Sara Scholtes

Dr. Scholtes completed her BA at Luther College and her DPT and PhD degrees from Washington University in St. Louis.  She also has completed the Education Leadership Institute Fellowship through the American Physical Therapy Association. Her passion teaching area is clinically applied kinesiology, teaching students how the science of movement influences clinical examinations.  Her research interests are in movement science and a better understanding of how movement influences musculoskeletal pain conditions and physical therapy education.  

Dr. Scholtes is a native Iowan who has attempted to move south of the snow and cold, but the opportunity to develop a DPT Program outweighed the cold Chicagoland winters.  She enjoys running, doing puzzles, and, when inspiration strikes, dabbling with minor projects around the house. Her best project to date is building her own dining room table. 

"As the Program Director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, I am excited to have the opportunity to combine my passions for physical therapy education and the human movement system to create an excellent doctor of physical therapy curriculum founded on a liberal arts education.  The future of physical therapy and health care relies on the ability of practitioners to think critically, communicate effectively, and adapt quickly while maintaining contemporary expertise.  I believe my liberal arts education, excellent physical therapy education, advanced training in the human movement system, and experience with a variety of physical therapy curricula have prepared me to develop an excellent and engaging Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at North Central College.  I enjoy working with faculty, staff, and students who are as passionate about our vision, mission, values, and program commitment as I am." 

Selected Scholarship

Scholtes SA, Bettin NM, Smith MP, Cammarata ML. Balancing Learning with Mental Health in an Innovative Curricular Approach. Educational Session, Educational Leadership Conference of the American Physical Therapy Association, Milwaukee, WI, October 2022.

Scholtes SA, Bettin NM. A competency-based curriculum integrating movement science with the liberal arts. Poster Presentation, Innovation Summit for Health Professions Education 2021, Omaha, NE, Virtual Conference, June 2021.

Di Staulo, AM, Scholtes SA, Salsich GB.  A Descriptive Report of the Variability in 3D Hip and Knee Kinematics during a Single Limb Squat in Women who have Patellofemoral Pain and Visually Classified Dynamic Knee Valgus. 2019;doi: 10.1080/09593985.2019.1698082. [Epub ahead of print]

Scholtes SA, Salsich GB. Consistency of dynamic knee valgus kinematics and pain across functional tasks in females with patellofemoral pain. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2020:15(6):985-994.

Scholtes SA, Salsich GB.  A dynamic valgus index that combines hip and knee angles: Assessment of utility in females with patellofemoral pain.  Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2017;12(3):333-340.