Teaches courses within the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (t-DPT), Transitional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (t-OTD), Doctor of Nursing Science (DNSc), PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD Rehab) degree programs, and the Doctor of Science in Movement Sciences (DScMvt) degree programs.
Dr. Cody Thompson serves as as Graduate Faculty member within UMSAZ. He has more than two decades of experience in physical therapy practice, higher education leadership, and health sciences curriculum design.
Dr. Thompson earned his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Calvary Chapel University, a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Alabama State University, and a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His doctoral capstone and research projects have centered on rural health education, nutritional disparities, and the intersection of career preparedness and financial literacy among healthcare students.
A Board-Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist (GCS), Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, and Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Dr. Thompson’s professional expertise spans geriatrics, ergonomics, health promotion, and functional medicine. He has held multiple program director roles at both the doctoral and associate levels, leading successful CAPTE accreditation processes and developing innovative hybrid and online curricula for physical therapy and physical therapist assistant education.
Dr. Thompson is the founder of Providence Continuing Education, which delivers evidence-informed, self-paced professional development courses for rehabilitation professionals nationwide. His scholarly work has been published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Practices and Research and the Annals of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, and he serves on multiple editorial review boards. He also serves as the Education Board member for the United Physical Therapy Association (UPTA).
An accomplished author, Dr. Thompson has written Give Us This Day: A 31-Day Devotional for Healthcare Providers(2023), as well as College, Career and Cost and College, Career and Cost in Healthcare (both forthcoming in 2025), which help students and families make faith-driven, financially wise education and career decisions.
His academic and professional service includes committee leadership in online education, curriculum innovation, and spiritual life initiatives. Dr. Thompson’s ongoing research explores stress and leadership among physical therapy program directors and strategies to enhance financial literacy in health science education.
Outside of academia, Dr. Thompson is husband, and a father to five children, and continues to practice home health physical therapy while serving his community through faith-based mentorship and health education initiatives.