Earlier this month, community members stepped into the future of physical therapy education in Northern Nevada as they toured the John Iliescu, M.D. Physical Therapy Building on 634 Ryland Street in Reno. Hosted by the University of Nevada, Reno School of Public Health, the sneak peek gave invited guests an early look at how the property will be transformed and introduced the new Doctor of Physical Therapy program that will welcome its inaugural class in 2027.

As guests moved through the building, faculty shared plans for spaces designed around how future physical therapists will learn, practice and work together. The building will include hands-on skills laboratories, research and classroom space, a clinical education office and a dedicated student lounge where cohorts can study, collaborate and recharge. Plans also include the Iliescu Family Community Clinic, a future student-run clinic that will provide supervised clinical experience while helping serve community members who may face barriers to physical therapy care. The longer-term vision includes opportunities for students and faculty from physical therapy, public health, medicine, nursing and social work to collaborate around patient care and community health.

“Each year, this program will add 35 to 40 physical therapists to Nevada’s health care workforce, professionals who can help reduce wait times, expand access to care, and reach communities across our state,” said Muge Akpinar-Elci, M.D., MPH, dean of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Public Health. “That is where physical therapy and public health come together: building the workforce Nevada needs and making good health more accessible.”

The building carries the name of Dr. John Iliescu, whose life and career were closely connected to medicine, education and Northern Nevada. Iliescu served in the Navy during World War II before pursuing dental and medical school, completing his education at age 43 and earning board certifications in surgery and reconstructive plastic surgery. He went on to build a successful medical practice in Reno and invest in the community he called home. The gift of the Ryland Street property from the Iliescu family will allow that commitment to education and service to continue through future generations of health professionals.

“Making the DPT program’s vision a reality and seeing the property benefit the community in such a meaningful way truly honors my husband,” said Sonnia Iliescu, Dr. Iliescu's widow. “His heart was in helping others and in pursuing education, and it is a privilege to return the Ryland property to the community for such a worthy purpose in his memory.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Sonnia and the Iliescu family for entrusting us with a place that carries such a meaningful connection to Dr. Iliescu and to this community,” said Muge Akpinar-Elci, M.D., MPH, dean of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Public Health. “Through this gift, his commitment to education, health and service will continue as our students prepare to care for people in Northern Nevada and communities across the country.”

The new Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program comes at a time when Nevada faces a significant need for physical therapists, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Housed within the School of Public Health’s Department of Kinesiology, the three-year doctoral program will combine clinical education, evidence-based practice, research and hands-on learning while preparing students to understand the broader factors that affect health and access to care.

For Daryl Lawson, P.T., DPT, Ph.D., professor and director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in the School of Public Health, the building is being planned as an extension of that educational approach. Research and teaching will share space, allowing students to move between learning a concept and applying it. Clinical experiences will connect them with professionals and patients throughout the region, while laboratories will give students opportunities to observe and analyze movement, develop clinical reasoning skills and prepare for practice in areas ranging from orthopedics and neurology to pediatrics.

“We are designing this program around the way physical therapists actually learn and practice,” Lawson said. “Students will have opportunities to take what they learn in the classroom, apply it through hands-on experiences and connect it to the needs of real patients and communities. Having a building designed around that vision gives us an opportunity to create a student experience that is collaborative, practical and connected to Nevada.”

“This building gives us a home, but what we create inside it will define our impact,” Akpinar-Elci said. “That means opportunities for students through scholarships, exceptional faculty who inspire the next generation and state-of-the-art tools that prepare students to transform health care in Nevada. We have the building, we have the program and we have extraordinary momentum. Now we have the opportunity to build something truly exceptional together.”

Applications are being accepted through Nov. 1, 2026, for approximately 40 students anticipated to begin the three-year program in fall 202The University plans to submit its Application for Candidacy to the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education in November 2026. Students may not matriculate into the professional program unless Candidate for Accreditation status is granted.

To learn more about the DPT program, watch Lawson’s Brewing Better Health conversation with the School of Public Health or visit the Doctor of Physical Therapy website for program, admission and application information. For opportunities to support the program, contact Meg Merenda, director of development, at mmerenda@unr.edu or (775) 682-6520.