Dr. Nuciforo serves as Chairperson and Program Director for the Department of Physical Therapy and Associate Dean of Admissions and Enrollment in the College of Health Professions. Dr. Nuciforo is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. His teaching emphasis is in musculoskeletal system / orthopedics and manual therapy. As a recognized leader and researcher in physical therapy admissions, Dr. Nuciforo previously served as Chair of the American Council on Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) Admissions Task Force and is currently serving a 3-year term to the ACAPT National Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission. The Commission is charged with establishing anti-racist and anti-bias policies, programming, and effective initiatives to support member institutions with efforts to increase the representation of racial and ethnic minority students and faculty.

Research Interests

• Faculty social construction of merit in the admissions process to physical therapist education programs
• Social determinants of learning and related admissions merit criteria which address underrepresentation within the profession

Selected Publications and Presentations

• Nuciforo MA. Admission Merit within the Social Field of Physical Therapist Education. American Physical Therapy Association; Combined Sections Meeting. Boston, MA; February 2024.
• Nuciforo MA. On Merit and Equity in Admission to US Physical Therapist Education Programs: A Qualitative Analysis of Faculty Habitus. J Phys Ther Educ. Published online March 7, 2024.
• Nuciforo MA, Sloan A, Cavato D, Delaney W, Hdija S, Ramirez Y, Rourke K, Turner L. The Graduate Record Examination and Underrepresented Minority Applicants to a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. American Physical Therapy Association; Educational Leadership Conference. Atlanta, GA; October 2021.
• Nuciforo MA, Bryant K, Fortney A, Granquist, Y, Heslop A, Huang P, Lundell, E. Holistic Review in Physical Therapist Education Program Admissions. American Physical Therapy Association; Chicago, IL; 2019
• Nuciforo MA. Minority Applicants to Physical Therapy Education Programs 2010-2012. Phys Ther. 2015; 95(1):39-50.
• Nuciforo MA, Litvinsky Y, Rheault W. Variables Predictive of Admission to U.S. Physical Therapy Education Programs J Phys Ther Educ. 2014;28(3):112-119.

Link to Complete List of Publications

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy
  Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
  Educational Policy and Leadership
• Doctor of Physical Therapy
  University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Master of Physical Therapy
  Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
• Bachelor of Arts
  Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
  Pre-Physical Therapy, Criminology and Law

Certification

• American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy
• Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists

Honors and Awards

• Rosalind Franklin Award for Excellence in Service to the University
  Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
  May 2022
• College of Health Professions Outstanding Faculty Colleague Award
  Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
  September 2020
• College of Health Professions Award for Excellence in Service
  Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
  April 2013

Professional Society Membership

• American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT)
• ACAPT National Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commissioner
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT)
• American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)
  • Academy of Education, APTA
  • Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy, APTA