Melissa Hake and Aaron Rindflesch from the Mayo Clinic Program in Physical Therapy and Kristin Sicotte from the Mayo Clinic presented an Education Session at APTA’s CSM in Anaheim. Their topic was “Accommodations in Clinical Education: Upholding Standards, Setting Expectations, and Addressing Concerns.” The group discussed the legal framework surrounding disability accommodations, the common types of disabilities encountered in physical therapy education, and practical strategies for fostering an inclusive learning environment.
Melissa directs Clinical Education and Service Learning and teaches content on professionalism, ethics, communication, behavior change, teaching and learning, and preparation for the acute care setting. She was the recipient of the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Outstanding Educator Award in 2025.
Aaron is Board Certified as a Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy. His research interests are in teaching and learning, qualitative research and rehabilitation equipment.
Kristin Sicotte is the Site Coordinator of Clinical Education (SCCE) at the Mayo Clinic. In her role, she places and supports over 140 Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) students annually during their clinical experiences, and supports three PT Residency Programs and three OT Fellowship programs.
