Faculty Bio Detail

I have been a physical therapist since 1977 and have worked in many clinical environments, including pediatrics, home health, and outpatient orthopedics. I have been a Director of Rehabilitation Services, a partner in a private PT clinic and Director of a PT clinic. In my most recent clinical practice, I treated many patients with significant chronic pain problems. I also worked with students as a clinical instructor nearly all of these years.

I have been Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy since 2003 and before that was the Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education. As Chair of the Department I am able to combine my interest in advancing the clinical practice and profession of physical therapy and my love of teaching.

  I received my Doctor of Education degree from from the Department of Organization and Leadership in the School of Education at the University of San Francisco.

As Chair I teach about 25% time.

Current First Year Course Taught:

PT 741: Professional Issues I

Current Third Year Courses Taught:

PT 746 Management of Physical Therapy Services

PT 747 Professional Issues II

Past courses taught:

PT 743 Interpersonal and Interprofessional Communication I

PT 744: The Health Care System

My research interests are in ethical reasoning and moral agency in physical therapist students and physical therapists. I am also interested in learning and learning effectiveness, particularly professionalism and professional development, in DPT education.

Current doctoral dissertation research, "Physical Therapist Students as Moral Agents During Clinical Internships." School of Education, University of San Francisco.

Peer Reviewed Publication:

Bloch, DP and Nordstrom, T. Complexity-based ethics: Martin Buber and Dynamic Self-Organization. in Richardson, KA and Cilliers P, eds. Explorations in Complexity Thinking: Pre-proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Complexity and Philosophy. Mansfield, MA: ISCE Publishing; 2007:14-24.

Peer Reviewed Presentations

Poster and Platform Presentation:

Bloch, D and Nordstrom, T. Complexity-based ethics: Martin Buber and Dynamic Self-Organization. 3rd International Workshop on Complexity and Philosophy. Sponsored by Institute for the Study of Coherence and Emergence, Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study and Cathedra for the Study of Complexity. Stellenbosch, South Africa. February 22-23. 2007.

Poster Presentations:

Duffy, C. and Nordstrom, T. “Case report: Nerve gliding techniques in one woman with carpal tunnel syndrome.” Combined Section Meeting. American Physical Therapy Association. February 2006.

Platform Presentations:

Nordstrom, T. “Career Choice: Health Care Student to Health Care Practitioner.” Faculty Development and Scholarship Day. Samuel Merritt University. May 12, 2006.1

Mitchell, P, Moore, V, Nordstrom, T, Skinner-Martin, V, VanZant, C. “Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and Its Applications in Education,” Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, Hawaii, January 4, 2005

Heydman, A., and Nordstrom, T. “Understanding Student Learning: Research and Praxis to Improve Effectiveness,” Western Association of Schools and Colleges Annual Conference, San Jose, CA, April 15, 2004

Nordstrom, T. “On-line Clinical Case Discussion Groups to Facilitate Learning Across the Physical Therapy Curriculum,” American Physical Therapy Association Combined Section Meetings, Boston, MA, February 22, 2002.

Invited and Professional Presentations (Last 5 years)

Bamford, P, Nordstrom, T and Brown, S. “A Shared Governance Approach to Faculty Workload.” Education Leadership Conference. Section for Education, American Physical Therapy Association. Pasadena, California. October 1, 2005.

“Using questions to Stimulate Critical Thinking Among PT Students on Clinical Rotations” Samuel Merritt University and SFSU/UCSF Clinical Faculty Meeting May 21, 2003 with Shannon Richards

“Collaborative Learning in Clinical Education” UC San Francisco Medical Center Rehabilitation Department, February 26, 2002 with Bill Healey.

“Documenting Clinical Performance” Samuel Merritt University and SFSU/UCSF Clinical Faculty Meeting, May 1, 2002, Oakland, CA.

“Clinical Education: Where to Begin”, Department of Rehabilitation Services, Stanford University Medical Center, January 25, 2002.

Honors and Awards

Graduate Student Fellowship, School of Education, University of San Francisco.

Charles Magistro Service Award, California Physical Therapy Association, 2004.

Stromman-Dillashaw Award, Samuel Merritt University, 2003.

Special Recognition and Professional Service Award, San Jose District, American Physical Therapy Association, 1997.

Rehabilitation Services Association Fellowship, Division of Physical Therapy, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1976-1977.

Grants

“Efficacy of Physical Therapy in Preserving Function in Hospitalized Elderly,” Carol Winograd, Project Director, Division of Gerontology, Stanford University School of Medicine. Funded by Hartford Foundation, 1989-1992. Served as physical therapy consultant while in Department of Rehabilitation at Stanford University Hospital.

Certifications and Credentials

Credentialed Clinical Instructor, American Physical Therapy Association, 1998.

Credentialed Trainer for Clinical Instructor Education and Credentialing Program, American Physical Therapy Association, 1998.

American Physical Therapy Association

Clinical Instructor Education Board, 2002 to 2005. Chair, 2004-2005.

American Physical Therapy Association

Clinical Instructor Education Board, 2002 to 2005. Chair, 2004-2005.

Task Force member (min skill set PT) others?

California Chapter, American Physical Therapy Association

Chapter Ethics Committee, 2000- present, Chair 2003 - present

Investigator, Chapter Ethics Committee, 1995-present

Delegate, 1989-1991, 1995-1998, 2000-2002.

Practice and Quality Service Committee 1997-1999

Nominating Committee, 1990-1992 (Chairperson, 1992)

Membership

American Physical Therapy Association

Sections on Education, Health Policy and Administration, and Orthopedics, American Physical Therapy Association.

California Chapter, American Physical Therapy Association.