Position: Immediate Past Program Director; Part-Time Adjunct Associate Professor
Department: College of Healthcare Professions
Phone: 610-282-1100, x1839
Office: 206 Wills Hall
Education
Dr. Kay Malek is the Immediate Past Program Director and a Part-Time Adjunct Associate Professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at DeSales University. A healthcare provider for nearly 30 years, she has served the profession as a physical therapist assistant, physical therapist, educator, and academic leader.
Dr. Malek began her clinical career treating individuals recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury in inpatient rehabilitation and home care settings. Following completion of her master's degree in physical therapy, she expanded her practice to include acute care and outpatient rehabilitation, working with individuals with neurologic conditions, diabetes, amputations, vestibular disorders, and pediatric diagnoses. She is also a Certified Exercise Expert for the Aging Adult.
At DeSales, Dr. Malek leads the program's Professional Development curriculum, teaching courses focused on effective communication, therapeutic alliance development, servant leadership, and professionalism. She also contributes guest lectures on chronic disease management, neurologic rehabilitation, and qualitative research methods, and provides targeted preparation for students completing the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE).
Dr. Malek has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to professional service and leadership. She is a lifetime member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and has served as a delegate for the Northeast District of APTA Pennsylvania's House of Delegates since 2015. Her service also includes participation on safety and operational committees throughout her academic and clinical career.
Her scholarship focuses on interprofessional education, compassionate communication, clinical education, and rehabilitation outcomes. She has presented nationally on topics including end-of-life care simulation, interprofessional education, fall prevention, and implementation of high-intensity gait training in rehabilitation settings. Recent presentations have been featured at the APTA Education Leadership Conference, the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions Annual Conference, the APTA Combined Sections Meeting, and the APTA Pennsylvania MOVE PA Conference.
Dr. Malek's contributions to teaching and student development were recognized with the College of Healthcare Professions Teacher of the Year Award at DeSales University in 2025.
Through her combined roles as educator, clinician, and academic leader, Dr. Malek advances the program's commitment to professional formation, compassionate care, and service-oriented physical therapy education. She believes that education is a lifelong pursuit and that everyone should embrace any opportunity when it comes to learning new and interesting things. As a parent of two adult sons and six grandchildren, she spends every spare minute of her free time playing and learning with her family.