Dr. Rachel Verrill first came to Simmons to obtain both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. Soon after graduation, she began working as an adjunct faculty member for her favorite course: Advanced Human Anatomy. She then became more involved as a tutorial leader and lab instructor for the first year DPT courses while building her clinical experience. Dr. Verrill transitioned to a full-time faculty member in 2020. Between 2021 and 2025, Dr. Verrill worked to obtain her PhD in Health Professions Education and successfull defended her dissertation in April 2025 titled "Impact of Dissection Modality on Psychomotor Skills for Palpation in Doctor of Physical Therapy Students".
Dr. Verrill worked in outpatient orthopedics for Newton Wellesley Hospital starting in 2016 with a focus on women’s health and pelvic floor PT. During her time at Newton Wellesley, she served as a clinical instructor for several full time students and loves watching students transition what they have learned from the classroom to being hands on with the patient. She continues to actively practice as a pelvic floor physical therapist and is the owner of Basin PT and Wellness.
In her free time, Dr. Verrill is an avid hiker and competitive powerlifter. She finds peace exploring the woods with her wife Amber and dog Pemi and can often be found camping, hiking, and kayaking throughout the wilderness of New England.
Education
- PhD, Health Professions Education, Simmons University
- DPT, Simmons University
- BS, Exercise Science, from Simmons University
Courses
- DPT 621 Advanced Human Anatomy
- DPT 732 Neuroanatomy
- DPT Capstone Research Advisor
Area of Expertise
- Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
- LGBTQ+ needs in the rehab setting
- Anatomy Education
Licenses/Certifications
Licensed Physical Therapist, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
APTA American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists: Orthopedic Clinical Specialist
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
American Physical Therapy Association
Community Engagement
- Provides educational sessions around LGBTQ+ needs and experiences to rehabilitation departments for improving patient support and belonging
- Provides educational sessions around breast care in the breastfeeding patient Physical Therapy practices to improve access to modern treatment options for these patients.
Awards
Ruth Hall Award Nominee – 2015
Deborah Heller Award for Outstanding Achievement in Physical Therapy – 2016
Shout-outs from Students and Alums
PT Student Embraces Disability-Centric Approach
Bringing a distinctive methodology to her profession, Amanda Michel ’23, ’25DPT has already made headlines, gracing the cover story of American Physical Therapy Association magazine (July 2024). We spoke with her about disability-informed research, her love of dance, and the supportive atmosphere of Simmons.
DPT Students Present Research at National Meeting of American Physical Therapy Association
Seven third-year students in the Simmons Doctor of Physical Therapy program presented their collaborative, peer-reviewed research at this year's Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) of the American Physical Therapy Association.