Welcome, Dr. Jennifer Cunningham
The Programs in Physical Therapy is excited to welcome Dr. Jennifer Cunningham as our new Director of Clinical Education. In addition to this role, she joins our faculty as an Assistant Professor.
Dr. Cunningham shares her journey, insights, and what she's looking forward to in her new role.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the faculty in the Programs in Physical Therapy at Columbia, as part of the DCE team and leading the Cardiopulmonary courses,” Dr. Jennifer Cunningham says with a smile, and for good reason. After years of mentoring students and guiding clinical experiences, this step feels like both a natural progression and a dream realized.
For her, Columbia has always stood out, one of those reasons being the spirit of its students. “Throughout my career, the Columbia students I’ve worked with have been some of the most enthusiastic, engaged, and driven individuals. Their passion for becoming the best PTs they can be made a profound impression on me. So, when I began to seriously consider a transition into academia, I knew exactly where I wanted to be.”
Her journey in physical therapy began at Northeastern University, where she graduated in 2009. By 2013, she was already shaping future clinicians as a clinical instructor. That passion for education only grew, leading her to serve as an adjunct professor at Hunter College’s DPT program for eight years, specifically in an innovative simulation-based acute care course at NYSIM. She also served as SCCE at NYP-Brooklyn, where she became rehab supervisor of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, a CARF-accredited brain injury unit, while earning board certification in geriatrics.
Dr. Cunningham has presented nationally on clinical teaching, first clinical experiences, and simulation-based debriefing. And now, while pursuing an EdD at Northeastern, her research focus will center on methods of teaching within clinical education, a field she knows deeply and is passionate about evolving.
Her clinical experience spans acute care at every level: ICU, transplant, trauma, elective ortho, and inpatient rehab. “But what I love most is helping students learn to connect the classroom to the clinical, building critical thinking, embracing uncertainty, and realizing that the most dynamic moments in patient care are often the most meaningful.”
When asked for advice for students, she reflects: “Take every opportunity with an open heart and an open mind. Sometimes what feels like an inconvenience turns out to be a life-changing experience, you just don’t know it yet. And if something scares you, it probably means you should do it.”
Outside the clinic and classroom, she enjoys spending time with her family. Married to her high-school sweetheart, she’s the proud mom of three daughters — Alexandra (5), Mallory (2), and Charlotte (5 months). Whether it’s skiing, traveling, or spending time at the beach, their adventures together are her greatest joy.