Mahlon Stewart, PT, PhD

  • Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine (Physical Therapy) at CUMC
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Overview

Dr. Stewart is the Director of Clinical Education for Columbia University's Program in Physical Therapy and an alumnus of the program. He earned his PhD in Health Promotion and Wellness from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, Utah. Dr. Stewart is a board-certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist and collaborates with the NewYork-Presbyterian Liver Transplantation team to design pre-operative exercise programs aimed at reducing frailty and improving post-surgical outcomes.

His early clinical training was at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, New Jersey. He also brings experience in community health leadership, having served as founding President and Board Chair of Neighbor2Neighbor in Greenwich Village, an all-volunteer organization supporting older adults aging in their own homes.

Dr. Stewart has presented at both local and national conferences on clinical education in physical therapy and on health-related quality of life for the "oldest-old" residents of New York City. He is an active member of APTA-New York and the New York/New Jersey Clinical Education Consortium, where he previously served as chair of the Research Committee.

Academic Appointments

  • Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine (Physical Therapy) at CUMC

Administrative Titles

  • Co-Director, Clinical Education, Programs in Physical Therapy

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • DPT, Physical Therapy, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
  • BA, Art History, Trinity College

Committees, Societies, Councils

American Physical Therapy Association

The Gerontological Society of America

Honors & Awards

Geriatric Certified Specialist, American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities

Physical Therapy Learning Institute Education Innovator Award

APTA Mary McMillan Scholarship Award

Joseph C. Reily Award for Distinguished Service, Screen Actors Guild, New York Branch

Columbia University Program in Physical Therapy Mary E. Callahan Award

American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure "Top Team" Fundraising Award (2012 & 2013)

Research

Research Interests

Aging in cities; Sustainable solutions for aging in place; Prevention & wellness programs for older adults; Physical Therapy cinical education

Selected Publications

Stewart MK., Wong CK, Mielenz TJ, Gravano TN. Health-related quality of life and the oldest-old: aging-in-community during COVID-19 [abstract]. J Geriatric Phys Ther. 2022;45(1):E45

Stewart MK., Curren T, Platt I, Xue SC. (2021). Pivot, Don't Panic: A Serendipitous Transition of a Student-Run Elective to an Online Platform. Platform presentation at AC, APTA CSM. Online.

Stewart, MK., De Mattos, TC., Vargas, SD. (2020). A Model for a Student-Created, Student-Led Elective in the DPT Curriculum. Poster Session presentation at AC, APTA CSM, Denver, CO. ( Physical Therapy Learning Institute Education Innovator Award - Outstanding Poster Presentation)

Stewart MK., Adler, E., Cohane, Z., Sinodinos, J. (2019). The evolution of a student-created, student-led elective and its place in the DPT curriculum. Poster Session presentation at AC, APTA CSM, New Orleans, LA.

Stewart, MK., Lipsky, J., Whited, S. (2018). 'Perspectives on Practice': a student-created, student-led elective and its place in the DPT curriculum. Poster session presentation at AC, APTA CSM, New Orleans, LA.

Stewart, MK., & Unger, I. (2013). Expanding the horizons of brain tumor rehabilitation. Brain Tumour, 4, 26-27.

Krasinski, D., Frey, R., Stewart, MK., Carotenuto, J., Vorst, L. V., Dunaway, S., . . . Vitale, M. (2008). Short-term Activity Outcomes following Orthopaedic Surgery in Children with Neurological Impairment. Poster presentation at the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, Nashville, TN.

Stewart, MK. (2005). Reclaiming our Hearts. In P. C. Hoy, D. A. Forrest, & A. McKenzie (Eds.), Mercer Street 2004-2005: a collection of essays from the expository writing program (pp. 79-81). New York, NY: New York University.

Podcasts:

Stewart, MK. Interprofessional Education with Dr. Laurel Abbruzzese (Featuring Dr. Laurel Daniels Abbruzzese). Health Education Transformation Podcast [Internet]; 2022 August 15.

Stewart, MK. Who is teaching whom? Graduate students directing their own education (Featuring Dr. Iris Platt). Health Education Transformation Podcast [Internet]; 2022 May 28.

Poen B, Feil FS, Weyrauch S. New York/ New Jersey PT Clinical Education Consortia (Featuring Drs. Nicki Silberman, Vicki LaFay, Lonnie Stewart, Angela Stolfi, & Kelly Meyers) Part 1. Health Education Transformation Podcast [Internet]; 2020 February 5. Podcast 00:31:49. Available from: https://healthcareeducationtransformationpodcast.libsyn.com/clinical-education-consortia-overview-part-1-featuring-drs-nicki-silberman-vicky-lafay-lonnie-stewart-angela-stolfi-kelly-meyers

Poen B, Feil FS, Weyrauch S. New York/ New Jersey PT Clinical Education Consortia (Featuring Drs. Nicki Silberman, Vicki LaFay, Lonnie Stewart, Angela Stolfi, & Kelly Meyers) Part 2. Health Education Transformation Podcast [Internet]; 2020 February 5. Podcast 00:25:24. Available from: https://healthcareeducationtransformationpodcast.libsyn.com/part-2-new-yorknew-jersey-pt-clinical-education-consortia-featuring-drs-nicki-silberman-vicky-lafay-lonnie-stewart-angela-stolfi-kelly-meyers

McKay J. Looking to the future of clinical education in physical therapy. FOXcast PT Podcast [Internet]; 2019 December 4. Podcast 00:17:32. Available from: https://www.foxrehab.org/podcast/foxcast-pt-looking-future-clinical-education-physical-therapy/

Poen B, Feil FS, Weyrauch S. Student-led elective in the DPT curriculum. Health Education Transformation Podcast [Internet]; 2018 August 25. Podcast: 00:48:15. Available from: https://healthcareeducationtransformationpodcast.libsyn.com/student-led-elective-in-dpt-curriculum