Joanne (Jo) Pflugfelder is a Lecturer in Clinical Education within the School of Health at UniSC and an experienced physiotherapist with more than 20 years of clinical practice across Australia and Canada. Her professional background spans multiple acute care settings including cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, orthopaedics and trauma, general medicine and surgery, intensive care and multi-organ transplant surgery. She also has some experience in rehabilitation and community care.
Alongside her academic role, Jo currently works as a Senior Physiotherapist and Second in Charge at Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital. She has extensive experience supporting work-integrated learning, student supervision, professional practice development and industry engagement, with a strong focus on creating authentic and supportive clinical learning environments that prepare students for contemporary healthcare practice.
Jo has supervised physiotherapy students for more than two decades across tertiary teaching hospitals, regional health services and private healthcare settings. She has developed strong partnerships with universities and healthcare providers across South East Queensland and has maintained a consistent record of successful student placement outcomes.
Her areas of clinical expertise include cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, acute orthopaedic rehabilitation, acute medical and surgical care, patient safety, and clinical education. Jo is passionate about supporting students as they transition into professional practice and fostering confidence, reflective practice and clinical reasoning skills within healthcare environments.
Jo is also involved in quality improvement and research activities, including participation in the RAPSODI study investigating outcomes following shoulder replacement surgery. Her emerging academic interests include women’s health and longevity, clinical education and healthcare leadership.
She is currently completing a Graduate Certificate in Leadership (Healthcare) through the University of Tasmania.
Professional Memberships
- Registered Physiotherapist with AHPRA
Teaching areas
- HLT106 Allied Health Assistant Clinical Placement