Zoher Kapasi, PhD

Dr. Zoher Kapasi is the Dean of the College of Health Professions at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, South Carolina.  Before becoming the dean, Dr. Kapasi served as the Director and Professor in the Division of Physical Therapy and Vice-Chair of Education of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Physical Therapy from the University of Bombay, India, a Ph.D. in Anatomy/Immunobiology from Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, and an Executive MBA from the Goizueta Business School, Emory University, Atlanta. He did post-doctoral work in Immunology at the Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland, and the Medical College of Virginia. After graduation, his research focused on age-related changes in immune function and the effects of exercise and nutrition on the immune system. Dr. Kapasi serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Humanities in Rehabilitation. Dr. Kapasi has taught human anatomy, advanced human anatomy, and business management in the physical therapy program. In 2014, Emory University School of Medicine conferred the Dean’s Teaching Award to Dr. Kapasi. In 2017, Emory University conferred the Emory Williams Distinguished Teaching Award, and the Atlanta Business Chronicle awarded the Health Care Heroes Allied Health Professional Award.  An active American Physical Therapy Association member, Dr. Kapasi has served on the Board of Directors of the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy and chaired the American Physical Therapy Association’s Education Leadership Partnership. Currently, Dr. Kapasi serves on the Board of Directors of the American Physical Therapy Association as a Treasurer. Dr. Kapasi is a Catherine Worthingham fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association.  

Dr. Kapasi has been the Dean of the College of Health Professions at MUSC since 2018. Under his leadership, revenues have increased by 71%, rising from $42 million in FY 2019 to $72 million for FY 2025. The total number of students enrolled in the college has grown from 769 in 2019 to 1,256 in 2025. This signifies a 65% increase, which has contributed to the college’s revenue growth while maintaining flat student tuition and reducing costs in two programs. Moreover, the college has consistently generated excess revenues over expenses each year, boosting the reserve fund by 60% from FY 2018 to FY 2024.