Faculty Bio Detail

Education
DPTSc, UCSF/SFSU Graduate Programs in Physical Therapy
MS in Health Science, San Francisco State University
BS in Physical Therapy, Mount St. Mary's College, Los Angeles

Clinical Practice
Clinically, my area of expertise is acute care physical therapy.  I've worked in a variety of different types of hospitals from large academic teaching hospitals to small community hospitals.  My clinical work is currently limited to my research in sitting balance testing and the Neuro Clinic. 

Advanced Training/Certification 
I'm a board certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist in physical therapy.  I also have advanced certification and training in neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) approaches in adults with hemiplegia and assessment and treatment of vestibular disorders.  I am a credentialed Clinical Instructor and also a Trainer for the Clinical Instructor Education & Credentialing Program run through the APTA.

Fall Semester

PT 710 Foundations of Physical Therapy Practice (course coordinator)

PT 715 Special Populations (Geriatric content)

PT 718 Neuro Pt/Client Management II

Spring Semester

PT 713 Neuro Pt/Client Management I

PT 734 Pathology & Medical Management in Neurology

PT 700 Interdisciplinary Teams: Improving the Care of our Elders (elective)

Summer Semester

PT 756 Research II

Primary Investigator

Pilot Testing of the Function In Sitting Test (FIST) in Adults with Acute Stroke:  Initial design, reliability, and validity of a new, function-based sitting balance test, the FIST.  Validation of this new measure in the acute post-stroke population. 

Acute Care Practice Analysis Collaborative Project

First nationwide Acute Care Practice Analysis and petitioning the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties for recognition of actue care as a new area of physical therapy specialization.

Collaborative Studies with SMU Faculty

Two studies of students attitudes, skills, and clinical correlation of modified Objective Structured Clinical Examinations  (OSCEs) in physical therapy curricula.  

Past Research

Rehabilitation Evaluator for the Northstar Neuroscience Everest protocol evaluating participants in a RCT investigating the effectiveness of implantable electrical cortical stimulation in the recovery of upper extremity function in persons with chronic stroke.

Professional Associations/Memberships

APTA & CPTA

Education Section, APTA

Acute Care Section, APTA

Section on Geriatrics, APTA

Neurology Section, APTA

California Research Special Interest Group, CPTA

California Council on Gerontology and Geriatrics

Current Leadership Positions

State Level

Golden Gate District Representative (2009-2010), CPTA

National Level

Annual Conference Program Committee (2007-2010), APTA

Webmaster, Acute Care Section APTA (www.acutept.org)

Subject Matter Expert Committee, Acute Care Section, APTA

Recent Community Service

Avon Breast Cancer 3 Day, staffed PT booth

San Francisco Tenderloin Health Fair, staffed SMU PT booth

Consulting

Northern California Editorial Advisory Board, Today in PT magazine, Gannett Healthcare Group.  2007-present.

Task Force on Childhood Motor Disorders (NINDS & NICHD). Definitions of hyperkinetic symptoms in children (meeting). Bethesda, Maryland. June 2008. 

Task Force on Childhood Motor Disorders (NINDS & NICHD).  Measurement of negative motor signs in children (meeting).  Palo Alto, California. March 2007.

Abstract review committee, California Physical Therapy Association Annual Conference, 2006.

Grants

Multiple Sclerosis Foundation grant of $20,000 to provide Computerized Dynamic Posturography testing and recommendations for persons with MS.

Samuel Merritt University Curriculum Innovation grant of $1940 to fund a pilot study of implementation of a modified Objective Structured Clinical Examination in neuromuscular physical therapy.

California Physical Therapy Fund grant of $2007 to fund a pilot study of the Function in Sitting Test in adults with acute stroke.

Recent Awards

Outstanding DPT Faculty Award, 2007, 2008

James Dunleavy Distinguished Service Award, Acute Care Section, 2006

Adopt-A-Doc Award, Section on Geriatrics, 2006

Gorman, SL.  Contemporary issues and theories of motor control: Assessment of movement and posture.  In: Umphred D, Lazaro R, Roller M, eds. Neurological Rehabilitation. 5th ed.  Philadelphia, PA: Mosby; 2006: chapter 3. 

Streeton A, Gorman SL. Does rhythmic auditory stimulation improve the gait of a young male one year post traumatic brain injury with associated severe ataxia? Combined Sections Meeting APTA 2009 (poster).

Garakian J, Gorman SL. Complex acute physical therapy management of a patient with abdominal compartment syndrome. Combined Sections Meeting APTA 2009 (platform).

Taniguchi N, Chism S, Gorman SL. Translating evidence into practice for acute care interdisciplinary fall prevention. Combined Sections Meeting APTA 2009 (presentation).

Clark L, Gorman SL, Lazaro R.  Self-Assessment of Clinical Performance Improved by Modified Objective Structured Clinical Examination Testing.  Combined Sections Meeting APTA 2008 (poster), 13th Ottawa International Conference on Clinical Competence 2008 (platform), & 2nd European Congress on Physiotherapy Education (poster).

Gorman SL, Baldwin A, Schmidt SG.  Evidence-Based Practice When There’s a Paucity of Evidence (presentation).  Combined Sections Meeting APTA 2008.

Horning ER, Gorman SL.  Vestibular rehabilitation decreases fall risk and improves gaze stability for an older individual with unilateral vestibular hypofunction. J Geri Phys Ther. 2007;30:121-127. 

Horning ER, Gorman SL.  Vestibular rehabilitation decreases fall risk and improves gaze stability for a patient with unilateral vestibular hypofunction. (poster)  4th World Congress of the International Society of Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine 2007.

Gorman SL, Rivera M, Slusarz E.  Successful course changes to an entry-level DPT program: preparations for an early acute care clinical experience (platform).  Combined Sections Meeting APTA 2007.

Gorman SL.  Practical considerations in preventing falls (invited speaker).  Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, UCSF.  March 18, 2006.

McDonald V, Gorman SL, Zobac S.  Negative pressure wound therapy in the management of a complex abdominal wound (poster), APTA Combined Sections Meeting, Feb 2-4, 2006 & Samuel Merritt University Spring Science Symposium, May 12, 2006.