Kerstin M. Palombaro

Kerstin M. Palombaro, PT, PhD, CAPS

  • Professor
  • Program Director, PhD in Health Professions
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Affiliated Programs

Education

  • PhD, Physical Therapy (2008)
    Temple University (PA)
  • MS, PT Physical Therapy (1996)
    Columbia University (NY)
  • BS, Psychology (1994)
    St. Joseph's University (PA)

About Me

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from St. Joseph's University (Philadelphia), my Master of Science degree in physical therapy from Columbia University (New York), and my Doctor of Philosophy in physical therapy from Temple University (Philadelphia). My clinical practice as a Pennsylvania-license physical therapist focuses on holistic, lifestyle medicine interventions for community-dwelling older adults, with an emphasis on diagnoses of osteoporosis, frailty and chronic pain conditions. I am BoneFit certified through Osteoporosis Canada and am certified in the LSVT-BIG program for patients with Parkinson's Disease.

I serve as Program Director for the PhD in Health Professions Education at Widener University. I enjoy mentoring the doctoral students as they develop their health professions research, lectures, and courses. I bring my passion for community engagement into teaching the students in this program, through discussions of ethical community-based global learning and research. I am also privileged to teach in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, sharing best practices for treating the older adult client and my love of research methods.
 

Research Interests

I have two main areas of research. The first focuses on the impact of community engagement on both students and community partners. The second focuses on physical performance in older adults. 

Media Expertise

  • Geriatrics
  • Osteoporosis
  • Community health
  • Lifestyle medicine

Publications

  • Tatta J, Wilgens A, Palombaro KM. Mindfulness-and-Acceptance-Based Interventions (MABIs) in Physical Therapist Practice:MABI the Time is Now. Physical Therapy. 2022;102(3):psab293.doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzab293
  • Palombaro KM. Successful aging through lifestyle medicine. In: J Tatta, G Garner (eds.). Lifestyle Medicine in Physical Therapy. OPTP; 2022.
  • Palombaro KM, Black JD, McArdle KD, Erdman EA, Stewart AR. High Civic-mindedness Reduces Compassion Fatigue in the First 3 Years of Professional Physical Therapist Practice: A Pilot Study. Journal of Patient Experience. 2020;7(5)771-777. doi: 10.1177/2374373519891346
  • McAllister LS, Palombaro KM. Modified 30-second Sit-to-Stand Test: Reliability and Validity in Older Adults with Comorbidities. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. 2020;43:153-158. doi:10.1519/JPT.0000000000000227
  • Palombaro KM, Pierce SR, Dole RL. A Needs Assessment and Program Evaluation of a Physical Therapy Service-Learning Program in China. Journal of Community Engagement in Higher Education. 2017;9:18-28.

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF)

Awards

  • Humanitarian Award, Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association (2014)
  • "A Best Practices Evaluation of a Physical Therapy Training Program in China" Provost Grant (2015, 2016)
  • "Civic Mindedness and Empathy" Provost Grant (2015)