• BS , Quinnipiac College
• MS , Lesley College

Dr. Donna Applebaum joined the Institute in 2002 as the Associate Director of Clinical Education, and now serves as Director of Clinical Education.  Prior to 2002, Dr. Applebaum held clinical positions primarily focused on inpatient adult and geriatric rehabilitation, with an emphasis and expertise in management of individuals following amputation. Dr. Applebaum spent approximately 10 years prior to 2002 in a management role at Youville Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, serving as a Manager of Rehabilitation Services for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and therapeutic recreation departments.  In addition, Dr. Applebaum managed the clinical education program for Youville Hospital’s physical therapy department.

Dr. Applebaum earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from Quinnipiac College in 1986, a Master of Science in Management with a concentration in Health Services Management from Lesley College in 1998, and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2002.

Dr. Applebaum has been able to combine her identity as a clinician with her passion for clinical education and management in her current role as Director of Clinical Education.  For her Master’s thesis, Dr. Applebaum worked with the Physical Therapy Program at the MGH Institute to evaluate the yearlong internship model during its first year of implementation.  Dr. Applebaum has a particular interest in clinical education models that are innovative and fit within the current health care environment.  To that end, she strives to collaborate with clinical partners to develop clinical education experiences that promote high outcomes and which are realistic given available resources.  In 2007, Dr. Applebaum was invited to participate in the American Physical Therapy Association’s Consensus Conference on Standards in Clinical Education, which was a first step at developing standards for the physical therapy profession moving into the future.  She has been invited several times to present at APTA conferences on a variety of clinical education topics.  Dr. Applebaum also holds leadership positions in the New England Consortium of Academic Coordinators of Clinical Education, an organization that collaborates to develop clinical faculty and provides networking opportunities to promote clinical education programs that meet both accreditation standards and current clinical practice demands.

Dr. Applebaum’s other strong interests include mentoring and leadership development, which she is able to facilitate as one of the faculty advisors to the Physical Therapy Club.  This is a student-run organization whose mission it is to provide service and fundraising to exercise social responsibility, promote public awareness of the physical therapy profession, promote fellowship, and provide education and professional development opportunities for students.  She has enjoyed witnessing the many successes on both a group and individual level through Club activities.

Dr. Applebaum’s teaching responsibilities at the Institute include Seminar and Practicum I and II, Prosthetics, and development, implementation and coordination of the clinical education curriculum.