Heather Aker, DHSc, DPT
- Assistant Professor
Affiliated Programs
Education
- Doctor of Health Sciences (2023)
University of Indianapolis (IN) - Doctor of Physical Therapy (2010)
Widener University (PA) - BA, Anthropology (2008)
Widener University (PA)
About Me
I'm a practicing pediatric physical therapist and Associate professor at Widener. I teach a wide variety of topics and conduct retrospective research on torticollis to help strengthen the evidence base clinicians rely on. I'm also interested in how artificial intelligence is beginning to shape physical therapy practice, and I enjoy exploring that intersection with my students. What I value most about my role is engaging directly with students, helping them connect research to clinical practice, and, hopefully, spurring new PT researchers.
Research Interests
I am interested in exploring and describing plans of care for infants with torticollis. I have generally used retrospective techniques using a large database. I am also interested in the intersection of large language model use in physical therapy practice/education. Lastly, I am interested in exploring pro bono clinic utilization and engagement on college campuses.
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
- American Physical Therapy Association
- Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association