Cara Felter, PT, DPT, PhD, MPH, brings her expertise in health professions education and clinical practice to the state’s regulatory body.
Cara Felter, PT, DPT, PhD, MPH, has spent her career preparing clinicians to excel at the bedside and in the classroom. Now, she’ll bring that same passion for mentorship and education to the Maryland Board of Physical Therapy Examiners.
Appointed by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and sworn in this month, Felter joins the state’s regulatory body as it oversees licensing, continuing education, and standards of practice for physical therapists and assistants across the state.
“I see this as an opportunity to help safeguard the quality of care in our state and to support physical therapists in growing as compassionate, evidence-based practitioners,” she said.
Felter is an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies and chief learning officer for the school’s Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy (PALLA). A licensed physical therapist, she specializes in spinal cord injury rehabilitation and has worked with patients of all ages, from children to older adults.
Teaching, however, has been a through line in her journey. As early as elementary school, Felter eagerly shared her new knowledge with her younger siblings. Later, while working full time in clinical practice, she entered the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s pediatric residency program and began serving as an adjunct instructor in the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s (UMSOM) physical therapy program.
Felter joined UMSOM’s physical therapy program full time in 2016 and moved to PALLA in 2023. In her current role, she leads faculty and preceptor development programs that equip health professionals with strategies for teaching diverse learners, building curricula, and navigating academia.
“Clinicians are often extraordinary in their craft, but teaching is a whole different skill set,” Felter said. “I’ve seen so many great providers thrown into classrooms or preceptorships without support. My goal has always been to help them gain the tools and confidence to educate the next generation of health professionals.”
On the state board, she’ll work alongside other physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and public representatives to guide decisions on licensing, professional development, and maintaining high standards of care across Maryland. Board members also contribute to subcommittees — focused on education, legislative and regulatory matters, case resolution, or case review — where Felter hopes to apply her background in lifelong learning.
“For me, it comes down to ensuring Marylanders are receiving care we would trust for our own families,” she said. “That means balancing technical competency with the human qualities that make great care possible.”
Her interprofessional work at PALLA has shown her the power of diverse perspectives in health care, and she sees her board appointment as a chance to broaden her own.
“There’s so much to learn from other disciplines,” Felter said. “Staying open to those perspectives helps us all become stronger providers and educators.”