Jerry-Thomas Monaco, PT, DPT, OCS.

Full Time Faculty
Department of Physical Therapy

I have served on the DPT program as an adjunct faculty member since 2014 and began my full-time position in 2020. I began my career as a physical therapist in 2006 with a passion for orthopedics and sports medicine. Most of my clinical experience has mostly been in hospital-based outpatient rehabilitation centers where I am able to collaborate with multiple healthcare clinicians. I am orthopedic-residency trained and a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), with a strong concentration in movement science and human performance. As a former faculty member of the Select Medical/Kessler Orthopedic Residency Program and clinical instructor, I developed a passion and enthusiasm for teaching. My goal as an educator is to influence the education of future physical therapists in guiding them to collaborate with other healthcare professions for the betterment of their patients and in preparing them for real-world experiences in order to achieve professional success. I am currently pursuing my PhD in Sport and Human Performance at Rocky Mountain University where my dissertation involves the effects of exercise on surfing performance.

My research interests include sports and exercise science, teaching methods in physical therapy, clinical preparation, and mentoring in health care. Specifically, I am interested in the biomechanics and training methodologies of both running and surfing, age-related changes in biomechanics with runners, conservative treatment strategies for the overhead athlete, and the use of video as a teaching method for spinal manual therapy for physical therapy students.

I am a former division 1 athlete where I competed in Cross-County and Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field for Quinnipiac University. In my spare time, I enjoy running, surfing year-round, and hiking in nearby parks. I currently live in the Highlands with my wife Jill and our dog, Sidney.