Dr. Patrick Cross

Patrick Cross, PT, DPT, RHF is a tenured, full Professor of Physical Therapy at Briar Cliff University, as well as the Founding Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program Director. He has been employed by Briar Cliff University as a core faculty member since August 2013. In November 2016, Dr. Cross was granted an exemption from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) to remain as the DPT Program Director.

Dr. Cross graduated with Departmental Honors in Exercise Science from Truman State University prior to obtaining his Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Creighton University. Significant previous employment includes being an Associate Professor of Physical Therapy and the Founding Chair of the Transitional DPT Program at the University of South Dakota for 7 years; a physical therapist, Director of Rehabilitation, and Director of the Wellness Center for the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska for a total of 10 years; and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at Creighton University for 2 years. Throughout the years, Dr. Cross has consistently been a clinical instructor for professional students in the clinic and community settings, including the sidelines of rural, underserved high school sports. He continues to do so, as well as practices in the Briar Cliff Clinic and as a prn physical therapist for a local outpatient clinic.

In 2011, Dr. Cross was the first physical therapist in the nation to complete a fellowship with the National Rural Health Association in Washington, D.C., focusing on rural health political advocacy and leadership, including lobbying for federal legislation and analyzing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and its potential effects on rural and minority populations. He has also obtained certification as a APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor, an Arthritis Foundation Arthritis Self-Help Course Leader, a Special Olympics FUNfitness State Director, a nationally registered EMT-B, and an American Red Cross Emergency Medical Response Instructor.

Scholarly, Dr. Cross has co-authored over 10 peer-reviewed journal articles and has presented over 70 peer-reviewed abstracts at regional, national, and international professional conferences on a variety of topics, including: acute sports injury decision-making and medical management, screenings of adolescent and geriatric athletes, musculoskeletal imaging, service-learning, teaching pedagogy, interprofessional collaboration, culturally appropriate care, community-based physical therapy, as well rural health policy. In addition, Dr. Cross has also co-authored book chapters on “Cultural Considerations for American Indian Cultures” in Developing Cultural Competence in Physical Therapy Practice and “Developing Health Professional Students into Rural Health Care Leaders of the Future through Best Practices” in Leadership in Interprofessional Health Education and Practice. Dr. Cross has also been a member of various interprofessional grant teams, as well as has been the primary investigator for various public health and community-based grants, of which approximately 20 of the grants have been funded, totaling approximately $2.5 million.

Dr. Cross has served in leadership roles on numerous committees at the state and national levels of various professional and community organizations, including, but not limited to, the APTA's Awards Subcommittee on Advocacy, the Executive Board of the Global Health Special Interest Group, Secretary of the Board of Athletic Control for the University of South Dakota, Ethics Chair and the Federal Affairs Liaison for the South Dakota Physical Therapy Association, and the President of the Vermillion Soccer Association. Currently, Dr. Cross serves the Board of Directors for Sunrise Retirement Community and is the Northwest Iowa District Ethics Chair, a member of Education Committee, and the Federal Affairs Liaison for APTA Iowa. He also serves the Siouxland Community as a coach for a youth soccer and volleyball teams.