Sue Paparella-Pitzel, PT, DPT, MS

Associate Professor at the School of Health Professions at Rutgers University

Dr. Paparella-Pitzel earned her post-professional doctor of physical therapy degree from Rutgers/UMDNJ in 2005, an advanced Master of Science degree in Health Sciences from SHU/UMDNJ in 1999 and her Baccalaureate degree in physical therapy from SUNY Stony Brook in 1990. She is presently an Associate Professor in the entry-level DPT program in Rutgers SHP- Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science (Newark). Her areas of scholarship include the use of standardized patients as a teaching tool in physical therapy and medical programs and cultural humility education. Dr. Paparella-Pitzel completed a study surveying accredited U.S. physical therapy programs on the use of standardized patients in their PT curricula. Her educational research interests assist in informing ongoing standardized patient programming and educational strategies for entry-level PT education.

Dr. Paparella-Pitzel is the Faculty Director of the Rutgers Community Participatory PT Clinic (CPPTC), a Student-run pro-bono community clinic (SRPBC). Additional areas of service and scholarship include curriculum design and integration of community service within the DPT curriculum and with the University’s mission. Dr. Paparella-Pitzel incorporates her standardized patient work and curriculum design into inter-professional education (IPE) initiatives and inter-professional practice (IPP) clinics within Rutgers-RBHS. Dr. Paparella-Pitzel is the Chair of the RBHS IPE Case Development Committee.