Introduction & Fellowship Artifacts

I have been on faculty at Northwestern University in the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences in the Feinberg School of Medicine since 2013. I have served served in a variety of teaching and administrative roles in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and currently work as the Assistant Chair of Student Affairs. My primary teaching responsibilities include psychosocial, pelvic health, and pain related content. I am a member of the Feinberg Academy of Medical Educators. My research interests include the learning environment, professional identify formation, and support of struggling students.

My goals for the Searle Fellows Program were to deepen my understanding of my role as teacher and to increase use of meaningful learning experiences for students. Elements of my teaching philosophy have not changed in significant ways, however, my time in the fellowship has exposed me to additional voices to strengthen my convictions for teaching. This will allow me to take greater risks in learning spaces and keep centered on my purpose. My project provided me the opportunity to address a need and to dive into video production, something that was mostly unfamiliar to me. I will continue to work at taking educational risks in support of my goals of creating a compassionate and human-centered learning environment.