Inês Charrua Pires dos Santos

Inês Charrua Pires dos Santos holds the position of Visiting Assistant Professor at the School of Health of the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal, where she teaches courses such as Ethical and Professionalism, Patient-Centered Practice, and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. She concurrently serves as a First Class Technician in the Medical-Surgical Clinic of the Time Calendar. Her academic trajectory includes a PhD in Public Health (Epidemiology specialization) at the National School of Public Health (New University of Lisbon), alongside a Master’s (Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy) and Bachelor’s (Physiotherapy) from the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal.

Education:

• PhD in Public Health (2021–2026), National School of Public Health, New University of Lisbon
• Master’s in Physiotherapy (2016–2018), Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal & National School of Public Health
• Bachelor’s in Physiotherapy (2012–2016), Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal

Research Interests: Focused on clinical education innovations, communication skills in healthcare, and epidemiological approaches to musculoskeletal disorders. She actively explores simulation-based learning, patient-centered care methodologies, and the integration of communication competencies into undergraduate curricula. Her work emphasizes bridging theoretical knowledge with clinical practice through pedagogical experimentation.

Teaching & Academic Contributions:

• Developed courses on clinical reasoning, ethics, and musculoskeletal physiotherapy
• Organized conferences like the 2016 Advanced Topics in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy
• Authored peer-reviewed conference presentations on clinical simulation and communication training

Professional Roles:

• Member of the Portuguese Physiotherapists’ Order
• Participant in employer-focused workshops for physiotherapy students

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at the School of Health and the Medical-Surgical Clinic, focusing on practical skill development and evidence-based clinical practices.