Elke Schaumberg (she/her)
Associate Professor, Interim Director of DPT Program College of Health & Wellness Department of Physical Therapy Providence
Biography
Elke Schaumberg, Ph.D., graduated with her master’s in physical therapy from the University of Colorado — Health Sciences Center in 1995, after completing a bachelor’s degree in science at the University of Colorado in Boulder, in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Religious Studies.
After 10 years of practice in outpatient physical therapy, where she treated individuals with longstanding pain conditions, Schaumberg completed her t-Doctor in Physical Therapy at Simmons College. In 2020, she completed her Ph.D. in Physical Therapy at Texas Woman’s University in Houston.
Schaumberg’s research interests are centered around the following primary topic areas: 1) the assessment practices (to include assessing for a history of trauma/abuse) of physical therapists when evaluating individuals with chronic pain, 2) physical therapy interventions (to include the use of CBT techniques) aimed at reducing the central mediation of the pain experience, 3) educational interventions aimed at improving the pain and trauma literacy of physical therapists, and 4) equity in physical therapy admissions practices. Her research has been accepted for presentation internationally, at the International Association for the Study of Pain’s World Congress; nationally, at the American Physical Therapy Association’s Combined Sections Meeting & Educational Leadership Conference, and locally, through the New Hampshire Musculoskeletal Institute’s Fall Symposium and Lifespan’s Annual Research Day.
Schaumberg served as an assistant professor at Franklin Pierce University in their Doctor of Physical Therapy program, where she developed and taught their first Pain Science class, served as Research Track Coordinator, and taught in the Foundational courses. She is currently an assistant professor at Johnson & Wales University in the developing Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Education
PhD, Texas Woman’s University
Physical Therapy
DPT, Simmons College now University
Physical Therapy
MS, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center now CU Denver
Physical Therapy
BS, University of Colorado- Boulder campus
Kinesiology
Graduate Certificate in Medical Physiology
University of Florida
Physical Therapist
Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies Division of Professions and Occupations
Licensed Physical Therapist
Rhode Island Department of Health
Academy of Education
Academy of Research
Academy of Orthopedics and Pain Special Interest Group
American Physical Therapy Association
International Association for the Study of Pain
Schaumberg, E. & Landers, M. & Reisman, D. & Westlake, K. & Souza, R. & Tucker, C. & Miller, S. & Samulski, B. (September, 2025). Improving the culture of scholarship in physical therapy programs: Enhancing and Supporting DPT Programs in the Advancement of Scholarship. (White Paper).
American Council of Academic Physical Therapists.
https://acapt.org/docs/default-source/2024-ips-mini-reports/acapt-isi-vision-white-paper_-research-culture-assessment-guide_-final.pdf?sfvrsn=1468d9_1
Mitchell, K. & Ellison, J. & Schaumberg, E. & Gleeson, P. & Bickley, C. & Naiki, A. & Travis, S. (September, 2021). Examining Demographic and Preadmission Factors Predictive of First Year and Overall Program Success in a Public Physical Therapist Education Program. (Journal Article).
Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 35(3), 203-209.
https://doi.org/10.1097/jte.0000000000000186
APTA RI Professional Development, “Pain Misunderstood- Interprofessional Expert Pain Panel.,” APTA RI, Providence, RI. (2026).
One Vision, Many Paths: Advancing the Culture of Scholarly Inquiry Across Physical Therapy Education, “One Vision, Many Paths: Advancing the Culture of Scholarly Inquiry Across Physical Therapy Education,” American Council of Academic Physical Therapists. (April 6, 2026).
Education Leadership Conference 2025, “One Vision, Many Paths: Advancing the Culture of Scholarly Inquiry Across Physical Therapy Education. Educational Leadership Conference.,” American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT), Kansas City, MO, United States. (October 18, 2025).
Combined Sections Meeting 2025, “Creating a safe, empowering workplace culture: An interprofessional perspective on utilizing a trauma-informed approach,” American Physical Therapy Association, Houston, United States. (February 14, 2025).
APTA Educational Leadership Conference 2024, “Strategies for Delivering Sensitive Content in PT Education: A Trauma-Informed Approach,” American Physical Therapy Association Academy of Education, Oakland, United States. (October 19, 2024).
Educational Leadership Conference 2024, “Integrating IPA Opportunities into Physical Therapy Education for the PT/PTA Team using the IPEC Core Competency Framework,” American Physical Therapy Association Academy of Education, Oakland, CA, United States. (October 18, 2024).
Rhode Island APTA Professional Development Course Series 2024, “Mechanism-Based Pain Typing in Adults with Chronic Pain,” Rhode Island American Physical Therapy Association, Providence, RI, United States. (June 4, 2024).
Rhode Island Geriatric Center Education Center Education Series 2024, “Multidimensional Assessment and Nonpharmacologic Treatments of Chronic Pain in Older Adults,” Rhode Island Geriatric Center Education Center, Kingston, AR. (May 21, 2024).
Combined Sections Meeting 2023, “Aquatic Therapy as an Alternative Therapy Method for Patients with Lower Limb Amputation: A Systematic Review,” American Physical Therapy Association, Boston, MA. (February 17, 2024).
Combined Sections Meeting 2024, “Barriers and Facilitators to Interdisciplinary Wound Care Management in the United States,” American Physical Therapy Association, Boston, MA. (February 17, 2024).
Combined Sections Meeting 2024, “Effects of Virtual Reality on Motor Control and Function in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy,” American Physical Therapy Association, Boston, MA. (February 17, 2024).
Combined Sections Meeting 2024, “Physical Therapy Students’ Perspectives on Professionalism,” American Physical Therapy Association, Boston, MA. (February 16, 2024).
Combined Sections Meeting 2024, “Responsive Teaching and Coaching: Importance of A Trauma-Informed Approach to Student Wellness,” American Physical Therapy Association, Boston, MA. (February 16, 2024).
Combined Sections Meeting 2024, “Aerobic Exercise Protocols to Assess Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia in Adults with Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review,” American Physical Therapy Association, Boston, MA. (February 15, 2024).
Combined Sections Meeting 2024, “Effects of lab simulation on DPT students’ self-efficacy and preparedness for clinical experience.,” American Physical Therapy Association, Boston, MA. (February 15, 2024).
Combined Sections Meeting 2024, “Effects of sleep on recovery following an elective orthopedic surgery: A systematic review,” American Physical Therapy Association, Boston, MA. (February 15, 2024).
Combined Sections Meeting 2024, “Shared Decision-Making and Interprofessional Wound Management Teams: A Descriptive Study on Collaborative Practice,” American Physical Therapy Association, Boston, MA. (February 15, 2024).
Educational Leadership Conference 2023, “Perspectives on the Weighting of Academic and Non-Academic Criteria among Individuals Involved in DPT Admissions,” American Council of Academic Physical Therapy, Philadelphia, PA. (October 14, 2023).
Educational Leadership Conference 2023, “Effects of lab simulation on DPT students’ self-efficacy and preparedness for clinic,” American Council of Academic Physical Therapy, Philadelphia, PA. (October 13, 2023).
30th Lifespan Research Day 2023, “Influences on Physical Therapists’ Decision-Making to Explore Pain Perceptions during the Evaluation,” Lifespan, Providence, United States. (October 5, 2023).
Lifespan Conference 2023, “Predictors of Psychosocial History-Taking Practices of Physical Therapists who Evaluate Adults with Chronic Pain,” Lifespan, Providence, RI, United States. (October 5, 2023).
Combined Sections Meeting 2023, “Comparison of Clinical Patient Outcomes of Telehealth Physical Therapy vs. Traditional Outpatient Physical Therapy: A systematic review,” American Physical Therapy Association, San Diego, CA. (February 23, 2023).
Combined Sections Meeting 2023, “Holistic Admissions Practices of Doctor of Physical Therapy Programs and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” American Physical Therapy Association, San Diego, CA. (February 23, 2023).
29th Fall Symposium, “History Taking in Adults with Chronic Pain Utilizing the Biopsychosocial Model,” New Hampshire Musculoskeletal Institute, Nashua, United States. (September 24, 2022).
29th Fall Symposium, “Mechanism-based Pain Typing and the Examination of the Adult with Chronic Pain Presentation by Elke Schaumberg PT, MS, DPT, PhD,” New Hampshire Musculoskeletal Institute, Nashua. (September 24, 2022).
Annual Texas Woman’s Research Day, “Investigating the Psychosocial History-Taking Practices of Physical Therapists in the United States who Evaluate Adults with Chronic Pain,” Texas Woman University, Houston, United States. (April 29, 2021).
Combined Sections meeting 2021, “Influences on Physical Therapists’ Decision-Making to Explore Pain Perceptions during the Evaluation,” American Physical Therapy Association. (February, 2021).
Combined Sections Meeting 2021, “Predictors of Psychosocial History-Taking Practices of Physical Therapists Who Evaluate Adults with Chronic Pain,” American Physical Therapy Association. (February, 2021).