Tracy Porter, P.T., D.P.T., EdD

Associate Director Clinical Education, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Additional Roles
Associate Professor, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
Physical Therapist (limited availability), Physical Therapy Clinic

Areas of Expertise

Orthopedics, Temporomandibular Joint Disorders, Wellness

About

Area of Expertise

Teaching: Professionalism, communication, biophysical agents, and clinical medicine/pathophysiology
Advisement: Clinical education, study strategies, and conflict management
Clinical Practice: Evaluation and treatment of temporomandibular joint dysfunction and general orthopedics/neurological practice.

Professional Organizations, Committees and Boards

APTA Iowa:

Past president, vice president, secretary, delegate

Service

Professional/Community:

Iowa Physical Therapy Association Legislative Day, Des Moines, IA
Iowa delegate to the American Physical Therapy House of Delegates
Easter Seals Walk for Independence Screening, Ankeny, IA
Senior Health Fair Screening
Iowa Physical Therapy Association Legislative Day, Des Moines, IA
Iowa Physical Therapy Association Student Mentor, Ames, IA

University:

Supervised DPT students participating in Stroke Camp
Supervised students participating in DMU back to school physicals
Served as a faculty hooder for DMU commencement
Supervised DPT students participating in FunFitness screening at the Iowa Special Olympics in Ames
Mini Medical School Facilitator, Des Moines, IA
State Fair Health Screening with Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA

Education:
Doctor of Education, Concordia University, Portland, OR, 2020
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Master of Science, Physical Therapy, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA
Bachelor of Arts, Biology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

Certifications:
Physical Therapist, State of Iowa

Research

IRB Title: Implementation of a Cultural Competence Assessment Tool for Des Moines University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (funded)

IRB Title: Perceptions of Physical and Psychosocial Outcomes of Participation in Hippotherapy and Therapeutic Riding (not funded)

IRB Title: Clinical Instructor Perceptions of the Clinical Internship Evaluation Tool (not funded)

IRB Title: Perceived accuracy of Doctor of Physical Therapy students’ self-assessment of clinical performance using the Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument and the Clinical Internship Evaluation Tool (not funded)

IRB Title: Congruency between student self-rating and clinical instructor rating and alignment of narrative comments with performance ratings using the American Physical Therapy Association Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument (not funded)

IRB Title: Cultural Competence: The Impact of the 2016 Presidential Election on Doctor of Physical Therapy Student Clinical Experiences (not funded)

IRB Title: Analysis of “Beyond Entry-Level” ratings on the PT Clinical Performance Instrument (not funded)

IRB Title: Analysis of academic performance of doctor of physical therapy students following implementation of fundamentals of learning content (not funded)

Publications and Presentations

Peer Reviewed:

Porter, T., Utley, C., and Baker E. Clinical instructor perceptions of the Clinical Internship Evaluation Tool’s efficiency and effectiveness. Poster presentation at the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting. February 2022; San Antonio, TX.

Porter, T., Wesselink, J., and Vardaxis, V. Assessment of cultural competence curricular effectiveness in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education. Platform presentation at the American Physical Therapy Association Education Leadership Conference. October 2021; Atlanta, GA.

Porter, T. Perceived Accuracy of Doctor of Physical Therapy Students’ Self-Assessment Using Two Clinical Performance Assessment Tools (2020). Ed.D. Dissertations. 466.

Porter, T Analysis of “beyond entry-level” performance ratings on the physical therapist clinical performance instrument. Platform presentation at the American Physical Therapy Association Education Leadership Conference. October 2016; Phoenix, AZ.

Porter, T, Bravard, S. Analysis of “with distinction” ratings on the PTA clinical performance instrument. Platform presentation at the American Physical Therapy Association ELC; October 2013; Portland, OR.

Non-Peer Reviewed

Porter, T., Doyle, J. Clinical performance assessment. Presented at Des Moines University

Friday Research Seminar; April 26, 2019; Des Moines, IA.

Porter, T., Bravard, S. Effective PT/PTA Teams: Supervision and Delegation Best Practices. Presented at the Iowa Physical Therapy Association Fall Conference; October 26, 2018; Des Moines, IA.

Porter, T., Willey, M, and Westermann, R. Management of adolescent and young adult hip pathology. Presented at the Iowa Physical Therapy Association Fall Conference; October 27, 2018; Des Moines, IA.

Porter, T., Bravard, S. More than just more reps: optimizing exercise progression. Presented at the Iowa Physical Therapy Association Spring Conference; April 2018; Des Moines, IA.

Porter, T. Application of the movement systems model to the management common hip pathologies. Presented to the Iowa Physical Therapy Association SE District; April 2018; Iowa City, IA.

Porter, T. Restoring motor control for walking in older adults with mobility limitation. Presented at the Iowa Physical Therapy Association Fall Conference; October 2017; Des Moines, IA.

Porter, T. Using the movement system model to evaluate and treat common hip pathologies. Presented at the Iowa Physical Therapy Association Fall Conference; October 2017; Des Moines, IA.

Wexter, J, Porter, T. Evaluation and treatment of a vestibular patient. Presented at the Iowa Physical Therapy Association Fall Conference; October 2017; Des Moines, IA.

Porter, T. Effective feedback. Presented at the Iowa Physical Therapy Association Spring Conference; April 2015; Ames, IA.

Porter, T. Postural correction for the PTA. 6-hour CEU presentation at the Iowa Physical Therapy Spring Conference; April 2014; Ames, IA.

Hamer, A, Porter, T. Aquatic therapy. Presented at Iowa Physical Therapy Association Spring Conference; April 2013; Ames, IA.

Porter, T, Bravard, S. The shoulder complex. 6-hour CEU presentation at the Iowa Physical Therapy Association Fall Conference; November 2012; Ames, IA.

Awards and Honors

Tracy Porter, P.T., D.P.T., EdD

Peer Reviewed:

Non-Peer Reviewed

DMU Directories

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