As an experienced physical therapist and educator, Dr. LaFay has published and presented nationally on factors associated with PT student performance, clinical instructor teaching effectiveness, and clinical education collaboration and leadership. Her clinical background spans practice settings and patient/client populations, with contemporary practice in home health and hospital-based acute care. She has a consultant practice focused on ergonomic assessment, injury prevention and worksite wellness.

She is passionate about service to the profession and has served on the board of ACAPT’s National Consortium of Clinical Educators (NCCE) and is a current member of ACAPT's Strategic Initiative Clinical Education Terminology Panel, which culminated in the development of the Physical Therapist Clinical Education Common Terminology.  She is currently a member of the ACAPT Clinical Education Common Terminology Dissemination Task Force, the APTA Clinical Reasoning Curricular and Assessment Consortium Teaching Compendium Task Force, and APTA Nominating Committee. Other professional service engagement at the state and regional level in New York has been to the APTA New York Practice Committee and the executive board of the NY-NJ Clinical Education Consortium. 

As a lifelong resident of a rural community in upstate NY, Dr. LaFay is committed to the population health needs that impact medically underserved communities. 

PhD Physical Therapy, Nova Southeastern University, 2019
DPT Physical Therapy, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 2009
BS Physical Therapy, Ithaca College, 1992

LaFay, V., Silberman, N., Zeigler, S. (2021) A model of practices of exemplary clinical education leaders. Journal of Physical Therapy Education. Published Online First: December 8, 2021. DOI: 10.1097/JTE.000000000000206

Silberman, N., LaFay, V., Zeigler, S. (2020) Practices of exemplary leaders in clinical education: a qualitative study of Director and Site Coordinator of Clinical Education perspectives. Journal of Physical Therapy Education. 34(1):59-66. doi: 10.1097/JTE.0000000000000119

Wormley, M., Romney, W., Fein, B,, Schweizer, K., Greer, A., LaFay, V., Martin, R. (2018) Using a valid and reliable measure to assess clinical instructor self-perception of teaching behaviors in physical therapy. Journal of Physical Therapy Education. 32(4):344-354.

Erickson, M., Birkmeier, M., Booth, M., Borstad, J., Hack, L., Hartmann, J., Ingram, D., Jackson-Coty, J., LaFay, V., Wheeler, E. (2018) Recommendations from the Common Terminology Panel of the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy. Physical Therapy. Manuscript PTJ-2018-0100.R1. 98(9):754-762. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzy075

Silberman, N., LaFay, V., Fay, P., Hanson, R. (2018). Physical therapy student difficulty in clinical education settings: Incidence and outcomes. Journal of Physical Therapy Education. 32(2): 175-182.

Peer-reviewed Presentations:
LaFay, V. (2022) Factors Influencing Use of Standardized Tests and Measures in Physical Therapist Clinical Practice. Poster Presentation. American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting. San Antonio, TX.

LaFay, V., Hochman, L. (2021) Students as Knowledge Brokers: Enhancing the Value Equation in Clinical Education. 2021 Educational Leadership Conference. Atlanta, Georgia. 

LaFay, V., Martin, J., Yager, C., Vogel-Rossbrook, C., Boolani, A. (2021) Does Sleep Quality Influence Gait? An Exploratory Study in a Young, Healthy Population. Poster Presentation. American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting (virtual).

LaFay, V., Silberman, N. (2020) A new model representing practices of exemplary clinical education leaders. 
Educational Leadership Conference. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

LaFay, V., Silberman, N., Stewart, M., Stolfi, A., Meyers, K. (2019) Building bridges through an innovative clinical education consortium: collaboration, mentorship, education, and research. Educational Leadership Conference. Seattle, Washington.

Wormley, M., Romney, W., Schweizer, K., Fein, B., LaFay, V., Martin, R. (2019) Using a Valid and Reliable Measure to Assess Clinical Instructor Self-Perception of Teaching Behaviors in Physical Therapy. Poster Presentation. American Physical Therapy Combined Section Meeting, Washington, D.C. 

  • Clinical Supervision
  • Health Sciences
  • Leadership

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