We Are Better
When We Rize Together
Every patient deserves to feel represented by their healthcare provider—and have access to affordable care. That’s why we’re offering student scholarships to inspire more diversity and inclusiveness in the physical therapy workforce.

We all benefit from better representation—but the physical therapist workforce faces a serious diversity gap.
Every year, the U.S. patient population becomes more and more racially and ethnically diverse—but the physical therapist workforce has not evolved alongside it. To help close the diversity gap, Dr. Heidi Jannenga, a physical therapist, industry advocate, and thought leader, founded Rizing Tide: a foundation that provides scholarships to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) PT students while partnering with industry leaders to advance diversity and inclusiveness in the physical therapy workforce.
Fewer BIPOC applicants who use the PT Centralized Application Service are accepted into a program compared to their white counterparts.³
We Believe
Physical therapy is for everyone. That's why our vision is to broaden the reach, impact, and accessibility of physical therapy by advancing diversity and inclusiveness in the PT workforce.
To that end, Rizing Tide is a scholarship program designed to empower a new generation of BIPOC leaders in the physical therapy profession. We partner with PT and PTA students, PT residents, and industry leaders to advance diversity and inclusiveness in the physical therapy workforce and inspire better—and more accessible—patient care.
Scholarships
Each year, Rizing Tide presents scholarships to five promising BIPOC students who are on the path to earn their Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) or are furthering their PT education by pursuing a residency program. Scholarship recipients are selected by our Beachcombers committee on the basis of merit.
Crest
Surge

"A rising tide lifts all boats."
John F Kennedy
Resources
Providing Care for All: Meet Rizing Tide Scholar Liam Calvin Odesa Henson
This is the seventh installment of the 2022 Rizing Tide…
Read MoreA Future Traveling PT: Meet Rizing Tide Scholar Maya Jones
This is the sixth installment of the 2022 Rizing Tide…
Read More6 Steps to Becoming a Physical Therapy Advocate
Physical therapy (PT) is a discipline that is often overlooked…
Read More