Jennifer Penn, PT, DPT, NCS
Assistant Professor
Jennifer Penn, PT, DPT, NCS joined the School of Physical Therapy faculty at the University of the Incarnate Word in 2015 to teach evidence-based evaluation and treatment of individuals with neurological injuries. Dr. Penn earned a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience from Brigham Young University, Provo, UT in 2002, and a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA in 2005, During her baccalaureate studies, she received a scholarship to participate in a research study exploring the effect of migraine on neural processing.
Dr. Penn completed the University of Southern California/Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (USC/RLANRC) Neurological Clinical Residency Program, and is a Board Certified Neurological Clinical Specialist by the American Physical Therapy Association. During her residency, she participated in the training of clinicians internationally in evidence-based rehabilitation for individuals following cerebrovascular accidents. She started teaching as a clinical adjunct professor in the University of Southern California School of Physical Therapy's Doctor of Physical Therapy program, specifically in a course focused on the evaluation and interventions for individuals with neurological injury.
Dr. Penn first practiced at the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in the Outpatient Neurological Physical Therapy Clinic in CA. She then moved to Utah to be near family where she worked at the University of Utah Sugarhouse clinic treating individuals with Neurological injuries and was an intervention therapist for the Functional Ambulation: Standard Treatment vs. Electrical Stimulation Therapy (FASTEST) trial of the Bioness L300 Foot Drop System. She then moved to the Intermountain Healthcare System, working in the Stewart Rehabilitation Clinic, providing treatment for individuals with neurological impairments. She specialized in the Vestibular Clinic and participated in developing system protocols for post-concussion care and developed and ran a Parkinson's Wellness Class for individuals with Parkinson's Disease. It was also during this time that she became a Board Certified Neurological Clinical Specialist by the American Physical Therapy Association. She currently provides care for individuals with neurological injuries through the UIW School of Physical Therapy Community Clinic. She is driven by the hope of providing the best care to those in need by assisting in development of the clinicians of tomorrow. When she is not at school she is busy enjoying life with her husband, four children and many dogs.
UIW
- Patient Client Management III and IV
- Co-instructor in Patient Client Management V
- Professional Critical Self-Reflection Series
- Capstone Course Series
- Clinical Instructor – School of Physical Therapy Community Clinic
School of Physical Therapy
- Patient/Client Thread Committee member
- Academic Year 2 Committee Member
- Community Clinic Committee
- School of Physical Therapy Awards and Scholarship Committee
University
- Red Dress committee member
- Alpha committee member
Profession and Community
- Clinician in the UIW SoPT Community Clinic, providing low-cost physical therapy services to individual in our community who are uninsured or underinsured.
- Volunteer at San Antonio Food Bank.
- Volunteer at San Antonio Diaper Bank.
- Teacher in local congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
- Member of the American Physical Therapy Association, as well as the Neurological and Education Special Interest Groups.
- Board Member for SA Moves, providing consultation for support and education of individuals with Movement Disorders in the San Antonio Area.
- Invited lecturer at Alamo Area Parkinson's Disease Support groups.
- Invited lecturer at the Texas Physical Therapy Central District regarding rehabilitation for individuals with Parkinson's and individuals with vestibular injury.
- Provided and coordinated balance screenings at several areal Parkinson's Disease Conferences with student volunteers from the UIW School of Physical Therapy.
Selected past 10 years
Grants
Peer-reviewed Publications
Peer-reviewed Presentations
- Penn J, Crocker AF, Smith SN. (2017).Experiential Learning in Health Professions Education. American Society for Allied Health Professions (ASAHP) Annual Conference, San Antonio, Texas.