Rebecca Operacz

Profile Picture of Rebecca Operacz

Rebecca Operacz

  • College of Public Health

    • Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

      • Associate Professor of Instruction

        Programs

        • Physical Therapy

Biography

Rebecca Operacz is an associate professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. She earned her doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of Colorado and Health Sciences Center. Dr. Operacz demonstrates a dedication to clinical practice and teaching, which stems from her expertise as a practicing physical therapist in the acute hospital and in-patient rehabilitation settings. Rebecca earned her neurologic clinical specialist certification through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in 2015. She serves as a clinical mentor for current DPT students and students across the health professions programs. She incorporates experiential learning activities throughout her teaching to facilitate students' preparation for the clinic environment. Her current research is focused on student perceptions of clinical readiness and strategies for fostering student competence and confidence in the clinic. Dr. Operacz also advocates for accessibility to healthcare at the local and state levels.

Education

  • DPT, University of Colorado and Health Sciences Center
  • BA, English, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Courses Taught

Number

Name

Level

PHTH 8103

Clinical Examination and Intervention Skills I

Graduate

PHTH 8111

Clinical Examination and Intervention Skills II

Graduate

PHTH 8116

Motor Control and Learning

Graduate

PHTH 8118

Clinical Examination and Intervention Skills III

Graduate

PHTH 8127

Clinical Management of Neuromuscular Conditions I

Graduate

PHTH 8133

Clinical Management of Neuromuscular Conditions II

Graduate

PHTH 8143

Management of the Medically Complex Patient

Graduate

Selected Publications

Recent

  • Rotz, M., Calligaro, I., Kaplan, L., Lu, X., Sinnott, M., Spadone, S., Vernon, R., Zhao, H., & Idahosa, C. (2021). Design and evaluation of an interprofessional education workshop series for preclinical and prelicensure health professional students. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 13(7), 885-894. doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2021.03.023.