Sue Curfman
Associate Professor
College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
DHSc (Manual Therapy & Anatomy) University of St. Augustine; MS (Applied Anatomy & Physiology) Boston University; BS (Physical Therapy) University of Pittsburgh
Location: McWhorter Hall 351
615-460-6725sue.curfman@belmont.edu
Biography
Dr. Sue Curfman is an Orthopedic Certified Specialist through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. She earned her certification as a manual therapist through the University of St. Augustine. Dr. Curfman has more than 30 years of experience in a range of clinical settings, initially as a generalist and then focusing in outpatient orthopedics for over 20 years. She has a special clinical interest in working with women who have had breast cancer. She has experience and a passion for working overseas providing physical therapy services in developing countries such as Haiti, India, Guatemala, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. Dr. Curfman has been teaching physical therapy for over 30 years, primarily in the areas of anatomy, kinesiology and orthopedics and joined the Belmont University School of Physical Therapy in 2021. Her research interests focus primarily in the areas of teaching and learning, pain neuroscience education and physical therapy care of women with breast cancer.
Pain Neuroscience Education
Interprofessional Pain Education
Teaching & Learning in Health Sciences
Breast Cancer: Physical Therapy Musculoskeletal Care
American Physical Therapy Association:
- APTA Tennessee
- APTA Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy
- APTA Academy of Physical Therapy Education
United States Association for the Study of Pain
American Association of Manual Physical Therapists
Exemplary Teacher of the Year, Shenandoah University
Outstanding Research Project, Shenandoah University, Program in Physical Therapy
Curfman, SE, Austin, GP, Radack, BM, Utilization of Forearm Crutches to Avoid Lymphedema After Breast Cancer Lymph Node Surgery: A Case Report, Journal of Acute Care Physical Therapy 13 (2): 101, April 2022
Curfman, SE, Austin, GP, Nicholas, JS. Post-traumatic stress and academic performance among entry-level doctoral physical therapy students in a human anatomy cadaver dissection course Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, July 2018
Curfman, SE, McConnell, R, Lindsley, S, Thomas, R, Trauma Symptoms, PTSD and Anxiety Among PT and OT Students, Combined Sections Meeting, APTA, Boston, MA, February 2024, Finch, D, Curfman, S, When Social Emotional Learning is Not Enough: Teaching Students the Neuroscience of Pain, Association of Teacher Educators National Conference, Washington, DC, July 2023
Curfman, SE, Lindsley, S, An Anatomy Review of Neurodynamic Testing of the Upper Extremity, APTA TN, Nashville, TN, March, 2023
Curfman, SE, McConnell, R, Austin, GP, Healthcare educators’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about pain, Education Leadership Conference, Academy of Physical Therapy Education, Atlanta, GA, October 2021
Curfman, SE, Austin, GP, Nicholas, JS, Radack, BM, Differences in Pain Neuroscience Perspectives between Physical Therapy Students and Clinical Instructors. Combined Sections Meeting, APTA, Denver, CO, February 2020
Curfman, SE, Austin, GP, Nicholas, JS, Radack, BM, PT and PA Students Differ in Perceptions, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs about Persistent Pain. Combined Sections Meeting, APTA, Denver, CO, February 2020
Curfman, SE, Austin, GP, Nicholas, JS, Radack, BM, Pain Neuroscience Education Changes PA Student Intervention Patterns, Including Physical Therapy Referrals. Combined Sections Meeting, APTA, Denver, CO, February 2020
Curfman, SE, Austin, GP, Nicholas, JS, Radack, BM, Pain Neuroscience Knowledge and Pain Perspectives: A Longitudinal Study of DPT Students and Faculty. Combined Sections Meeting, APTA, Denver, CO, February 2020
Curfman, SE, Nicholas, JS, Student Attitudes and Beliefs About Active Learning: Relationship to Emotional Intelligence, Group Dynamics and Student Performance, CSM of APTA, Washington DC, January 2019
Curfman, SE, Austin, GP, Nicholas, JS, Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about pain in third-year DPT students and clinical instructors, AAOMPT, Reno, NV, November, 2018
Curfman SE & Austin GP, Student attitudes and beliefs about active learning and the impact of a graduate level anatomy course, Combined Sections Meeting, APTA, New Orleans, LA, February, 2018
Curfman SE & Austin GP, Post-traumatic stress and academic performance among entry-level doctoral physical therapy students in a human anatomy cadaver dissection course, Combined Sections Meeting, APTA, New Orleans, LA, February, 2018
Curfman, SE, Grandeo J, Neurodynamics: Application and differential diagnosis for common clinical presentations. Virginia Physical Therapy Association’s annual conference; Chantilly, VA, October 7, 2016
Curfman, SE Measuring for Lymphedema with L-Dex in a Woman with Breast Cancer Using Crutches to Walk After Knee Surgery: A Case Study Report, Combined Sections Meeting, APTA, Anaheim, CA, February 20, 2016
Osteoarthritis: Updating Our Understanding, Arthritis Foundation, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee Chapters, April 2023
The Science and Humanity of Pain, Arthritis Foundation, Ohio Chapter, April 2022
Modern Pain Science: Applications to Arthritis, Arthritis Foundation, Tennessee Chapter, January 2022
Hope Dealers: Bringing Hope to the World by Understanding Pain, Belmont Talks and Experiences Series, Presidential Inauguration Celebration, Belmont University, November 2021
Words Still Matter and Applications to Patients with Shoulder Pain, Rapid Rehabilitation, Winchester, VA, June 2021
Words Matter: Working with Patients in Pain, Rapid Rehabilitation, Winchester, VA, May 2021
Pain Neuroscience and Persistent Pain for PA’s. University of Lynchburg, School of PA Medicine, September 2019
Teaching and Learning Center DuPont Innovative Teaching Grant, University of Lynchburg, VA, 2019, The Effect of Pain Neuroscience Education in Masters PA Medicine Education, $1000
Faculty Development Grant, University of Lynchburg, VA, 2019, Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about pain in third-year DPT students and clinical instructors, $1,250
Faculty Development Grant, University of Lynchburg, VA, 2018, Student attitudes and beliefs about active learning and the impact of a graduate level anatomy course, $925
Teaching and Learning Center DuPont Innovative Teaching Grant, University of Lynchburg, VA, 2017, The influence of Emotional Intelligence and Social Competence, peer and faculty feedback on student attitudes and beliefs about active learning, $1000
Faculty Development Grant, University of Lynchburg, VA, 2017, Physical Therapy Decreases Shoulder Impairments & Functional Limitations in a Woman Receiving Radiation Treatment for Breast Cancer, $380
Teaching and Learning Center DuPont Innovative Teaching Grant, University of Lynchburg, VA, 2016 Students’ attitudes and beliefs about active learning and the impact in a doctoral level anatomy course, $1000