Friday, September 18, 2026
DiSepio Institute for Rural Health and Wellness
108 Francis Way, Loretto, PA 15940

Registration Cost: $100

Join the Saint Francis University Physical Therapy Department for a full day of continuing education designed to provide physical therapists and physical therapist assistants with practical, evidence-based knowledge they can apply directly in clinical practice.

Participants can earn up to 7 contact hours toward licensure renewal, including evaluative credits, through a combination of engaging lectures, hands-on laboratory experiences, and interactive learning opportunities. Highlights of the conference include Ethics/Law credits required for licensure renewal, an anatomy review in either the Saint Francis University human cadaver lab or immersive virtual anatomy lab, and afternoon breakout sessions focused on orthopedic and vestibular rehabilitation.

Participants will select their preferred course options during registration. Course descriptions are provided below to help attendees choose the sessions that best align with their professional interests and clinical practice.

Event Schedule

7:30–7:55 a.m. – Registration

8:00–10:00 a.m.
Ethics: Because You Won’t Look Good in Orange
2 Ethics/Law Contact Hours

10:15–11:15 a.m.
Anatomy Deep Dive in the Lab
1 General Contact Hour
Choose one:

Orthopedic-Based Human Cadaver Lab: Foundations of Movement: Hip and Lower Limb Anatomy ReviewClinical Vestibular Neuroanatomy: A Virtual Lab Review

11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Lunch Break
(Lunch tickets will be provided for Torvian Dining Hall and are included with registration.)

12:15–2:15 p.m. — Concurrent Sessions
Choose one:

Vestibular Track: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: Differential Diagnosis and Updates on Treatment
2 Evaluative Contact HoursOrthopedic Track: It’s Not Bursitis After All: An Evidence-Based Approach to the Comprehensive Management of Gluteal Tendinopathy
1 Evaluative and 1 General Contact Hours

2:30–4:30 p.m. — Concurrent Sessions
Choose one:

Vestibular Track: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: Differential Diagnosis and Updates on Treatment
0.5 Evaluative and 1.5 General Contact HoursOrthopedic Track: Return to Foot Health: New Insights and Strategies to Manage Foot-Related Pathologies 0.5 Evaluative and 1.5 General Contact Hours available

Course Descriptions

Ethics: Because You Won’t Look Good in Orange

This two-hour course provides a broad overview of ethics and compliance, with a specific focus on fraud, waste, and abuse. Participants will explore the nuances of applying common CPT codes used in clinical practice, including considerations for their appropriate legal and ethical use.

Foundations of Movement: Hip and Lower Limb Anatomy Review

This one-hour course provides participants with the opportunity to revisit human anatomy in greater detail through the Saint Francis University human cadaver lab. Participants will explore structures of the hip and lower leg, allowing them to make connections between normal and atypical presentations seen in clinical practice. This course provides preparation for the afternoon’s orthopedic content on gluteal tendinopathy and foot-related pathologies.

Clinical Vestibular Neuroanatomy: A Virtual Lab Review

During this one-hour course, participants will use immersive virtual technology, including Anatomage and Google Lens, along with models and other tools to explore the anatomy and physiology of the nervous and vestibular systems. This course will strengthen participants’ understanding of central and peripheral structures related to dizziness and serves as a foundation for the afternoon vestibular evaluation and treatment course.

It’s Not Bursitis After All: An Evidence-Based Approach to the Comprehensive Management of Gluteal Tendinopathy

Whether at the grocery store, church, or family gatherings, physical therapists often observe and identify Trendelenburg gait patterns. Gluteal tendinopathy, a condition previously thought to be trochanteric bursitis, has been identified as a common cause of this gait deviation and associated lateral hip pain. This course will explore how updated understanding of the condition changes clinical management, including evaluation and rehabilitation strategies necessary for successful outcomes. Participants will also examine and challenge common misconceptions surrounding treatment approaches.

Return to Foot Health: New Insights and Strategies to Manage Foot-Related Pathologies

Life is not easy for our feet. From the weight-bearing demands placed upon them to the variety of shoes with which we shod them, the prevalence of foot pain comes as no surprise to those in the field of physical therapy. This course will offer an advanced discussion of the foot’s functional anatomy and the pathoetiologic contributions of many common conditions involving the foot. Conventional thinking will be challenged, and new, evidence-based insights for the comprehensive management of foot-related pathologies will be offered. An appreciation of extrinsic and intrinsic foot factors, shoewear, foot strength, and the need to consider the entire kinematic chain for the restoration of foot health will be included.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: Differential Diagnosis and Updates on Treatment

This four-hour course will provide participants with immediately applicable approaches for diagnosing and treating individuals with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Building on the foundations of anatomy and physiology from the morning session, participants will lay the groundwork for systematic vestibular examination, followed by hands-on practice of assessment techniques. Participants will explore differential diagnosis strategies to distinguish BPPV from other peripheral, central, and non-vestibular causes of dizziness. The course concludes with lecture and lab experiences focused on BPPV treatment techniques, including new approaches to optimize patient care.

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