Physical Therapy Research Opportunities for DPT Students
Title: RECOVER - muscle and functional outcomes after critical illness
Type of study: Cohort Study
Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 1 years
Contact Information for more details: Kiby Mayer / kpmaye2@uky.edu / 859-218-0596
Student Responsibility: Assist with muscle strength and physical function assessments; lead data entry and management
Title: Effect of sub-occipital release on steady-state and dynamic oscillatory features of the cardiovascular system
Type of study: Write up of existing data, data analysis
Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 18 months
Contact Information for more details: Kristen Metzler-Wilson / kristen.metzler@uky.edu / 859-218-0833
Student Responsibility: data analysis and manuscript preparation
Title: Assessing skin temperature and blood flow through laser-Doppler flowmetry and thermography (Methods development for hot flash assessment project)
Type of study: methods development for human subjects project
Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 18 months
Contact Information for more details: Kristen Metzler-Wilson / kristen.metzler@uky.edu / 859-218-0833
Student Responsibility: equipment setup and pilot data collection/analysis
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: Successful Total Knee Rehabilitation Case Study
Type of study: Case Report
Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 18 months
Contact Information for more details: Charles Hazle Jr / crhazl00@uky.edu / 606-436-0691
Student Responsibility: Write up a successful Total Knee Replacement intervention with both pre and post-operative results to demonstrate key characteristics of a successful rehabilitation case.
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: What are the ways that participatory photography is being used in a DPT curriculum
Type of Study: Systematic Review, Critical appraisal topic
Number of students Needed: 2 for 1 year
Contact Information for more details: Heather Witt / Kara Lee at Heather.Witt@uky.edu or 859-218-0595
Student Responsibility: Review of the literature and write up
Title: Concussion and orthopedic PT management
Type of Study: Critical Appraisal Topic
Number of students Needed: 2
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: Use of Videos in Learning Foundational Mobility Skills
Type of Study: Systematic Review, Critical appraisal topic, Observational
Number of students Needed: 5 for 2 years
Contact Information for more details: Heather Witt at Heather.Witt@uky.edu or 859-218-0595
Student Responsibility: Literature review of current available literature (could also be a critical appraisal topic), assist in developing a pre-/post- survey, creating materials, data analysis, write up
Title: Critical Appraisal Topics to clinical diagnose the following topics: Piriformis syndrome / Tests Gluteal Tendinopathy / Hip Instability /Deltoid ligament sprain of the Ankle / LCL and MCL sprain of the knee
Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 18 months per topic
Contact Information for more details: Tim Uhl / tim.uhl@uky.edu / Phone: 859-218-0858
Student Responsibility: DPT students will review literature to identify the best evidence to clinically diagnoses the above problems as limited evidence is currently available
Title: Baseball Function in Division II following training program
Numbers of Students needed: 2 students for approximately 2 years
Contact Information for more details: Tim Uhl / tim.uhl@uky.edu / Phone: 859-218-0858
Student Responsibility: DPT students will organize previous collected data from BGO Orthopedics on a collegiate baseball team for analysis and write up manuscript for publication to demonstrate changes in impairments over the course of a season.
Title: Development of a reference standard for knee ROM recovery following medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction: A clinical decision making tool
Numbers of Students needed: 4 students for approximately 24 months
Type of study: Retrospective Chart Review
Contact Information for more details: Ryan McGuire / rpmcgu0l@uky.edu / Phone: 859-218-0834
Student Responsibility: DPT students will help perform literature review, abstract/manuscript preparation
Title: Case study on post-surgical knee and shoulder outcome
Numbers of Students needed:4 students for approximately 2 years
Contact Information for more details: Patrick Pabian / patrick.pabian@gmail.com / Phone: 8859-562-0787
Type of study: Retrospective chart review and case series
Student Responsibility: DPT students will help assist some retrospective case studies to write up - knee & shoulder ones
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: 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: Effectiveness of Pain Neuroscience Education on Knee Pain
Advisor: Charles Hazle
Students:
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: Advocacy with SCI / disability / or virtual reality
Advisor: Denise O'Dell
Students: Micah Moyes, Hannah Parker, Sarrah Farrell, Erika Kupper Class of 2025)
Title: Critical appraisal topic or systematic review for potential review of exercise and physical therapy or nutrition impact on patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Advisor: Denise O'Dell
Students: Kaitlyn Wycoff, Allie Howard 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: TBI/Vestibular Focus
Advisor: Heather Witt
Students: Emily Tweel, Karsen Hunter 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: 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: 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: The Benefits of Ambyke use for Reciepents of Amtryke from the Bluegrass Chapter or Ambucs
Advisor: Catherine Gohrband
Students: Hallie Turner, Shaylea Turner, Levi Wiggins (Class of 2025)
Title: Muscle and physical function outcomes after critical illness
Advisor: Kirby Mayer DPT PhD
Students: Sarah Cook, Sophia Neilsen (Class of 2026)
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, Emily Guilford, Alexis Stewart, Matt Hyatt (Class of 2024, 2025)
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: 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: 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)
Title: Inter-rater reliability of 3- dimensional scapular kinematic motion device (Presented at APTA-KY)
Advisor: Tim Uhl
Students: Jackson Boggs, Nathan Tuft, Colin Smith (Class of 2024)
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: Diagnostic Accuracy of the FADDIR for Acetabular Labral Tears
Advisor: Tim Uhl
Students: Garret Collins (Class of 2025)
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 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: What is the best evidence related to a week long PT intensive interventions for Freezing of Gait (FOG)?
Advisor: Kara Lee
Students: Aubrey Graves, Kindall Talley (Class of 2025)
Title: Pelvic Health Summit- Networking Impact
Advisor: Kara Lee
Students: Sarah Barker, Taegan Strain, Kaitlyn Rose (Class of 2025)
Title: Pelvic Health Summit- Critical Appraisal Topic TBD
Advisor: Kara Lee
Students: Melody Branan, Jensen Carnes (Class of 2026)
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 (Accepted to present at APTA-KY)
Advisor: Patrick Kitzman
Students: Lauren Spencer, Sydney Dehart (Class of 2025)
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: Exploring relationships between body composition, postural sway, upper and lower extremity reaction time in older adults.
Advisor: Nathan Johnson
Students: Becca Eltzroth, Lauren Roby (Class of 2025)
Title: Determining the spatial relationship between thoracic spine spinous and transverse processes.
Advisor: Nathan Johnson
Students: Lily Paganetto, Hannah O'brien (Class of 2025)
Title: Determining the relationship between an assessment of critical thinking and performance in a PT program.
Advisor: Nathan Johnson
Students: Sam Walters, Kegan Settle, Cody Scales,Kennedy Howard (Class of 2025)
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)
