Mary Knab, PhD, DPT, is Associate Professor Emerita in Physical Therapy and was the Associate Provost for Interprofessional Education and Practice at MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Dr. Knab joined the Institute faculty in 1995 as Director of Clinical Education for the Institute’s developing entry-level physical therapy program, where she was responsible for developing the successful and innovative clinical education component of the program’s curriculum. Dr. Knab collaborated successfully with the healthcare delivery community in implementing a year-long paid internship as the culminating clinical education experience and played a critical role in curriculum development for the Institute’s DPT program over many years. 

Recognized nationally as a leader in developing innovative and effective clinical education models in the midst of a changing healthcare delivery system, Dr. Knab has been a frequent invited presenter on the topic.

Dr. Knab moved to the Center for Interprofessional Studies and Innovation in 2012 where she was a key leader in the Institute’s interprofessional initiative – IMPACT Practice. Under the IMPACT Practice umbrella, Dr. Knab: led the three-part series of required courses that provide Institute students with team-based interprofessional education experiences focused on the development of core competencies for collaborative practice; contributed curriculum and assessment expertise to the development of required institutional core competencies; and provided continuing professional development offerings related to interprofessional education, practice, and leadership. Dr. Knab also served as an Associate Professor for the Masters in Health Professions Education Program since its launch in 2012.

Completing a PhD in Educational Studies at Lesley University in 2012, Dr. Knab's primary research interests are in the role of reflection in the development of health professionals along a novice-to-expert continuum, narrative as a vehicle for reflection, and models for interprofessional learning and development across academic, simulation, and clinical learning environments.

  • BS, Biology/Chemistry, Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH
  • MS, Physical Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX
  • DPT, MGH Institute of Health Professions
  • PhD, Education – Interdisciplinary Studies, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA

Greenfield BH, Jensen GM, Delany CM, Mostrom E, Knab M, Jampel A. The Power and Promise of Narrative for Advancing Physical Therapist Education and Practice. Physical Therapy, 2015 Jun; 95(6): 924-33.
 
Portney L, Knab M, Cahn P, Johnson A. Beyond IPEC: Developing Core Competencies for Professional Practice. Collaborating Across Borders V Conference, Roanoke, VA, 2015

Friedman, A, Wise, H, Knab, M & Delitto, A. 2014 Rothstein Roundtable podcast—“Interprofessionalism: Is it campfire kumbaya, or the means to the triple aim (better health, better care, lower cost)?”  Physical Therapy, 2014, 94( 12):1696

Cable C, Knab M, Tham KY, Navedo D, Armstrong E.. Why Are You Here? Needs Analysis of an Interprofessional Health Education Graduate Degree Program. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2014

Knab M, Khan Y, Doherty R, Cahn P. Service Learning Included: Overcoming Barriers to IPE by Repurposing an Existing Community Day Event. All Together Better Health VII Conference, Pittsburgh, PA , 2014

Knab M, Jampel A, Jensen G, Greenfield B. Clinical Narrative as a Tool for Exploring and Fostering Professional Development and Critical Reflection. Daylong Pre-Conference Course. American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, 2014

Lof G, Knab M. Preparing Students for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: A Curriculum Model. Oral Presentation. Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD) Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, 2014

Knab M. Reflective practice: A phenomenological case study of physical therapy practice in one academic medical center. Research presentation at Community of Scholars: A Celebration of Research and Inquiry at Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, 2010

Portney, LG, Knab, M. Implementation of a year-long paid clinical internship in physical therapy. Journal of Physical Therapy Education,  2001, 15(4): 31-35

See Curriculum Vitae for complete list of publications and presentations.

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