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Physical Therapy Research Opportunities for DPT Students

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Title: What unique techniques/resources are being used to teach foundational sciences to DPT and/or other professional students?

Type of study: Critical Appraisal Topic

Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 12 months

Contact Information for more details: Kristen Metzler-Wilson / kristen.metzler@uky.edu / 859-218-0833

Student Responsibility: Literature Review (CAT)


Title: Assessing amputation-related knowledge of primary care practitioners in Kentucky: a survey-based descriptive study

Type of study: Chart Review, Case Report (Retrospective)

Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 2 years

Contact Information for more details: Shelia Clemens / Sheila.clemens@uky.edu / 859-323-8245

Student Responsibility: survey development, survey administration, data collection, data interpretation, abstract preparation


Title: Retrospective Chart Review for Samaritan's Touch Clinic - Descriptive Statics Gathering

Type of study: Chart Review (Retrospective)

Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 2 years

Contact Information for more details: Denise O'Dell / denise.odell@uky.edu / 859-218-0590

Student Responsibility: Accessing WebPT and data as well as schedules from Samaritan's Touch Determining Data best to collect. Searching for outcome use and room for improvement


Title: What is the best evidence related to shunt placement for a person with manifestation of both Parkinson's Disease and Normal Pressure Hydrocephaly?

Type of study: Critical Appraisal Topic

Numbers of Students Needed: 2

Contact Information for more details: Kara Lee   / kara.lee@uky.edu / Phone: 859-218-0591

Student Responsibility: lit search, write up, developing a timeline with research advisor


Title: What is the best evidence for interventions for persons with POTS (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and long COVID.

Type of study: Critical Appraisal Topic

Numbers of Students Needed: 2

Contact Information for more details: Kara Lee   / kara.lee@uky.edu / Phone: 859-218-0591

Student Responsibility: question honing, lit search, communication and creation of timelines in concert with research advisor


Title: Pelvic Health in Neuro populations

Type of study: Critical appraisal topic, may evolve to a questionnaire of PH providers in KY/adjacent states through the Pelvic Health network

Numbers of Students Needed: 2

Contact Information for more details: Kara Lee   / kara.lee@uky.edu / Phone: 859-218-0591

Student Responsibility: Students will lit review, IRB with my help, survey/questionnaire design


Title:  Concussion and orthopedic PT management

Type of Study: Critical Appraisal Topic

Number of students Needed:

Contact Information for more details: Heather Witt at Heather.Witt@uky.edu or 859-218-0595, Clinician Lisa Harris

Student Responsibility: CAT, meeting with clinician (can be via zoom/phone) to determine specific clinical question and literature search needs


Title: Using Participatory Photography to Stimulate Reflection on Mentorship Needs

Type of Study: Cross-Sectional Qualitative Mixed Methods

Number of students Needed: 2 for 2 years

Contact Information for more details: Heather Witt / Kara Lee at Heather.Witt@uky.edu or 859-218-0595

Student Responsibility: Assist with data collection, data analysis, and write up


Title: Retrospective chart review of patient outcomes

Type of Study: Retrospective Cohort

Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 2 years 

Contact Information for more details: Ramona Carper / ramona.carper@uky.edu / 606-439-3557 x 83658  

Student Responsibility: DPT students will be helping the advisor develop the study and carrying it out


Title: Use of assistive technology in Physical therapy practice

Type of Study: Survey Research of PT programs and Clinicians

Number of Students needed: 4 needed for 1 year

Contact Information: Patrick Kitzman /  phkitz1@uky.edu / 859-218-0580

Student Responsibility: Survey development, data analysis, abstract development for presenting data at meetings


 

Ongoing Student DPT Research

Title: Successful Total Knee Rehabilitation Case Study

Advisor: Charles Hazle PT, DPT

Students: Josh West (Class of 2026)

Abstract: Accepted at AAOMPT 2024, Orlando FL


Title: A Guide for Clinicians on Over-The-Counter Cannabinoids

Advisor: Charles Hazle 

Students:  Bradley Dalton, Michael Flora (Class of 2025)  


Title: Survey on PT Educational Curricula (Presented at APTA-KY 2023, CSM 2024, Published JOSPT 2024)

Advisor: Charles Hazle PT, DPT

Students: Bryson McKee, Trent Letcher, Rebecca Watts (Class of 2024)


Title: Identification of Scaphoid AVN

Advisor: Charles Hazle PT, DPT,  Denise O'Dell PT, DSCPT

Students: Jared Golden, Matthew Crawford (Class of 2024)


Title: Effects of nutritional supplement for pain management (Delta-8))

Advisor: Charles Hazle 

Students:  Bradley Dalton, Michael Flora (Class of 2025)  


Title: Case study on  ACL tear with avulsion of the intercondylar eminence

Advisor: Patrick Pabian 

Students: Andrew Schmitt, Logan Majors, Benjamin Carter


Title: Pain Tolerance in Equestrian Athletes

Advisor:  Patrick Pabian 

Students: Martha Bruckner


Title: Assessing skin temperature and blood flow through laser-Doppler flowmetry and thermography (Methods development for hot flash assessment project)

Advisor: Kristen Metzler-Wilson

Students: Isaac Young, Cheyenne Fullwood


Title: Effect of sub-occipital release on steady-state and dynamic oscillatory features of the cardiovascular system

Advisor: Kristen Metzler-Wilson

Students: Janie Gleaves, Brandon Cummins


Title: Student Awareness of Accessibilty in Professional Healthcare

Advisor: Denise O'Dell

Students: Micah Moyes, Hannah Parker, Sarrah Farrell, Erika Kupper (Class of 2025)


Title: Comparison of Blood Pressure Measurements within an ALS clinic

Advisor: Denise O'Dell

Students: Kaitlyn Wycoff, Allie Howard (Class of 2025)


Title: Virtual Reality Hand Therapy & Implementation (Accepted to present at APTA-KY)

Advisor: Denise O'Dell 

Students: Cameron Elder, Eillie Jury (Class of 2024)


Title: Samaritan's Touch Pro Bono Clinic: Quality Improvement Project for Intake form and Follow-up (Accepted to present at APTA-KY)

Advisor: Denise O'Dell

Students: Hannah Young, Ally Priebe, Emily Bennett (Class of 2024)


Title: Basic Science Project

Advisor: Esther Dupont

Students: Sarah Barth


Title: Participatory photography used in DPT curriculum

Advisor: Heather Witt 

Students: Ashton Breeze (Class of 2026)


Title: Use of videos in learning foundational mobility skills

Advisor: Heather Witt 

Students: Elizabeth Thomas, Sophie Sorrells, Madison Sackella, Savannah Benningfield (Class of 2026)


Title: Vestibular Experiences in Clinical Education 

Advisor: Heather Witt 

Students: Emily Tweel, Karsen Hunter, Evonie Daughtery, Viviana Ortiz Guerrero (Class of 2025)


Title: Vestibular Survey Investigating Student Clinical Education Experiences.

Advisor: Heather Witt

Students: Paiten Bush, Madison Bennett, Evonie Daughtery, Viviana Ortiz Guerrero (Class of 2025)


Title: Vestibular Dysfunction following Moderate to Severe TBI

Advisor: Heather Witt 

Students: Maddie Hancock, Jenifer Brockman, Lauren Noe, Kaitlyn Mullaney (Class of 2024)


Title: Strength testing in children younger than 5 years; a systematic review

Advisor: Catherine Gohrband PT, DPT, PCS

Students:  Devan Colberg,  Anna Homa(Class of 2026)

Title: Physical Therapists' Experiences and Perceptions of Providing Services to Adults with Lifelong Disabilities.

​Advisor: Catherine Gohrband PT, DPT, PCS

Students: Emily West, Jared Rowe (Class of 2026)


Title: Exploring the need for providing support to physical therapists in rural settings who are providing services to pediatric patients.

Advisor: Catherine Gohrband PT, DPT, PCS

Students: Aaron Smith, Victoria Kirby, Alison Johnson (Class of 2026)


Title: Benefits of using adaptive cycling for adults with life-long disabilities

Advisor: Catherine Gohrband 

Students: Hallie Turner, Shaylea Turner, Levi Wiggins (Class of 2025)


Title: Qualitative study of family responses and expectations to the NEMO clinic

Advisor: Catherine Gohrband PT, DPT, PCS

Students: Marian Haydon-Dones, Bailey Miller (Class of 2024)


Title: Reporting pain management in adults with CP

Advisor: Catherine Gohrband PT, DPT, PCS

Students: Lauren Harshbarger, Sidney Rudd, Morgan Chapuran (Class of 2024)


Title: Let's Play

Advisor: Catherine Gohrband  and Patrick Kitzman PT, PhD

Students: Maddie Meredith, Kaleigh Clark, Katie Wesley (Class of 2024)


Title: RECOVER - muscle and functional outcomes after critical illness

Advisor: Kirby Mayer DPT PhD

Students: Grace Gaffney   (Class of 2026)


Title: Muscle and physical function outcomes after critical illness 

Advisor: Kirby Mayer DPT PhD

Students: Sarah Cook, Sophia Neilsen   (Class of 2026)


Title: 

Advisor: Kirby Mayer DPT PhD

Students: Hunter DeRouck, Zach Cecil  (Class of 2026)


Title: Assessment of Validity and Accuracy of VO2 Master

Advisor: Kirby Mayer DPT PhD

Students: Emily Stillwell, Alexis Stewart  (Class of 2025)


Title: Construct Validity of Muscle Power Assessments in Healthy Adults

Advisor: Kirby Mayer DPT PhD

Students: Kristin Meece, Dalten McCoy, Michael Bowdy, Drew Carter  (Class of 2024)


Title: Construct Validity of Muscle Power Assessments in Individuals with Chronic Lung Diseases

Advisor: Kirby Mayer DPT PhD

Students: Tyler Sutton, Elise Katz, Cole Stump,  Matt Hyatt (Class of 2024)


Title: Physical and Cognitive Outcomes for Patients with Critical Illness (Presented Abstract at CSM 2023)

Advisor: Kirby Mayer DPT PhD

Students: Julia Sager, Casey Skeens, Katie Crabtree, Sierra Catiller (Class of 2024)


Title: Long-Term Outcomes after ACL Reconstruction (Presented at CSM 2024)

Advisor: Lauren Erickson DPT PhD

Students: Olivia Schalk (Class of 2024)


Title: Baseball Function in Division II following training program

Advisor: Tim L. Uhl

Students: Alaine Walker, Seth Cook, Ben Glaser (Class of 2026)


Title: Write up Return to Throwing Program based on Consensus

Advisor: Tim L. Uhl

Students: Joshua Cain, Mitchell Dunay, Hayden Sheroan (Class of 2026)


Title: Which Exercise gets the Scapula Moving?

Advisor: Tim L. Uhl

Students:  Andrew Hasson, Ryan Duke, Hannah Foster, Rylee Austin, Morgan Seppenfield (Class of 2026)

Title: Critical Appraisal Topic on Clinical Tests for Piriformis Syndrome

Advisor: Tim L. Uhl, Gabbie Van Scoy

Students:  Mary Glenn Orem, Sarah Meador (Class of 2026)


Title: Diagnostic Accuracy of the FADDIR for Acetabular Labral Tears

Advisor: Tim Uhl

Students: Garret Collins (Class of 2025)


Title: Effect of Physical Therapy on Non-Structural Medial Elbow Pain (Presented at APTA-KY)

Advisor: Tim L. Uhl 

Students: Griffin Snyder, Andy Hickey (Class of 2024)

Abstract: Poster Presentation at APTA-KY in 2023


Title: Inter-rater reliability of 3- dimensional scapular kinematic motion device (Presented at APTA-KY)

Advisor: Tim Uhl, Ziad Alkhamis 

Students: Jackson Boggs, Nathan Tuft, Colin Smith (Class of 2024)

Abstract: Poster Presentation at APTA-KY in 2023


Title: “Rehab Buddy” an IMU Feedback System Provides Similar Exercise Supervision to A Physical Therapist 

Advisors: Tim Uhl

Student: Rusi Dzhorgov, Matt Hagan (Class of 2024)


Title: Critical Appraisal of Literature on Diagnostic Accuracy for Medial and High Ankle Sprains

Advisor: Tim Uhl

Students: Tyler Beck (Class of 2024)


Title: Pelvic Health

Advisor: Deberoah Kelly PT, MSED, DPT

Students: Leah Wright, Catherine Raleigh  (Class of 2024)


Title: Is there Evidence for Combining Pelvic Floor Exercises with Core Exercises to Decrease Pain and Disability in Patients with non-specific Low Back Pain over Core Exercises alone?

Advisor: Deberoah Kelly PT, MSED, DPT

Students: Abbie Whitman, Elizabeth Powell (Class of 2024)


Title: Is the Addition of Dry Needling to Exercise Effective in the Management of Knee Osteoarthritis for Older Adults; A Critical Appraisal Topic

Advisor: Deberoah Kelly PT, MSED, DPT

Students: Elizabeth Gilbert, Jordan Frodge (Class of 2024)


Title: Parkinson's Disease and Aquatic Exercise: Barriers and Facilitators

Advisor: Kara Lee 

Students: Briggs Alexander, Maggie Mitchell Class of 2026)


Title: DPT Student Self Assessment Pre and Post Initial Integrated Clinical Education Experience

Advisor: Kara Lee 

Students: Lindsay Lancaster, Vicky Le (Class of 2026)


Title: Pelvic Health Summit- Critical Appraisal Topic TBD

Advisor: Kara Lee 

Students: Melody Branan, Jensen Carnes (Class of 2026)


Title: Impact of a One Week Physical Therapy Intensive on Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease​

Advisor: Kara Lee 

Students: Aubrey Graves, Kindall Talley (Class of 2025)


Title: 1:16,666: The Impact of Forming a Pelvic Health Provider Community in a Rural State

Advisor: Kara Lee 

Students: Sarah Barker, Taegan Strain, Kaitlyn Rose (Class of 2025)


Title: Impact of a Mentoring Network on a Diverse Group of DPT students

Advisor: Kara Lee 

Students: Jessie Li (Class of 2025)


Title: Stronger Life - longitudinal study of wellness measures in an older adult population:

Advisor: Kara Lee 

Students: Kesley Castle, Natalier Kleier, Amy Thomason (Class of 2024)


Title: Ground Reaction Force Differences in Deceleration Between Post-Operative ACL Reconstruction and Healthy Subjects

Advisor: Ryan McGuire and Tim Uhl

Students Taylor Amburgey & Katelyn Fitzpatrick (Class of 2026)


Title: Development of a reference standard for knee ROM recovery following medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction: A clinical decision making tool

Advisor: Ryan McGuire and Tim Uhl

Students: Emma Lord, Jacqui Zorzi, Clay Ferguson, Courtney Zinmeister (Class of 2026)


Title: Development of a Reference Standard for Knee ROM Recovery Following ACL-R: A Clinical Decision Making Tool

Advisor: Ryan McGuire and Tim Uhl

Students: Parker Bisek, Isabel Fairbanks, Aly Peacock, Grace Martin (Class of 2025)


Title: Functional testing does equate to adequate strength symmetry following ACL-R

Advisor: Ryan McGuire and Tim Uhl

Students: Patrick Veitch, Yehor, Vitel (Class of 2025)


Title: Early measures of torque development are related to peak torque at 6 months following ACL-R

Advisor: Ryan McGuire and Tim Uhl

Students: Madison Pawley, Clare Parker (Class of 2024)


Title: Use of assistive technology in Physical Therapy Practice

Advisor: Patrick Kitzman 

Students: Taylor Busey, Khloe Rivas, Ava Vilardo (Class of 2026)


Title: Determining the Impact of Access on Refurbished Medical Equipment on Quality of Life and Community Participation

Advisor: Patrick Kitzman 

Students: Lauren Briggs, Bella Estes (Class of 2025)


Title: Determining the Impact of a Service-Learning Program on Biases and Perceptions of Disability in a Rural Community 

Advisor: Patrick Kitzman 

Students: Lauren Spencer, Sydney Dehart (Class of 2025)

Abstract: Poster Presentation at APTA-KY in 2023


Title: Determining the Barriers to use of  Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Physical Therapy, A Critical Appraisal Topic

Advisor:  Patrick Kitzman

Students: Callie Pearl, Steven Tang (Class of 2024)


Title: Determining the Barriers to use of  Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Rehabilitation; Differences between rural and urban settings.

Advisor: Patrick Kitzman

Students: Chris Burpo, Becca Risner (Class of 2024)


Title: Examining socioeconomic disparities in functional outcomes of people with lower limb amputation

Advisor: Shelia Clemens

Students: Piper Huffman, Sophia Moore, Rachel Adams (Class of 2026)


Title: Determining differences in basic prosthetic mobility tasks based on socio demographic variables

Advisor: Shelia Clemens

Students: Paige Freeman, James Suhr, Dewayne Connor (Class of 2025)


Title: Exploring functional recovery and the experiences of underrepresented populations with dysvascular lower limb amputation: a mixed-methods pilot study

Advisor: Shelia Clemens

Students: Stefany Reyes, Amanda Slater. Anna Fortier (Class of 2025)


Title: Identifying the Magnitude and Impact of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Veterans with Lower Limb Amputation

Advisor: Shelia Clemens

Students: Anna Urbanowicz (Class of 2025)


Title: Examining effect of a Prosthetic Training Program on Basic Prosthetic Mobility using the Component Time Up and Go Test: A Longitudinal Analysis of Adults with Lower Limb Amputation

Advisor: Shelia Clemens

Students: Marian Boyko, Emanuel Mora (Class of 2024)


Title: Height is related to postural control in older adults

Advisor: Nathan Johnson

Students: Becca Eltzroth, Lauren Roby, Mandy Keeton (Class of 2025)


Title: Determining the spatial relationship between thoracic spine spinous and transverse processes.  

Advisor: Nathan Johnson

Students: Lily Paganetto, Hannah O'Brien, Nick Hoskins (Class of 2025)


Title: Health Sciences Reasoning Test and Graduate Record Exam Predict First-Year Academic Performance

Advisor: Nathan Johnson

Students: Sam Walters, Kegan Settle, Cody Scales,Kennedy Howard (Class of 2025)

Abstract: Poster presentation at CSM 2024


Title: Determining the relationship between PTCAS applications and DPT program performance

Advisor: Nathan Johnson

Students: Josh Crank, Megan Claypoole, Elizabeth Hollon (Class of 2024, 2025)