Roberta Bertie Gatlin

Roberta “Bertie” Gatlin, PT, DSc, PCS, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Emory & Henry University and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Department of Physical Therapy. With over 28 years of clinical experience, she specializes in pediatric physical therapy within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and early childhood (0-3 years population), focusing on optimizing therapeutic interventions through research and professional leadership.

Education:

• BS in Special Education (1986), University of Memphis
• BS in Physical Therapy (1989), University of Tennessee Health Science Center
• DSc in Physical Therapy with emphasis in Neurological and Pediatric Physical Therapy (2013), University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Research Interests: Her work addresses critical NICU challenges, including sound level impacts on infant development, wound care practices for premature infants, and establishing normative data for the Infant Motor Profile in the United States. These areas integrate clinical practice, patient safety, and standardized assessment tools for early childhood motor development.

Professional Contributions: Bertie serves as Secretary on the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association Executive Committee, Regional VI Director, and Vice-Chair of the Neonatology Specialty Interest Group within the Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy (American Physical Therapy Association). These roles highlight her commitment to advancing pediatric physical therapy standards and advocacy.