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Research Associate
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Dr. VanDerwerker, PT, DPT, Ph.D. is a Research Associate at the Medical University of South Carolina. A physical therapist by training, Dr. VanDerwerker worked clinically for four years in inpatient and outpatient neurorehabilitation, focusing on spinal cord injury and stroke recovery. Now, as a full-time researcher, she is interested in studying the use of exercise and non-invasive brain stimulation in neurological and neuropsychiatric populations to improve depressive symptoms. She has received funding through the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research and the Craig Neilsen Foundation. Dr. VanDerwerker’s research interests also include examining associations between depression and rehabilitation outcomes, the role physical therapists could play in caring for patients with depression, and the treatment of depression among individuals with neurologic conditions, especially post-stroke and spinal cord injury. She approaches her research from multiple angles using large data set analyses (insurance claims data) and primary intervention studies.
Dr. VanDerwerker joined the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) in 2017 and immediately found her home. She continues to be an active member of the organization by serving as the Membership Officer of the Spinal Cord Injury–Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group (SCI-ISIG), the Chair of the Membership Committee, and a Committee Member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. By serving in these multiple roles, she has acquired a greater understanding of ACRM as an organization, and the hard-working members that make ACRM what it is today.
I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
