Biography
Regan Harrell has a faculty member for four years. She is a doctoral candidate whose research focuses on vestibular assessment and rehabilitation, with particular interest in improving the accuracy and standardization of video head impulse testing across all six semicircular canals. Her clinical and scholarly work centers on individuals with vestibular dysfunction and neurological conditions, including those recovering from traumatic brain injury. Harrell is also an innovator in physical therapy education, integrating AI-powered clinical reasoning tools into doctoral training to better prepare students for the complexity of real-world neurological practice.
Education
- Bachelor of Science, Duquesne University
- Doctor of Physical Therapy, Duquesne University
Awards
- Promotion for Doctoral Studies II Scholarship for “Establishing the Validity and Reliability of a New Testing Protocol for Vertical Canal Head Impulses during the Video Head Impulse Test”, 2024
- Second Place for “Does Laterality of Traumatic Brain Injury Predict Side of Involvement in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo?” from the Brain Injury Special Interest Group of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy at the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting
Research Interests
- Vestibular disorders in those with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries
- Development of technology for the diagnosis and treatment of vestibular disorders
Publications
- “Surveying physical therapists’ understanding of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo”
- “The Prevalence of Symptom Reporting for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in a Traumatic Brain Injury Population”
- “Vestibular rehabilitation in cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome”
Professional Organization Appointments
- Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association
- International Neurologic Physiotherapy Association
Certificates
- Board-Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy