Tara Pearce

Dr. Tara S. Pearce is an Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Education in Physical Therapy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Board-certified in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy, she specializes in intensive care rehabilitation and transition care for medically complex patients.

Her research develops innovative clinical education models using simulation-based learning and examines healthcare delivery systems. Recent work focuses on telehealth implementation and pandemic adaptation in rehabilitation services.

Dr. Pearce received the 2022 Marilyn Gossman Award for Professionalism and multiple APTA Emerging Leader awards. She maintains clinical practice at Children's of Alabama and the STEP transition clinic.

She leads interprofessional education initiatives and serves in leadership roles for APTA sections including Cardiovascular/Pulmonary, Acute Care, and Pediatrics.