When it comes to helping others move, heal and perform at their best, Elena Doctor, MS, CSCS, CSPS, believes every individual—regardless of age or ability—deserves an evidence-based exercise plan built for them.
Elena, who joined Logan University’s Master of Science in Sports Science and Rehabilitation (MSSSR) program as an adjunct professor in 2023, teaches “Exercise Prescription for Special Populations.” Recently, she led a complete redesign of the course as the program transitioned from a 15-week to a 7-week model, an effort that allowed her to combine her hands-on, real-world experience with innovative teaching methods.
“I wanted the course to be as applicable as possible,” Elena said. “It’s essentially a playbook for patient progress, something students can take and use in their own settings, whether they work with athletes, children, cardiac patients or older adults.”
Elena’s expertise comes from years spent working in The University of Missouri’s (Mizzou) Human Performance Program, where she serves as an exercise physiologist and works with individuals from children to adults in their nineties. Her day-to-day work training people with diverse health conditions shaped how she approached the course’s new structure.
“Working with special populations requires flexibility,” she explained. “Everyone is an athlete in some way. The same principles of exercise design apply across the spectrum—it’s just about knowing how to adapt them.”
The redesign process took nearly a year and involved close collaboration with Logan’s course design and academic teams, including Brittany Ramirez, DC (15), MS (’18), LAT, ATC, CCSP, program director of Logan’s MSSSR; Allison Plackemeier, Logan’s assistant instructional designer; and Jessica Judah, Logan’s director of production and design. Together, they transformed the course into an interactive, well-organized experience that helps students connect theory to practice.
While balancing her work at Mizzou and course development at Logan, Elena also worked towards her Doctorate in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences from Mizzou, which she is set to graduate from in 2029. With a busy schedule, Elena said time management was key.
“It was definitely a juggle,” she said. “Some weeks were smooth; some were pure damage control. But seeing it all come together made it worth it.”
In the course, students learn the foundational principles of exercise programming early on, then apply those principles to real-world cases during the second half of the term. The format allows for deeper engagement and meaningful reflection—something Elena considers essential for professional growth.
“The students come from all kinds of backgrounds—cardiac rehab, personal training, gym teacher—and seeing them connect the material to their own work is incredible,” she said. “I learn as much from them as they do from me.”
For Elena, the most rewarding part has been sharing what she and her colleagues at Mizzou have built over the years.
“It’s amazing to take what I’ve learned working at Mizzou’s Human Performance Program and turn it into a class that’s shared with future clinicians, coaches and health professionals,” she said. “It feels like the impact reaches far beyond.”
Outside the classroom, Elena continues her research in the Mizzou Motion Analysis Center, where her team is developing and validating a motion capture system called the MPASS. The project integrates technology and movement science—an extension of her passion for bridging research, clinical application and education.
Her interdisciplinary approach is exactly what makes Logan’s MSSSR program thrive.
“Logan really values collaboration,” Elena said. “It’s the perfect place to bring everything together—research, teaching and practical application.”