive years. The program has also maintained a 100 percent licensure pass rate for two years, with additional test results pending this summer.
For Clouse, one of the most noticeable strengths of FHU students is how prepared they are when they arrive at clinical sites. “The biggest thing is they come in with an open mind and they’re ready to learn,” he said. “They have great personalities, they work well with others and they work well with patients. They already come in with a good baseline of knowledge.” That preparation becomes especially important during clinical experiences where students begin applying classroom instruction to real patient care.
Callis understands that transition well because she recently lived it herself. A member of the program’s first graduating class in December 2023, Callis joined Dynamix in February 2024 and worked in Camden before rotating through Huntingdon and Humboldt prior to moving to South Jackson.
This spring marked another milestone: becoming a clinical instructor for the first time. “It’s been really rewarding,” Callis said. “Jaelyn and I have had a lot of similar experiences, so I remember exactly what it feels like being in her shoes.”
Together, the two have worked with patients recovering from strokes, surgeries and mobility challenges while practicing skills such as transfers from beds to wheelchairs, sitting-to-standing movement and rehabilitation exercises designed to restore strength and function. For Callis, technical ability matters, but compassion matters just as much.
One of Dynamix’s core values is “Be the Bright Spot,” something Callis says directly connects to patient care. “When people are going through difficult situations, you want to motivate them and encourage them,” she said.
For Hickerson, those moments have helped classroom concepts come alive. “You actually get to see the difference in somebody’s life,” she said. “You see the numbers improve. You see them become more functional. That’s when everything starts clicking.” Hickerson said courses like anatomy, kinesiology and pathophysiology challenged her in new ways while also helping confirm she chose the right profession. “It’s completely changed my life,” she said. “I’m so glad I chose physical therapy.”
The program’s structure allows accepted students to complete the PTA portion of their degree in just three semesters through FHU’s 1+1 learning model. Students spend four days each week balancing classes and clinical experiences while preparing for rotations in multiple healthcare settings.
Faculty members Brian Vaughn and Ashley Prentice continue shaping the program’s rapid growth while emphasizing hands-on preparation and relationship-centered care. “I think they do a really good job making sure you’re prepared,” Hickerson said. That preparation is already visible inside clinics like Dynamix, where one FHU connection has quietly led to another.
A director mentoring graduates.
A graduate teaching a student.
And a student preparing to become the next professional helping someone heal.
