Michelle Reilly

Michelle Reilly is an Associate Professor and Director of Curriculum and Assessment at the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, Creighton University, where she also serves as Program Director for the Sports Physical Therapy Residency Program. She holds a DPT from Creighton (2008) and completed an orthopedic physical therapy residency there in 2009, achieving board certification in 2010. Her expertise spans musculoskeletal rehabilitation, post-operative care, and treatment of performing artists, particularly ballet dancers. She serves as physical therapist for American Midwest Ballet and supports touring performance companies in Omaha.

Her academic career includes teaching at Clarkson College (2009–2016) before transitioning to Creighton in 2017, where she teaches musculoskeletal sequences including Patient Management I and Differential Diagnosis. Reilly’s scholarly work focuses on clinical reasoning education and performing arts medicine. She has led the development of a Clinical Reasoning Learner Blueprint and pioneered integrated laboratory teaching models. She actively contributes to national conferences through presentations on faculty development and clinical pedagogy.

Her research collaborations include biomechanical studies on ballet injury mechanisms and flooring impact analysis, published in Journal of Dance Medicine and Science. She leads curriculum innovation initiatives through the Excellence in Health Professions Education Collaborative and has advised on clinical reasoning assessment tools for physical therapist assistants.