Tina M. Meyer, PA-C
Clinical consultant, faculty
Responsibilities
Tina is a clinician and educator serving as a clinical consultant and faculty member with CDHP. Tina's extensive experience in rehabilitation and general medicine makes her an excellent instructor of PA, NP and Do students. Tina developed and teaches a two-semester on-line course in the Masters of Health Sciences program (MSHPE 5071/5072). This course teaches clinicians how to modify the traditional visit strategies and examination techniques to better provide primary health care for persons with disabilities. She is a guest lecturer in the PA and DO programs, teaching clinical issues concerning persons with neuromuscular disabilities. Tina is an accomplished public speaker. She lectures regularly on behalf of CDHP to blind consumers on a variety of health topics at Blindness Support Services in Riverside, California. She was the keynote speaker at the annual conference of the California Council for the Blind in 2002. Tina also designs and implements workshops for health professionals aimed at improving their knowledge and skill of the clinical needs of persons with disability.
Background
Tina served as house staff and associate director of activities at Salem Christian Home for the Developmentally disabled from 1977 to 1979 where she provided therapeutic leisure and developed care plans for residents at all functional levels. While in nursing school, she became a "rehab tech" at Casa Colina Hospital for Rehabilitative Medicine in 1979 where she discovered her love of rehabilitation and a knack for movement analysis. In 1985 she acquired a physical therapy associate license. She remained at Casa until 1989, providing primary rehabilitation of persons following catastrophic injury and illness. Tina served as the coordinator of the Regys Computerized Electrical Stimulation Program for spinal cord injured persons. She developed and implemented many therapeutic programs. Along with two colleagues, she is credited with bringing Neuro-Developmental Training (NDT) to the facility. Tina served as the first aid attendant for the wheelchair sports department where she was an avid participant in outdoor adventure programs. She became a certified disabled driving instructor. Along with her friends in orthotics, she designed devices to allow persons with mobility restrictions to do many things, including a device that allowed a woman paralyzed at the C4 level to "throw" her bridal bouquet! Tina's ability to blend therapeutic techniques led to shorter patient stays and higher levels of functional independence. Her unique style of patient care eventually led to recognition within the profession and, upon invitation, she traveled throughout Jalisco, Mexico where she implemented home based rehabilitation instruction to patients and families in outlying areas. She also taught alternative techniques for the facilitation of movement in incomplete SCI patients to the therapeutic staff and physicians at the Mexican American Hospital in Guadalajara, Mexico. Tina's' efforts also led to an invitation to teach the use of functional electrical stimulation as a progressive orthotic device at The Royal Adelaide Spinal Cord Injury Hospital in Adelaide, South Australia. While there, she participated in a study to modify Badragaz techniques (a type of hydrotherapy) to better facilitate movement in the incomplete SCI patient. Throughout her years at Casa, she was a clinical preceptor for PT students. She was also the clinical instructor for medical students studying functional neuroanatomy Tina also served as the liaison to Riverside Community Hospital, Garfield Medical Center and Pomona Valley Community Medical Center, assisting them in the development of rehabilitation services. As a member of the charter class of PA's from the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific/Western University, Tina has been a state and nationally certified Physician Assistant since 1992. Her extensive experience in neurological rehabilitation, family practice, physical, and internal medicine combine to create a unique practitioner. Tina rounded out her skills by attending Inland Valley College/Robert F. Kennedy Law School where she studied civil procedures and tort law. She serves as the medical legal consultant for Gab International.
Tina maintains active membership in state and national PA and PT organizations. She is an active member of CavNet, an advocacy and information dissemination organization concerning the abuse of persons with disability. Tina is a liturgical musician and has professional experience as a vocalist for A & R Records and Lionshare Records, Inc. Tina enjoys crafting and makes burial clothing and baby items for Newborns in Need, Inc. Tina is married and has two daughters. He ambition in the coming years is to develop and implement a formal training program in rehabilitation medicine for Physician Assistants.