Grant Bitzer

Dr. Grant Bitzer’s research centers on advancing clinical education and care delivery within acute care physical therapy through the integration of learning health system (LHS) principles. His work explores key mechanisms through which an LHS influences therapists’ “joy in work." He is particularly interested in understanding how organizational structures, professional autonomy, and collaborative practice environments contribute to clinician engagement and well-being.

Dr. Bitzer is also engaged in research examining the Integrated Practice Unit (IPU) model as an innovative approach to acute care physical therapy delivery. This work seeks to define, operationalize, and evaluate IPU adherence and its impact on care quality, interprofessional collaboration, and system-level outcomes.

A core focus of his scholarship lies in patient education and clinical education, grounded in Kolb's experiential learning theory. His research examines the experiential learning processes by which Doctor of Physical Therapy students develop competence in delivering patient-centered education within inpatient clinical settings. Building on this work, he investigates structured mentorship models for clinical educators, including peer-supported approaches designed to strengthen teaching confidence, feedback practices, and educator identity development.