Biography
Clinical Expertise:
Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy
Research/Scholarly Interests:
Outcome measurement, musculoskeletal disability, geriatric rehabilitation, research methods (psychometric analysis, systematic review, randomized trials design, knowledge translation interventions), fall prevention
In my role as a faculty member, my goals are to create a positive and conducive environment to ensure optimal learning and exchange of ideas among students, promote active learning such that the students have control over their education and training goals, and active engagement in research to provide state of the art knowledge to the students. The teaching, specifically across health care disciplines, should focus on preparing students for real life situations. Therefore, the focus has rightly shifted on an active learning approach where students are encouraged to form their unique learning goals and faculty members work as knowledge facilitators rather than knowledge disseminators. Active learning encourages students to take initiative regarding their education needs and fosters a sense of commitment and dedication which is instrumental in their professional role as health care providers. My philosophy is to adopt a constructivist approach, so that students have opportunities to creatively combine their real life experiences and classrooms learning. Such an approach stimulates the students in making connection between their existing knowledge base and the new learning which helps them to acquire skills that are readily transferable to real-life situations. Being aware of the ongoing research and new innovations in my areas of expertise is an important priority to me. In the realm of evidence-based practice, the educators should deliver the education that is reflective of “best practice”. I believe that the educators should constantly reflect on the course content, teaching methods, and whether the knowledge that they are imparting is the most current or not. A reflective teacher can deliver state of the art knowledge in a dynamic learner-centered environment using the most suitable teaching practices. In summary, my teaching approach is a combination of learner-centered approach, stimulating critical thinking in students and facilitating knowledge exchange to empower students for dealing with real world situations.