Chad Schmeeckle

Dr. Chad Schmeeckle is a clinician, mentor, and educator serving as a Lecturer and full-time core faculty member at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences' Dallas, TX campus. He focuses on musculoskeletal curriculum within the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program and holds affiliations with the College of Rehabilitative Sciences. His clinical expertise includes post-operative rehabilitation for athletes, with experience at the University of Kentucky Sports Rehabilitation and Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation at The STAR in Frisco, TX.

Education:

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
• Pursuing a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership, starting Spring 2024

Research Interests: Dr. Schmeeckle’s research emphasizes ACL rehabilitation and return-to-sport testing, physical and mental health in first responders, intraprofessional collaboration between physical therapy (PT) and physical therapy assistant (PTA) programs, and leadership attributes in education. He combines clinical practice with academic inquiry to improve patient outcomes and educational strategies in rehabilitation sciences.

Professional Highlights:

• Board-certified in Sports Physical Therapy (APTA, 2018)
• Certified in dry needling and blood flow restriction techniques
• Contributed to the sports medicine team at the 2021 U.S. Championships for Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics
• VOLUNTEER: Provides clinical services for Olympic events

Teaching and Mentorship: Dr. Schmeeckle has served as Director of Clinical Education for a Physical Therapy Assistant program, a credentialed clinical instructor, and a sports residency mentor at the University of Kentucky and Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation. He prioritizes clinical reasoning skills and leadership development in his teaching.

Collaborations and Clinical Work: He has developed return-to-sport protocols for upper and lower extremities and actively engages in orthopedic manual therapy and sports rehabilitation. His clinical work spans high school to Olympic-level athletes, emphasizing outpatient sports rehabilitation.