Rusty Bishop

Rusty Bishop is an Adjunct Instructor at Samuel Merritt University, teaching in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. He currently serves as Director of the VA Palo Alto Orthopedic Residency, focusing on training physical therapists for primary care roles. Previously, he held active duty roles in the U.S. Air Force and led the VA Monterey dry needling training program. He holds a DPT from Samuel Merritt University (2011), a PNF Kaiser Vallejo residency (2011-2012), and an OCS certification (2017).

His research emphasizes physical therapists functioning as frontline providers in primary care systems, advocating for more efficient healthcare delivery. Teaching focuses include diagnostic ultrasound, imaging, and direct access PT skills. He has been recognized with the VA/DOD Clinical Site of Excellence award in 2020.

Professional affiliations include the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). His clinical leadership includes developing dry needling programs and managing residency training initiatives.