Michael Pagliarulo

Brief Bio

I am a New Yorker born and bred. Raised on Long Island, I attended SUNY Buffalo and graduated in 1969 with a BA in biology, but began my professional career with a BS in PT in 1970 from the same institution. After two years as a physical therapist in the US Army (Vietnam War and draft were hot), I entered a two-year graduate program in PT at the University of Southern California and graduated with an MS in 1974 (specialized in musculoskeletal disorders).

My first full time teaching position was at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) from 1975-1980. I moved back to NY in 1980 to continue my academic career at Ithaca College (IC) and have been here ever since. I completed an EdD program in Higher Education Administration in 1988 from Syracuse University. This served me well during my period as chair of the PT program from 1986-1994. My teaching areas began in anatomy and neuroanatomy then included an introductory course in PT. Currently, my teaching responsibilities are in neuroanatomy, histology labs, and current issues in PT. I have also been the academic coordinator of clinical education during my later years at UCSF and early years at IC.

My scholarly activities paralleled my academic interests, beginning with energy costs studies, and then shifting to needs assessment and faculty development. I have also authored a text, Introduction to Physical Therapy. Since my student days at Buffalo, I have been an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association and currently serve as the speaker of the assembly in the New York Physical Therapy Association. I have a wonderful family with my wife, Patricia (also a physical therapist), and 3 adult children, Michael, David, and Elisa. I love to travel and enjoy scuba diving, especially in the clear waters of the Caribbean.