CHS Welcomes New Faculty - Meet Dr. Camila Torriani-Pasin

Published January 18, 2023
By Darlene Muguiro
UTEP College of Health Sciences

This spring, the College of Health Sciences (CHS) is welcoming several new faculty members in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

We are pleased to present the first profile, featuring Dr. Camila Torriani-Pasin, associate professor of Physical Therapy. Dr. Torriani-Pasin comes to UTEP from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Her clinical focus as a practicing physical therapist was in neurological rehabilitation. She received a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and a PhD from the University of Sao Paulo, as well as a residency in neurological rehabilitation at the Federal University of Sao Paulo.

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Like many of her peers, Dr. Camila Torriani-Pasin was initially drawn to UTEP and the El Paso community by the warmth of the Hispanic-majority population and the city’s family-friendly atmosphere. She says that the city definitely met the expectations that were set when she was doing her research online.

“I am a Latin person, coming from Brazil, so the warm welcome that I received from everybody when I first arrived – from students to staff and faculty – fit my expectations,” she said. “When I finished my interview, I felt really suited to the city, and I knew that it would be a good move for me and my family.”

While at UTEP for her interview, Torriani-Pasin was struck by the demeanor of the students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, who she says asked very thoughtful questions and used their time with very wisely.

“The students asked me why I was leaving my other university, why I was applying to UTEP, and what I could bring to the DPT program,” she said. “They also asked me to provide recommendations about their own personal and professional development, and I thought that was a very smart thing to do.” 

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, which cross both the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program, Torriani-Pasin will continue her research and build a new laboratory focused on neurorehabilitation. Her research, which aims to provide outcomes at both the system and individual level, will focus on patients in the El Paso area who have experienced a stroke. She looks forward to future opportunities to supervise PhD students in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Program and to receive new students into her laboratory.

“I believe that once we understand people’s experiences after having a stroke, we can definitely tailor an intervention, based on their needs, to get them to become more physically active and reduce their sedentary behavior,” she said. “Students who are interested in working with me will have the opportunity to learn how research is planned and conducted as well as how to extract information from the research and use it in their daily clinical practice.”

To learn more about Dr. Torriani-Pasin’s research, please email her at ctorrianip@utep.edu

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Go Miners!