Nicole Rodriguez PT, DPT, PhD, GCS
Graduate College of Health Sciences - Department of Physical Therapy
Director of Clinical Education and Assistant Professor
Dr. Nicole Rodriguez is the Director of Clinical Education (DCE) and Assistant Professor for the HPU Las Vegas Doctor of Physical Therapy program. She lives in San Diego, CA but was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2008, a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2012, a Master of Philosophy in Psychology in 2020, and a Ph.D. in Psychology, with an emphasis in Educational Psychology in 2023 both from Walden University.
Dr. Rodriguez has been teaching in DPT programs since 2012. In addition to teaching, she began working in clinical education in 2016, and has been a Director of Clinical Education since 2019.
Dr. Rodriguez is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, received her Advanced Competency in Home Health Certification through the APTA, and is a Certified Clinical Instructor. Her clinical experience has been in the acute hospital, skilled nursing, and home health settings. Dr. Rodriguez’s primary teaching responsibilities have included IP acute, subacute, and neurological rehabilitation, neuroanatomy, clinical education preparation, and foundational physical therapy courses.
Dr. Rodriguez consistently participates in continuing education opportunities, including APTA’s annual Education Leadership Conference, Combined Sections Meeting, and the annual California Physical Therapy Association Conference. Additionally, she has received much training and mentoring in simulation-based learning experiences and is preparing to become a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator through the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Dr. Rodriguez is a member of the APTA (Geriatric and Education sections), was a member of the Southern California Intercollegiate Academic Clinical Coordinators Council (IACCC) from 2016-2023, and the National Consortium of Clinical Education (NCCE) from 2016-2023 to assist in the collaboration between physical therapy academia and the clinical community.
Her primary research interests include preparation and performance in clinical education, self-efficacy in academia, interprofessional education, and simulation-based learning. Dr. Rodriguez has presented at the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH), the World Physiotherapy Congress, the APTA’s Educational Leadership Conferences, and the APTA’s Combined Sections Meetings. Her dissertation topic focused on DPT student’s self-efficacy regarding acute care practice before and after an acute simulation-based learning experience, and compared the moderating effect it had on acute care clinical performance between students who were active versus those who observed during simulation.
