Donald Allen, PhD

Associate Professor of Physical Therapy

Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences

51�Թ� Me

I have been teaching at the University of Mary since 1997, following several years of research in neuroscience in New York City and Cincinnati. My primary teaching interests include human anatomy, neuroscience, pharmacology, and service-oriented teaching. Over the past years, my research interests have focused on the best ways to prepare physical therapy students through admissions and education, and the role of neuroplasticity in disease processes and treatment.

Why I’m At Mary

I was attracted to the University of Mary by the Benedictine values and how they are lived by the sisters, faculty, staff, and students. My appreciation of these values has developed over the years, and I am now living these values through my teaching, interactions with faculty and students, and experiences with local and international service activities.

Expertise

Schumacher M, Torborg B, Page E, Fishbach T, Taylor M, Allen D. Rural clinical experiences increase the likelihood of graduates to practice in underserved areas: An 11-year retrospective analysis of a rural physical therapy program. Accepted for publication in JOPTE.

Allen D. (2025) Effect of a live poverty simulation on physical therapy students’ attitudes towards people in poverty [Poster]. Educational Leadership conference, Kansas City, MO.

Schumacher M, Torborg B, Page E, Fishbach T, Taylor M, Allen D. (2025) Rural clinical experiences increase the likelihood of physical therapy students to practice in underserved areas [Poster]. Educational Leadership conference, Kansas City, MO.

Allen D, Hogan J, Roller R. (2023) Use of video and synthetic cadavers in an anatomy continuing education course for rural health care providers [Poster]. North Dakota Nursing Association Interprofessional Collaborative Research Conference, Fargo, ND.

Schumacher M, Taylor M, Allen D. (2023) Attracting professionals to rural healthcare: the experiences of a North Dakota physical therapy program to attract students and promote rural health [Oral presentation]. Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, Bismarck, ND.

Allen D, Roller J, Briggs B, Burbach K, Hoemberg T, Sandberg C, Schaetz J. (2019). Physical therapy student perceptions of human anatomy education delivery modalities [Poster]. Educational Leadership Conference, Bellevue, WA.

Allen D., Carps, B., Mayernik, N., Micklich, S., Rodriguez, B., Williams, K. (2017). Frequency of screening for post-traumatic stress disorder [Poster]. APTA Combined Sections Meeting, San Antonio, TX.

Allen, D., Gimbel, A., Newman, S., Ver Burg, E., Wahl, A. (2015). Impairments in laterality recognition in patients with chronic low back pain [Poster]. APTA Combined Sections Meeting, Indianapolis, IN.

Education

MPT: University of Mary, 2004
PhD: The Rockefeller University, 1988
BS: Manhattan College, 1981