UTHSCSA Faculty Profiles v1.0
Acosta, Martha Marie
School of Health Professions
Physical Therapy
(210) 567-8753
acostamm@uthscsa.edu
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SELF DESCRIPTION:
I received my Bachelor`s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas after receiving a Bachelor`s degree in Pre-Medicine from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. After working several years as a clinician, I went on to pursue a Master`s degree in Healthcare Administration from Southwest Texas State University. I was awarded a PhD from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Preventive Medicine and Community Health (Rehabilitation Sciences). I have worked in a variety of settings including acute care, rehabilitation, out-patient, long-term care, skilled nursing facilities, psychiatric hospital, and home health. With approximately 35 years of clinical practice, I bring an abundance of expertise and clinical application to the academic setting to enhance student learning of clinical concepts. I have taught previously at the University of Texas at El Paso where the focus of my teaching responsibilities included management of the adult patient with neurological impairments. I also taught management of health care systems for Physical Therapists as well as geriatric elective courses and hippotherapy. I was awarded my clinical specialist certification by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) as a Geriatric Clinical Specialist (GCS). Subsequently, I served as the Item Writer Coordinator supervising the item writers and Content Experts who generate items for the Geriatric board certification exam. I then served as the Chairman of the Geriatric Council for one year. Subsequent to that, I served as the MOSC (Maintenance of Specialization and Certification) liaison for the Geriatric Council. My current teaching responsibilities include topics of clinical foundation skills for first-year physical therapy students and aging across the lifespan for third-year physical therapy students. With regards to my teaching philosophy, I strive to inspire students to have a curiosity about learning new information, empower students to feel ownership of professionalism and encourage students to value their role as a qualified, competent healthcare provider.
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| 9/2019 - Present |
Associate Professor |
UT Health, Physical Therapy, San Antonio, TX |
Geriatric Clinical Specialist -
Geriatric Clinical Specialist - My specialty expertise for over 21 years is in the area of geriatrics with an emphasis on frailty. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists (ABPTS) recognized that expertise by conferring me status as a Geriatric Clinical Specialist (GCS) in 1997. Subsequently I was an item writer for the board exam (Geriatric Clinical Specialist), then was appointed to the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists where I served a 4-year term as Council member, Item Writer Coordinator and Council Chair [2011-2015]. Currently I was appointed to a task force in 2017 for a 4-year term for the ABPTS for revalidation of the description of specialty practice for the Geriatric Academy. In addition, my overall expertise has been expressed by: teaching the geriatric component of the curriculum; incorporating this subject matter into other clinical courses taught; consulting with geriatricians on the role of Physical Therapy as a team member treating the older adult; giving presentations at local, state and national conferences; performing community service work in multiple venues with the older adult population; receiving funded grants; publishing in these areas. |
| Date |
Description |
Institution |
# Students |
| 1/2010 - Present |
Human Development Across the Lifespan |
The University of Texas Health Science Center |
40 students |
| Course Director - Preparation Hrs: 125, Student Contact Hrs: 50 ; This third year course included the clinical capstone project, an evidence-based case analysis based on a Problem-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome (PICO) format with a patient treated by the student during clinical rotations. A second project includes a community Health Fair (HF) where students performed supervised screenings and provide information to older adults at a local senior center. The remaining course presentations were given by guest speakers, experts in their fields, one PT faculty and myself. Improvements made to the content included adding geriatric-related information obtained at the Combined Sections meeting attended in early Spring 2010. Improvements made: 2011: Updated / revised lectures to reflect most current evidence. 2012: To facilitate student engagement, I established a framework for small group discussions on the Case Analysis (PICO) project that increased peer feedback among small groups; I also incorporated information into lectures that was obtained at a professional meeting (Central District, Texas Physical Therapy Association) on the future of Physical Therapy. 2013: Updated / revised lectures to reflect most current evidence; incorporated geriatric-related information obtained at a professional meeting attended January 2013; to increase the interdisciplinary approach to this course, I collaborated with a faculty in the Respiratory Therapy Department who has geriatric expertise. 2014: Reviewed guest speakers list to ensure information being shared is current; I integrated information on teaching effectiveness obtained at a professional meeting attended in January 2014 and also modified lectures to reflect a more interdisciplinary approach to healthcare with information from an interdisciplinary conference, "Building Partnerships for Geriatric Care" conference I attended earlier in the year. 2015: Updated / revised lectures to reflect most current evidence; Enhancements made included the addition of my lecture on frailty in the older adult, to align with the increasing number of frail older adults in the U.S. population; also, on-line quizzes prior to class were added to improve student preparedness and interactive discussions during class time; in addition, revisions to overall course design reflected my goals from previous year`s course evaluations. 2016: Revisions in the course included replacing exercise guidelines for the geriatric patient with updated versions based on the current literature, thus enhancing students? ability to prioritize treatment decisions for with multiple comorbidities. 2017: Updated / revised lectures to reflect most current evidence; collaborated with colleague to consider the possibility of analyzing effectiveness of the Health Fair. 2018: Modified navigation tools on Canvas based on student feedback. |
| 5/2009 - Present |
Management of the Complex Patient |
The University of Texas Health Science Center |
40 students |
| Assisted with Practical Exams for students tested on clinical scenarios involving complicated patients. Average time testing 2-4 hours. |
| 1/2008 - Present |
Clinical Foundations II |
The University of Texas Health Science Center |
40 students |
| Course Director - This course included: a regional approach to surface anatomy and its radiologic correlates; detailed muscle function with specific muscle testing; functional outcome measures; selected interventions to include proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation; overall, this course continued to lay the foundation for clinical reasoning and clinical decision making used throughout the curriculum. 2009: Revised lectures and lab handouts using current anatomical software to enhance visualization for learning palpation skills; also, added ?Outcome Measures? assignment for students to report on outcome tools used in the clinic.
2010: Updated lectures to include evidence from recent course attended; Teaching was enhanced by using an innovative approach in labs, the ?flipped classroom?. 2011: Updated / revised lectures and lab handouts by including information from national conference; also, in labs, I upgraded the flipped classroom with a required consultation, instructor-student, prior to lab to assure that students were prepared for their peer-teaching role.
2012: Updated lectures with new evidence on subject matter and lab handouts to reflect most current evidence in literature; also included administrative information obtained at the local District professional (TPTA) meeting.
2013: Updated lectures by adding more small group discussions.
2014: Revised exams in course using exam development skills obtained at an in-depth training on exam item writing from the National Board of Medical Examiners, sponsored by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.
2015: Updated the lab in this course by initiating an informal evaluation of the flipped classroom approach; 2016: Improved lecture materials by integrating information on grading rubrics obtained (Lunch-and-Learn, March 2015) and on interdisciplinary roles of healthcare professionals working with the stroke patient (SHP Grand Rounds, October 2015).
2017: Updated / revised lectures by incorporating information on `alignment within courses? learned in the ?Quality Matters? course I completed in 2016 at UTHSCSA. 2018: Updated course with information changes to acute care from SHP guest lecturer. |
| 8/2007 - Present |
Clinical Foundations I |
The University of Texas Health Science Center |
40 students |
| Course Director - This clinical course covers foundational aspects of Physical Therapy including: theoretical and philosophical basis of the profession; evaluation and screening skills; measurement techniques for joint assessment; movement and mobility essentials; elements of patient/client management; PT?s role in various healthcare settings; fundamentals of clinical decision-making; interdisciplinary team care; imaging and diagnostic tools; interventions in emergency situations. Information in this course forms the basis for the remaining clinical courses in the curriculum.
Improvements made:
2008: Updated / revised lectures and lab handouts to reflect most current evidence;
2009: Included more interactive approach with game of ?Jeopardy? in review sessions;
2010: Updated / revised lectures and lab handouts to reflect new clinical evidence obtained at professional meetings; coordinated observational visits for students to ICUs in local hospitals to compliment acute care lecture;
2011: Integrated interactive cases to lectures and formalized ICU visit reporting by students;;
2012: Updated / revised lectures and lab handouts to reflect most current evidence based on information from the Academic Center for Excellence in Teaching course; to increase student interaction in learning, I coordinated a new lab experience for students at the Simulation Lab ICU rooms available through the Nursing Department; also, I integrated new information on decision-making in healthcare settings obtained from the SHP Faculty Retreat summer 2012;
2013: Updated / revised lectures and lab handouts to incorporate information on `reflection? in lab sessions, based on an educational training attended in April 2013;
2014: Improved lectures based on feedback from a UTHSCSA Educational Development Specialist on streamlining presentations; also, I added updated information to lectures on advocacy obtained at the local Texas Physical Therapy Association meeting;
2015: Updated / revised labs sessions by including peer critique and more student-led discussions; also included updated information on management of Torticollis obtained at continuing education course, February 2015;
2016: Revised lecture material based presentation at SHP Grand Rounds, topic of Myocardial Infarct;
2017: Updated / revised lectures and lab handouts to reflect most current evidence; improved the course this year by incorporating information on `writing learning objectives? obtained in the ?Quality Matters? course I completed in 2016 at UTHSCSA; |
Book Chapter |
| Acosta, Martha
Piernik-Yoder, Bridgett
Clegg, Autumn
Lehman, Cheryl. Technology and Adaptive Equipment in the Rehabilitation Setting. In: Lehman, Cheryl (editor)
. The Specialty Practice of Rehabilitation Nursing. Chicago, IL: Association of Rehabilitation Nurses; 2015. p. 165-196.
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Journal Article |
| Gibbs KA, Rohde RE, Sanders B, Acosta M, Wild DL. Staphylococcus and MRSA Prevalence on Laboratory Plinths in Physical Therapist Education Programs: Are Students at Risk? Journal of Physical Therapy Education 2018 Jan;32(1):66-69.
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