Regina Kaufman | Springfield College

Regina Kaufman

Regina Kaufman

Professor of Physical Therapy
Regina Kaufman, Springfield College
  • Bachelor of Science, Russell Sage College, Troy, New York, 1984
  • Master of Science, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, Massachusetts, 1995
  • Doctor of Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, 2007

Regina Kaufman joined the Department of Physical Therapy faculty in 1999. She has been a physical therapist since 1984.  She has been certified by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties as a specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy, since 1998.  She is an academician and clinician with more than 30 years of experience working with adults of all ages with neurologic and other chronic health and mobility conditions.  She has a strong commitment to community-engaged education.  She fulfills this commitment as Director of the Physical Therapy Community Mobility Clinic (CMC).  For nearly 2 decades, the CMC has been a resource for community members living with chronic neurologic and other conditions.  The CMC couples provision of physical therapy services to DPT student education, promoting improvements in health and function of community participants while enhancing DPT student development through hands-on practice and training.  She is a certified leader for several evidence-based balance and mobility enhancement programs, including Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance (TJQ), Stay Active & Independent for Life (SAIL), and Walk with Ease.  She is a certified master trainer for SAIL. She is funded through the Community Falls Risk Reduction Initiative of the U.S. Administration for Community Living, to implement and promote community-based implementation of SAIL and TJQ.  The focus of the grant initiative is to work in partnership with local and regional organizations to improve mobility and reduce falls among older adults living in Western Massachusetts.

Research Interests
  • Health promotion and falls risk reduction for adults and older adults with chronic health conditions

  • Community-engagement and service-learning in physical therapist professional education

  • Health humanities

Courses Taught
  • Foundations of Physical Therapy Practice I
  • Management of Patients with Neuromuscular Disorders I
  • Management of Patients with Neuromuscular Disorders II
  • Management of Balance and Gait Disorders
Certifications and Memberships
  • Board Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy

Selected Works

Presentations

  • Roberts DR, Letendre DM, Kaufman R.  Does participation in an 8-week comprehensive exercise program improve quality of life in individuals with chronic stroke?  Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Chapter American Physical Therapy Association. Held virtually. October 2020. 

  • Kaufman R.  Unintended Consequences of Walking-focused Rehabilitation: More Questions than Answers.  Health Humanities Consortium Conference.  Nashville, TN.  March 2020. (Conference cancelled due to COVID-19)

  • Kaufman R, Pappas K, Nowakowski K, Whitney S, Werner E.  Multidisciplinary Enrichment Contributes to Multidimensional Improvement Four Years after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Case Report.  Poster presentation at the Federal Interagency Conference on Traumatic Brain Injury.  Washington, DC, June 2018.

  • Kaufman R, Roberts D.  Long Term Rehabilitation Training for People with Chronic Movement Dysfunction:  Extending the Scope of Community Engagement and Research.  Accepted poster presentation at the Community Engagement and Research Symposium, UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Worcester, MA.  March 2018.

  • Kaufman R, Roberts D, Brooks S et al.  Community Engagement as a Curricular Cornerstone: A Comprehensive Commitment to Service Promotes Excellence in Education.  IMPACT Conference, Amherst, MA.  February 2016.

  • Kaufman R, Chevan J, Roberts D, Nowakowski K, et al.  Community Engagement as a Curricular Cornerstone: A Comprehensive Commitment to Service Promotes Excellence in Education.  Educational session at the Educational Leadership Conference of the APTA, Baltimore, Md., October 2015.

  • Kaufman R, Nowakowski K, Roberts D, Chevan J.  Community Engagement as a Curricular Cornerstone.  Kaufman, Nowakowski, Roberts, PT, Montemagni, Pelletier, Chevan.  Poster presentation at the 3rd Annual Pro Bono Networking Conference, Chester, Pa. March 2015.

  • Kaufman R, Chevan J. The Center for Community-Engaged Education in Physical Therapy:  A Roadmap for Strategic Planning and Departmental Advancement in a Community-Engaged Institution.  Poster presentation, Eastern Regional Campus Compact Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 2013.

  • Kaufman R, Nowakowski K, Roberts D.  A Liangong exercise program improves balance performance and reduces fall risk in subjects with chronic stroke:  A case series.  Platform presentation, Combined Sections Meeting of the APTA.  San Diego, California, January 2013.

  • Wetherbee E, Palaima M, Applebaum D, Nelson L, Pelletier D, McSorley O, Kaufman R.  Strengthening the academic and clinical education partnership: focus group discussions.  Platform presentation, Combined Sections Meeting of the APTA.  San Diego, California, January 2013.

  • Wetherbee E, Palaima M, Applebaum D, Nelson L, Pelletier D, McSorley O, Kaufman R.  Academic and Clinical Collaboration to Manage Challenges in Clinical Education.  Educational Session, Combined Sections Meeting of the APTA.  San Diego, California, January 2013.

  • Pelletier D, McSorley O, Kaufman R.  Focus Group Discussions: Meeting the challenges of contemporary clinical practice and clinical education.  Educational Leadership Conference, Greenwich, Ct, October 2012.

  • Kaufman R, Pelletier D, Nowakowski K, Miller D.  Sustainability of a community service learning program through integration into a physical therapy curriculum.  Poster presentation, Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions conference, Charlotte, NC, October 2010.

  • Kaufman R, Pelletier D, Nowakowski K.  Multiple meanings of participation in the stroke exercise group: community partners share their views.  Poster presentation, APTA Conference and Exposition, Boston, Ma, June 2010.

  • Kaufman R.  Factors that influence the publishing productivity of faculty in physical therapist education programs.  Combined Sections Meeting of the APTA. February 2007.

  • Kaufman R, Nowakowski, K.  Service as learning:  the stroke exercise group as pedagogy across the curriculum.  Combined Sections Meeting of the APTA. February 2007.

  • Nowakowski K, Kaufman R.  The stroke exercise program:  an evidence-based model for group intervention in an academic setting.  Combined Sections Meeting of the APTA. February 2007.

  • Kaufman R. Reflections on gender and the professional journey in physical therapy: four female faculty share their stories.  APTA Scientific Meeting & Exposition, June 2005

  • Welles J, Kaufman R, Stern G.  “The course objectives inventory database.”  APTA Scientific Meeting & Exposition, June 2001.

Publications

  • Kaufman RR. Feeding and Dressing.  Pulse: Voices from the Heart of Medicine.  December 2, 2021.  https://pulsevoices.org/index.php/category/pulse-more-voices/more-voices-2021/eating

  • Gill-Body K, Herdman L, …. Kaufman R, ….  Movement System Diagnoses for Balance Dysfunction: Recommendations from the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy's Movement System Task Force.  Phys Ther. 2021: 101. https://doi-org.eres.qnl.qa/10.1093/ptj/pzab153.

  • Kaufman RR.  Why was I so Afraid?  Journal of Humanities in Rehabilitation (online).  Fall 2020.

  • Kaufman RR.  Lessons from the lake.  Journal of Humanities in Rehabilitation (online).  Spring 2017

  • Nowakowski K, Kaufman RR, Pelletier D.  A clinical service learning model promotes mastery of essential competencies in geriatric physical therapy.  Journal of Physical Therapy Education.  2014;28:46-53.

  • Kaufman RR, Chevan J.  The gender gap in peer reviewed publications by physical therapy faculty members: a productivity puzzle.  Phys Ther, 2011;91:122-131.

  • Kaufman R. Career factors help predict productivity in scholarship among faculty members in physical therapist education programs.  Phys Ther, 2009;89:204-216.

  • Kaufman RR. A reflection on disciplinary nature and the status of physical therapy scholarship.  Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 2005;19(1):3-8.

  • O’Meara K, Kaufman RR, Kuntz AM.  Faculty work in challenging times: trends, consequences, and implications.  Liberal Education. 2003;89(4).

  • Chevan J, Atherton H, Hart M, Holland C, Larue B, Kaufman RR.  Nontarget and target-oriented functional reach among elderly individuals at risk for falls.  Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. 2003;26(2):22-25.

  • Kaufman RR.  The relationship between student development theory and a professional abilities model for physical therapy education. Journal of Physical Therapy Education. 2002;16(2):42-48.

  • Kaufman RR, Portney LG, Jette DJ. Clinical performance of physical therapy students in traditional and problem-based curricula. Journal of Physical Therapy Education. 1997;11:26-31.