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Anita M. Santasier is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Physical Therapy Education in the Department of Physical Therapy within the School of Health Technology and Management (SHTM) at Stony Brook University. (SBU). With greater than three decades of clinical experience, Dr. Santasier balances her clinical skills with her role as an academician within both the musculoskeletal and research sequences of the entry level DPT program at SBU where she co-teaches Orthopedic I and II, Research Methods for Physical Therapists: Design and Statistics, Evidence Based Practice and Case Studies I and III. As the Director of Physical Therapy Education, Dr. Santasier combines her skills as a qualitative researcher with her training in pedagogy to provide evidence of quality assurance and curricular enhancement, thereby documenting the program’s continued commitment to excellence. Additionally, she is responsible for the Teaching and Physical Therapy Practice course in the transitional DPT program at SBU and teaches a licensing review course for Scorebuilders Inc. nationwide.
Known for her work in qualitative research, Dr. Santasier has published on topics related to reflective practice, diversity affairs and patient experience and has presented nationally on the application of qualitative research in Physical Therapy. She is an active member of the Education, Orthopedic and Research Sections of the APTA and is presently the President of the Research Section’s Qualitative Research Special Interest Group. Furthermore, she is an editorial board member for the Journal of Physical Therapy Education and a reviewer for the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Therapy and Physiotherapy Theory and Practice. Dr. Santasier received the 2003 SHTM SBU Faculty Honor Award, was the 2004 recipient of the Stanford Award for the most influential article in the Journal of Physical Therapy Education and was honored with the Education Section’s Adopt a Doc Scholarship in 2003.
Dr. Santasier has been an APTA Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist since 1993. She received her BS in Physical Therapy from The University of Delaware in 1982, a Masters Degree in Allied Health Administration from Hunter College in 1992 and a PhD in Physical Therapy from Temple University in 2004.