Welcome Dr. Michael Gevertzman
The Programs in Physical Therapy is excited to welcome Michael Gevertzman, PT, DPT, Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist to our team. Dr. Gevertzman graduated from our program in 2019 and is very excited to return to the program as a member of our esteemed faculty. He notes that the two main qualities of the program that appealed to him as a student – the demand for excellence and the culture of support – are the same that prompted him to join the faculty, and he is incredibly grateful for the opportunity.
Dr. Gevertzman’s primary clinical experience comes from working with individuals with neurodegenerative disorders. He gained invaluable experience working with individuals who have movement disorders, neuro-immunologic/neuro-inflammatory disorders, and cognitive dysfunction. In his role in an outpatient neurodegenerative clinic, he served as the rehabilitation champion for multiple sclerosis, ataxia, vestibular dysfunction, normal pressure hydrocephalus, and research. He constantly collaborated with an interdisciplinary team that included neurologists, nurse practitioners, neuropsychologists, health psychologists, social workers, and other rehabilitation professionals, and he learned so much from all of them.
Dr. Gevertzman is very passionate about teaching, both in the clinic and the classroom. Clinically, he served in a senior clinical role for other clinicians while also serving as a clinical instructor for multiple students each year. He was awarded a grant from by the Foundation of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers to create and deliver two week-long education programs for rehabilitation professionals for advanced training in interdisciplinary care for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. Simultaneously, Dr. Gevertzman taught the Neuroanatomy Lab course for the DPT program at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which included both a lecture component and cadaveric dissection, and it was a wonderful introduction to teaching at the doctoral level. At CUIMC, he is grateful for the opportunity to continue his focus on teaching, and hopes to facilitate the development of a neurologic physical therapy residency to provide an opportunity for high-quality post-graduate training for professionals looking to become experts in neurologic PT.
Dr. Gevertzman is currently pursuing his PhD in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and anticipates defending his dissertation within the next year. His research focuses on neurodegenerative disorders and has been presented at conferences nationally and internationally. He hopes to foster strong interdisciplinary collaborations throughout CUIMC while developing robust research agendas over the coming years.
Having recently graduated from the program, Dr. Gevertzman wants to remind each student that their DPT curriculum is only the first part of their educational journey. The habits that they develop during their graduate studies will serve them for the rest of their careers as they develop into life-long learners, and they should learn to strike an appropriate work-life balance as soon as possible while striving for excellence in all areas of their development. Finally, he recommends being open-minded when it comes to the different aspects of being a physical therapist – he initially intended to pursue sports PT and wanted to work with the NHL, but now he cannot imagine doing anything other than working with the neurologic population.
Although Dr. Gevertzman does not have much time for hobbies as his PhD is underway, he loves spending his free time with his wife and son (a toddler who keeps him on his toes!) along with the rest of his family and friends. He loves playing sports, and especially loves watching professional hockey. He loves traveling and exploring new places and he plans to do a lot more of it over the next few years.