uab pt alumni news - august 2013

August 2013

Alumni Advisory Commi ee

David Bryson (‘89) Karlie Brantley (‘08) Jonathan Delk (’99) ‐ (President, PT Chapter of the UAB Na onal Alumni Society) Chantel Jones (‘07) Donna Kay King (‘86) Cheryl Knowles (‘82) Donald Lein (‘88) Tana Lieb (‘09) David Morris (‘90) (Faculty representa ve) Sonya Pearson (‘06)

Inside this issue:

History of UAB PT Educa onal Program Part 2: Growth and Progress (cont. from pg. 1)

2

PT Chair Announces Re rement

Gossman Lectureship Fundraising Campaign

3

Gi Giving

SHPB Building Update

PT Chapter UAB NAS

4

UAB DPT Clinical Educa on News

Six second year students picked to par cipate in Project TransTeam

5

DPT Students Receive Endowed/Named Scholarships

DPT Student Wins Scholarship to MS Conference

DPT Students and Faculty win First Place in Triathalon

6

Class of 2015 Begins Course of Study

UAB DPT Faculty and Students Provide Pro‐bono Services

7

UAB Department of PT FACULTY

McCarthy Accepts Faculty Posi on at Carroll University

8

Graham Elected to Na onal APTA Commi ee

Bickel Named Associate Director for UAB Center

9

Department Publica on (2013) 10

Mehta Joins UAB Department of Physical Therapy Faculty

Alumni News

11

Wilson, UAB PT Alumni Chapter President ,Takes on Exci ng New Job

Delk Named as New UAB PT Alumni President

Online Health Focused Pa ent/Client Management Course Available this Fall

12

Alumni in Ac on 13

Dr. Sharon Shaw, chair of the UAB Department of Physical Therapy, recently announced her

plans to re re from UAB in the Fall of 2013. A Search Commi ee has been formed and a

na onwide search is underway to have a new department chair in place as soon as possible.

Sharon first came to UAB in 1971 to assume a posi on as Assistant Director of Clinical Services

in the University of Alabama Hospitals Physical Therapy Department. At this me the

Department employed only four other physical therapists. Sharon was later promoted to

director and was influen al in enhancing the Department’s infrastructure, se ng a path for the

growth into its current status as a na onwide model for acute care PT services. During her me

at University Hospital, Sharon was par cularly ac ve in developing PT services as part of the

Burn Care Team. To this day, her contribu ons have helped to make UAB a leader in this field

of health care. Sharon le Birmingham for a few years in the mid 1970s. Luckily, she returned

to Birmingham in 1983 and eventually returned to UAB as a faculty member of the UAB physi‐

cal therapist educa onal program and director of the UAB physical therapist assistant

(PTA) program. (cont. on pg. 3)

In the June 2012 Physical Therapy Alumni News, we

reported on the early years of the PT educa onal

program at University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

In this issue, we describe the more recent history of the

program star ng with the official establishment of The

University of Alabama in Birmingham as an independent

University in 1969 (the name was later changed to

University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1984).

Innova ve Curricula

In 1969, the entry‐level Bachelor of Science in PT

program, opened for 5 years at that me, was well

established. The picture on this page shows young faculty

members Jo Clelland, Cara Adams, Marilyn Gossman and

David Cusic at the 1970 commencement ceremonies at

Birmingham’s Boutwell Auditorium, as UAB offered its

first degrees as an autonomous university. In 1972, the

faculty began offering post‐professional educa onal

programs for prac cing PTs. This program offered MS

degrees with specialty tracks in cardiopulmonary,

pediatric, and musculoskeletal physical therapy as well

as an educator track. This program graduated its last

graduate in 2002. In 1973, a physical therapist assistant

program was established in collabora on with

numerous community colleges throughout Ala. The

program was ini ated at a me when there was s ll a

great deal of controversy about the use of physical

therapist assistants in clinical prac ce. (Cont. on pg. 2)

History of the UAB PT Educa onal Program Part 2: Growth and Progress

PT department chair announces re rement

Sharon Shaw, PT, DrPH

Jo Clelland; Cara Adams; Marilyn Gossman and David Cusic

Physical Therapy Alumni News


History of the UAB PT Educa onal Program Part 2: Growth and Progress

This represents one of the many mes

that UAB PT faculty have taken bold and

daring steps to advance the profession of

physical therapy. The PTA educa onal

program was offered along with the entry‐

level PT degree un l the PTA program was

closed in 1994. In 1976, an entry‐level

Master’s of Science PT degree was

established and offered concurrently with

the BS in PT degree un l the BS degree

was phased out in 1982. In 2004, an entry‐

level Doctor of PT degree program was

established and remains the only entry‐

level PT degree offered here at UAB. In

2002, another postprofessional degree

was established for licensed PTs. This

program, the Doctor of Science in PT

degree was established with the goal of

preparing PT educators and clinical

researchers. This program awarded its last

degrees in December of 2012. Finally, the

UAB Departments of Physical Therapy and

Occupa onal Therapy jointly established a

PhD in Rehabilita on Sciences program in

2012. So as you can see, our educa onal

program has a rich history of evalua ng

and responding to the needs of a rapidly

growing profession; physical therapy.

More than Just a Building

The program has been housed in

numerous buildings here on the UAB

campus, including a few structures that no

longer exist. The program was first housed

in the newly constructed and state‐of‐the

art Spain Rehabilita on

Center. In 1970, the program moved to

Crippled Children’s Hospital. Around 1972,

the program moved to a building on 9th

Ave South first known as The Regional

Technical Ins tute (RTI); the program has

moved in and out of this building several

mes. The program then moved to the

Outpa ent Building on 6th Ave South and

19th Street South, to Tidwell Hall 20th

Street South, back to RTI, to the Bishop

Building 19th Street South and then

finally se led into its current loca on in

the School of Health Professions Building

(SHPB). The SHPB is currently undergoing

a major transforma on (see page 4). The

current home, SHPB, is adjacent to the

infamous RTI; which is now a

comprehensive learning center that is

shared between the Schools of Health

Professions and Nursing and called the

Learning Resources Center.

Effec ve and Consistent Leadership

The role of department chair is cri cally

important to any educa onal program.

This individual is responsible for the

development of all departmental

academic and research ac vi es. In its

almost 50 year history, the PT

educa onal program at UAB has been

lead by only a few individuals. The

program was ini ated by Joan Bergman,

PT, PhD; the first PT to be hired at UAB

and who went on to advance Physical

Therapy in a wide variety of ways. Mirian

Jacobs, PT, who worked with Dr. Jonas

Salk during the Polio epidemic, was

Program director from 1966‐1968.

Marilyn Gossman, PT, PhD, FAPTA, was

Department chair from 1968 un l her

un mely death in 1998. Dr. Gossman’s

leadership propelled UAB physical therapy

to na onal prominence. Sharon Shaw, PT,

DrPH, the current Department chair,

assumed the role in 1998 and has

con nued to advance the programs for the

last 15 years.

A Promising Future

Since ini ated on this campus in 1964, the

PT educa onal program at UAB has

experienced tremendous growth and now

boasts thousands of alumni from several

different educa onal curricula supplying

the physical therapy workforce worldwide.

Along the way, our educa onal program

has maintained high rankings and high

licensure exam pass rates for its

graduates. Our faculty and alumni, alike,

have made indelible marks on the physical

therapy profession through clinical care,

research, teaching and service. No doubt

the program will con nue to evolve and

PT students receiving clinical instruction at Spain Rehabilitation Center in 1969.

Alumni News Needed

We are looking for news items about UAB PT Alumni. If you know of news items (e.g., promo ons, awards, births, marriages, etc..) please forward them to David Morris, PT, PhD at [email protected]. Please submit appropriate iden fiers (e.g., maiden names, year of grad-ua on) so that alumni will recognize their classmates.

Gossman Lectureship Fundraising Campaign

The PT Department has iden fied the Marilyn Gossman Lectureship Program as a priority for alumni fundraising for this year.

Established in honor of the late Marilyn Gossman, PT, PhD, FAPTA, Chair of the Department of PT from 1968 to 1998, the pro‐

gram will be an annual event. The recipient of the Lectureship Award will be a PT of prominence who, like Marilyn, has had a

significantly posi ve influence on the profession at a na onal and/or interna onal level. The Lecturer will come to Birmingham

to engage in a variety of ac vi es (including the Annual Lecture) to benefit the Alabama PT community. Dona ons for the

lectureship can be made to the Marilyn R. Gossman Memorial Fund (click here) or visit h ps://www.uab.edu/onliegiving/

eGivingSystem.asp?page=1&unitID=6&fundID=501#AnchorFund

Marilyn Gossman, PT, PhD

PT Department Chair Announces Re rement (cont. from pg. 1)

Under Sharon’s direc on, the PTA program was a top‐ranking academic program un l it closed in 1994 when UAB decided to discon nue

many of its health‐related associate degree programs. Even a er the UAB PTA program closed, Sharon remained ac ve in assis ng

community colleges throughout the state to establish new PTA educa onal programs. Sharon con nued her leadership roles in the

Department of Physical Therapy as Associate director un l the un mely death of the then Director, Marilyn Gossman, PT, PhD, FAPTA in

1998. True to form, Sharon stepped in as interim Director and kept the Division moving forward at this incredible me of loss. Those of us

who were on faculty at this me took great comfort in having Sharon in charge and unanimously endorsed her as permanent Director one

year later. In the 15 years since that me, the Department has con nued to thrive under her leadership.

In addi on to being a highly effec ve physical therapy administrator, Sharon also serves as a shining role model for academic

professionals wishing to posi vely impact the health of their communi es. Sharon became ac ve in AIDS chari es back in the mid 1980s

when the epidemic was having a devasta ng effect on the Birmingham community – even greater than in most southern ci es of similar

size. Sharon and other concerned professionals were responsible for establishing the Aids Task Force of Alabama – an organiza on that

con nues today as AIDS Alabama. Sharon has remained very ac ve in advancing the mission of this organiza on. Since 1991, her

ac vi es/ appointments with this group have included: 1) Public Rela ons/News Media Liaison for Special Events ; 2) Member, Execu ve

Commi ee; 3) Member, Board of Directors (1993‐2008); 4) Secretary ; 5) Chair, Housing and Suppor ve Services Commi ee; 6) Chair,

Mul ply Diagnosed Ini a ve/HOPWA Grant Program ; and 7) President of Board. Her public health background and grant wri ng skills

have been par cularly helpful for these causes as evidenced by her involvement in several AIDS‐related grants including: 1) HIV Service

Planning in the Birmingham SMSA; Funded by the Depart. Of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services, AIDS Task

Force of Alabama ; 2) Rectory House Project, Funded by HOPWA Compe ve Grant 1997/Mul ply Diagnosed Ini a ve, HRSA/AIDS Task

Force of Alabama, and 3) Infec ous Disease Training Needs Assessment of Panel Physicians, Health Consul ng Group, Inc. and Center for

Disease Control and Preven on. Sharon’s contribu ons to AIDS Alabama have significantly contributed to its reputa on as one of the

most successful advocacy groups for persons with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Further, Sharon serves as an inspira on and service role model to

other physical therapy professionals including academicians, clinicians and students.

Most recently, Sharon has collaborated with UAB efforts in Zambia and is currently working with the physiotherapy program in Lusaka to

strengthen their exis ng baccalaureate program and to implement a new post‐professional master’s program in the area of

musculoskeletal dysfunc on. Sharon has both visited the program in Lusaka and been one of the hosts for visi ng faculty. By ac vely

engaging the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program students, we have been able to send books and mul ple CDs with up‐to‐date websites

and other Internet resources to the faculty and students in Lusaka.

As can be seen by these examples, Sharon’s acts of professionalism have produced tremendously posi ve outcomes for UAB, the

Birmingham Community, the state of Alabama, and the physical therapy profession. While she will be greatly missed, her legacy will

con nue in future successes for the Department.

Letter to PT Alumni


Gi s Giving

Below are the gi s opportuni es for the Department of PT.

Bergman‐Pinkston Professorship in Physical Therapy Marilyn R. Gossman Memorial Fund SHP Physical Therapy Gi s Shirley A. Shaddeau Memorial Scholarship Endowment To donate to the School of Health Professions, click here.

Karlie L Brantley Diane Clark Jonathan E Delk Lindsey P. Deweese Amanda N. Ducke Michael Lee Eskridge Steven W Forbush Stacey M Gresham, Debra Kay Heitmann Tina Isabella Cheryl K. Jackson Pamela M. Jeffries Kendell Jno‐Finn Amanda M Krumrie Amanda L Lane

PT Chapter of the UAB NAS

Deborah C. LeCroy David Morris

Melinda S Nixon

Jenesis C. Safford Sharon Shaw Patricia T Smith Emily Donohue Speer Katherine M. Stone Jason M Sumsion Terrance T. Wallace Frances Marion Wedge Ethan W White Olive Elizabeth Whitehead Kathryn K. Whi ield Sheree Chapman York

PASS IT ALONG

While we try to maintain alumni contact informa on, our records are not always up to date. Please share this newsle er with any

colleagues and/or friends who are alumni of our program. Also, please encourage them to send their name, current home/work

address, and email address to h p://www.uab.edu/shp/alumni‐giving/update‐info. If you would

like to join or pay dues that have lapsed, please contact [email protected]

Since 2001, our student popula on has increased from 1,100 students to more than 1,900. The school's research funding has nearly

quadrupled. Programs are spread around mul ple buildings across UAB's campus. Expansion is necessary for current, but more

importantly, future growth. To accommodate this growth, two new floors have been added to the School of Health Professions

Building (see picture). The fi h and sixth floors now house the Health Services Administra on Program and Dean’s office

respec vely. Also, there are new classrooms and research laboratory space for the Physical Therapy Department on the sixth floor.

We are halfway to our building campaign goal of $6 million. Generous people like you have contributed $3 million through pledges

to the building campaign, scholarship support and planned giving. We cannot thank our supporters enough by recognizing their

gi ’s impact on future genera ons of health care leaders and on the future of health care itself. To get a guided tour of the new

building and learn how you can contribute to the building campaign, visit the SHP Building campaign website at h p://

www.uab.edu/shp/campaign/.

SHP Building Addi on Nears Comple on

Alumni Reception August 17, 2013 in Birmingham, Alabama

(see pg. 13).

UAB DPT Clinical Educa on News

Clinical educa on p Clinical educa on allows students the opportuni es to problem solve and cri cally think in the “real world” of Physical Therapy. As a

clinical instructor (CI), you can o en observe the results of these cogni ve processes during pa ent care but it is difficult to evaluate

how they arrived upon these clinical decisions without asking ques ons. These ques ons can lead to great insight on how students

arrive on the decisions they make and allow the CI to evaluate these higher level cogni ve skills and help remediate students if

necessary. To do this effec vely, open ended ques ons need to be used by the CI followed by ac ve listening. For example, the CI

should ask the student ques ons that don’t have one or two word answers. This is generally done by star ng the ques ons with words

like “what” or “why.” Specifically, “Why did you choose this treatment plan for this type of pa ent problem?” or “Why do you think

that you should use the special tests that you chose for this pa ent?” or “What do you think would happen if you chose some other

evalua ve technique?” As you no ce these ques ons do not allow the student to answer with a simple one or two word answer. You

can con nue the conversa on by saying “Tell me more about this technique and the physiology behind this technique.” Using open

ended ques ons will allow you, the CI, to hear how the student is making clinical decision and help correct their thinking when not

correct. Finally, when ques oning the student make sure that you are doing it in a private environment and lead them to

self‐correc on when possible.

Six second year students selected to par cipate in Project TransTeam 2013

Project TransTeam addresses the acute personnel shortages in early

interven on/early childhood special educa on (EI/ECSE) par cularly

found in Alabama. UAB faculty members have developed an

exemplary model of transdisciplinary personnel prepara on to

increase the number of early childhood interven onists represen ng

mul ple disciplines to serve as effec ve team members in mee ng

the needs of young children (birth through eight) with disabili es and

their families. Students from Early Childhood Special Educa on,

Physical Therapy, and Occupa onal Therapy are involved in this

program.

Students (DPT Class of 2014) selected were Carlie Powell, Rachel

Brown, Ashley Huffste ler, Allison Kneipp, Stephanie Moore, and

Tiffany Moates. They will gain knowledge, skills, and experience in

pediatric interven on through team based learning and will also

complete clinical educa on experiences in pediatrics for one of their

long term clinical affilia ons.

Front row: Ashley Huffstutler, Carlie Powell; Tiffany Moates. Back row: Stefanie Moore; Allison Kneip; Rachel Brown


DPT Students Receive Endowed/Named Scholarships

DPT Student Wins Scholarship to MS Conference

Michael Dubois, DPT student (class of 2014) was selected as recipient of a scholarship from the

Consor um of Mul ple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC). The Scholarship covered costs to a end the

CMSC Conference held in Orlando, FL from May 29‐June 1. The conference focused on

interdisciplinary approaches to managing MS. New studies were presented on rehabilita on

techniques, such as aqua c therapy, and se ngs tailored to individuals who have MS.

Programming also emphasized the importance of con nuing educa on and research.

DPT Students and Faculty win First Place in Triathalon

Becca Bernheim (swimmer), Drew Snipes (cyclist) and Josh Smith (runner), all UAB DPT students (class of 2015) won 1st

place for the co‐ed relay team field at the Buster Bri on triathlon in Birmingham on Saturday, June 8. They won with a

me of 1:08:04 (400+ yd swim, 13 mile HILLY bike, 5K HILLY run). Also placing 1st Place in the Female Master’s Division

was Department of PT Faculty Member Jennifer Christy, PT, PhD with a me of 1:13:05. Both the DPT Student team and

Dr. Christy were sponsored by EW Mo on Therapy (Formerly Eskridge and White Physiotherapy).

Chris Baker

Michael DuBois

Le : Drew Snipes; Middle: Becca Bernheim Right: Josh Smith

Three UAB DPT students have been named as recipients of the department’s endowed/named scholarships. Chris Baker (DPT

class of 2014) received the TherapySouth Scholarship. Established in 2011, this scholarship was created for 2nd year DPT students

and recipients also have an opportunity to be placed at one of the TherapySouth clinics for a full‐ me clinical experience. Wade

Hurston (DPT class of 2015) received the HealthSouth Physical Therapy Scholarship. This scholarship was established in 1990 from

an endowment from the HealthSouth Corpora on. Keith Thomas (DPT class of 2013) received the Shirley Shaddeau Scholarship.

This scholarship was established in 1996 from a dona on from Sue Shaddeau, sister of beloved UAB PT faculty member Shirley

Shaddeau, who passed away in 1995. Congratula ons to all three students.

Wade Hurston Keith Thomas

Dr. Christy in the lead

Class of 2015 Begins Course of Study

In January of 2013, the UAB Department of Physical Therapy enrolled 50 new DPT students. They are pictured here at a recent induc on

ceremony held in their honor. The students and their hometowns are:

Cynthia Aikens ‐Mobile, AL Laura Lee Aune ‐ Huntsville, AL Alison Barnes ‐ Starkville, MS Drew Beesecker ‐ Paducah, KY Becca Bernheim ‐ Gulfport, MS Brandon Bunch ‐ Fort Walton Beach, FL Ashley Cancer ‐ Oxford, MS Mary Chancey ‐ Tuscaloosa, AL Rebecca Corbman ‐ Wetumpka, AL Alisa Courtney ‐ Huntsville, AL Carol Creel ‐ Pelham, AL William DeBell ‐ Tuscaloosa, AL

Lindsay Doctson ‐ Montgomery, AL Rebekah Dodd ‐ Birmingham, AL Crystal Du on ‐ Cullman, AL Dominique Forte ‐ Eufaula, AL Emily Galloway ‐ Enterprise, AL Frederick Gilbert ‐ Homewood, AL Lauren Hammond ‐ Slidell, LA Corine Hancock ‐ Sec on, AL Lindsay Hazel ‐ New Orleans, LA Ma hew Homan ‐ Johns Creek, GA Wade Hurston ‐ Montgomery, AL Rebecca Kimrey ‐ Huntsville, AL

Kirsten Langley ‐ Pensacola, FL Taylor Lindsey ‐ Birmingham, AL Melanie Lipford ‐ Mobile, AL Sabrina Mangieri ‐ Madison, AL James McKee ‐ Madison, AL Kent Myer ‐ Jackson, AL Christopher Newton ‐ Auburn, AL Anthony Nguyen ‐ New Orleans, LA Reondra Palmer ‐ Clayton, AL Taylor Phillips ‐ Birmingham, AL David Ringers ‐ Elberta, AL Hannah Sanders ‐ Vestavia, AL

Elizabeth Sanford ‐ Starkville, MS Dhara Shah ‐ Dothan, AL Alyssa Shedlarski ‐ Hoover, AL Helen Smith ‐ Hoover, AL Joshua Smith ‐ Birmingham, AL Drew Snipes ‐ Brent, AL Katlin Snow ‐ Tuscaloosa, AL Katelyn Tribble ‐ Springville, AL Kris na Vaughn ‐ Madison, AL Chris an Vick ‐ Sylacauga, AL Angela Watson ‐ Montgomery, AL Molly Whitson ‐ Tuscaloosa, AL Michelle Wright ‐ Fairhope, AL

UAB DPT Faculty and Students Provide Pro‐bono Services Since November 2012, Dr. Diane Clark and a group of UAB DPT students have worked with the medical student leadership and UAB risk

management to organize a framework from which physical therapy students could par cipate in pro bono delivery of services. The

project was ini ated by students in the UAB DPT Program who voiced an interest in par cipa ng with the medical students in Equal

Access Birmingham and M‐Power, pro‐bono clinics that offer free medical services to those underserved. Clark stated that she was

“thrilled to learn of their interest to engage in this ac vity and inspired by their desire to extend PT services to the underserved.” Clark

and volunteer DPT students visit the Church of the Reconciler clinic, in downtown Birmingham, one Sunday/month. Second and third

year UAB DPT students are working with the UAB medical students to screen individuals and provide services for the clients as

indicated. These students are also serving as mentors to 1st year PT students who will take over the ac vi es in the future. In addi on

to the Sunday clinics, the group also helps conduct community health fairs. Physical therapy students screen individuals for overweight

and obesity, loss of protec ve sensa on when blood glucose levels are high and general physical ac vity levels. Response has been

enthusias c from all those involved.


McCarthy Accepts Faculty Posi on at Carroll University

Dr. John McCarthy, PT, PhD, CSCS*D, FNSCA, FASCM, Associate Professor in the UAB Department of

Physical Therapy, recently announced that he will be leaving UAB and joining the Physical Therapy

faculty at Carroll University in Waukeska, WI. He will begin his new posi on in September. Dr.

McCarthy joined the UAB PT faculty in 2002 and has taught in the entry‐level MS and DPT programs,

the Doctor of Science in PT program, PhD in Rehabilita on Sciences Program, and Health Focused

Pa ent/Client Management for Physical and Occupa onal Therapists. He has also served as Scien st in

the UAB Center for Aging and Center for Exercise Medicine. He has been a Cer fied Strength and

Condi oning Specialist since 1990 (with Dis nc on since 2003) and was named Fellow for the Na onal

Strength and Condi oning Associa on and the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. McCarthy

stated that “I am saddened by leaving such a wonderful Department, School, and University and hav‐

ing to leave the many wonderful friendships that I have developed working here.” We thank Dr.

McCarthy for his many contribu ons to UAB and wish him great success in his new posi on.

Faculty Updates

UAB DEPARTMENT OF PT FACULTY (2013)

Pictured L/R on top row David Brown, PT, Ph.D., 2012, Professor and Program Director for PhD in Rehabilita on Science; Diane Clark, PT, DScPT, 2007, Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director; David M. Morris, PT, Ph.D., 1991, Associate Professor, Vice‐Chair; Donald Lein, Jr., PT, Ph.D., 2010, Assistant Professor; Pa y Perez, PT, DScPT, 2000, Assistant Professor; Cecilia L Graham, PT, Ph.D., 2002, Associate Professor; William K. Ogard, PT, Ph.D., 1996, Assistant Professor. Pictured L/R on bo om row Patrice Murphy, MS, PCS, 1977, Assistant Professor; John McCarthy, PT, Ph.D., 2001, Associate Professor; Jennifer Braswell Christy, PT, Ph.D., 2002, Associate Professor; John D. Lowman, PT, Ph.D., 2005, Assistant Professor; Ma hew P. Ford, PT, Ph.D., 2001, Associate Professor; Sharon E. Shaw, PT, DrPH, 1985, Associate Professor and Chair; C. Sco Bickel, PT, Ph.D., 2006, Associate Professor. Not pictured Cali Fidopias s, Ph.D., 2009, Assistant Professor; Tapan Mehta, Ph.D., Assistant Professor.

John McCarthy, PhD

Faculty Updates cont.

Graham Elected to Na onal APTA Commi ee

Cecilia Graham, PT, Ph.D., the Bergman‐Pinkston Endowed Professor and associate professor in the UAB

Department of Physical Therapy, has been elected to the American Physical Therapy Associa on (APTA)

nomina ng commi ee. She is one of five physical therapists in the U.S. serving on the commi ee.

"The nomina ng commi ee plays a cri cal role in iden fying and fostering leaders of our associa on,” said

Graham. “I am honored to be elected to this posi on and it is a privilege to be charged with this

responsibility."

The APTA represents more than 85,000 member physical therapists (PTs), physical therapist assistants

(PTAs), and students of physical therapy. Graham, who is cer ficate coordinator for the School of Health

Professions' Health Focused Pa ent/Client Management for Physical and Occupa onal Therapists program,

was one of only two elected at this week’s annual APTA Conference and Exposi on. She will serve a three

year term beginning Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

The nomina ng commi ee is responsible for promo ng leadership development and recrui ng qualified

candidates for APTA na onal leadership posi ons. The APTA seeks to improve the health and quality of life

of individuals in society by advancing physical therapist prac ce, educa on, and research, and by increasing

the awareness and understanding of physical therapy's role in the na on's health care system.

Sco Bickel, PT, PhD, FACSM was named Associate Director for the UAB Center for Exercise Medicine.

The UAB Center for Exercise Medicine was established by the Board of Trustees of The University of

Alabama on February 4, 2011. The center’s vision was to cul vate an environment that establishes UAB

as the na on’s leader in exercise medicine research and educa on. UAB is among the first of major

academic medical centers to establish such a center. The work of the Center is focused on improving

the health and well‐being of children and adults of all ages through interdisciplinary research, the

training of future leaders in science and healthcare, and community educa on based on clinical research

findings.

Bickel Named Associate Director for UAB Center

Cecilia Graham, PhD

C. Sco Bickel, PhD

Alumni Reception August 17, 2013 in Birmingham, Alabama

(see pg. 13).



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Duncan RP, Leddy AL, Cavanaugh JT, Dibble LE, Ellis TD, Ford MP, Foreman KB, Earhart GM. Compara ve u lity of the BESTest,

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2013; 44:1383‐1388.

Taub E, Uswa e G, Bowman M, Mark VW, Delgado A, Bryson C, Morris DM, Bishop‐McKay S. CI Therapy combined with conven onal

neurorehabilita on techniques in chronic stroke pa ents with plegic hands: a case series. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2013;94: 86‐

94.

White L, Ford MP, Brown CJ, Peel C, Triebel KL. Facilita on the use of implicit memory and learning in physical therapy management of

individuals with Alheimer disease: a case series. J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2013 [Epub ahead of print]

Yarar‐Fisher C, Bickel CS, Windham ST, McLain AB, Bamman MM. Skeletal muscle signaling associated with impaired glucose tolerance

in spinal cord‐injured men and the effects of contrac le ac vity. J Appl Physiol. 2013 [Epub ahead of print]

Department Publica ons (2013)


Mehta Joins UAB Department of Physical Therapy Faculty

Tapan Mehta, PhD joined the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Physical Therapy Faculty this

Summer. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and an associate scien st with

the Nutri on Obesity Research Center. He will direct and lead the sta s cal analysis and design of the UAB/

Lakeshore Research collabora ve in the area of disability and rehabilita on sciences. Dr. Mehta’s interests lie

in aggrega ng and integra ng silos of genomic, epidemiological and administra ve data, to inves gate

interes ng scien fic ques ons, through novel applica ons of sta s cal methods and compu ng pla orms.

He is especially interested in pursuing scien fic inquiry in topics related to obesity, longevity, disability, and

health policy and interven ons.

Dr. Mehta completed his doctoral degree in Biosta s cs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in

2013 under the mentorship of Dr. David B. Allison. His disserta on involved evalua ng methodological and

empirical issues in evalua ng the apparent decline in obesity‐mortality associa on over calendar me. He has

worked as a full‐ me compu ng professional, biosta s cian and data scien st at the UAB School of Public

Health, for 8+ years. During this me, he has led and collaborated in a variety of health‐related analy c

projects including obesity‐related epidemiological studies and a variety of genomic projects. His

responsibili es included managing and conduc ng data analyses and methodology development projects,

provide sound high performance compu ng and so ware engineering support, and author manuscripts as

well as grant progress reports. Dr. Mehta also has a M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering (2004) from the UAB

with a specializa on in so ware engineering and data mining. His thesis topic was about evalua ng the

stability of clustering algorithms when applied to high dimensional microarray data. Welcome to Dr. Mehta.

Alumni News

Andrew Wolverton (DPT Class of 2011) and his wife Trista welcomed a new baby boy, Wesley Andrew on April 11, 2013. Karlie Lewis Brantley (DPT class of 2008) and Dorothy Mandel Powell (DPT class of 2009) completed requirements for the Specialist Cer fica on in Neurologic Physical Therapy and Sara Bradman Narbecki (MS,PT class of 1985) completed requirements for the Specialist Cer fica on in Pediatric Physical Therapy. All three will be recognized in the Specialist Cer fica on Ceremonies at Combined Sec ons Mee ng in Las Vegas in 2014. Chantel Jones and Kenny Jno‐Finn (both DPT Class of 2007) recently announced their marriage engagement.

Robin and Brian Riddle (both DPT Class of 2007) welcomed their second child, Ethan Wya Riddle on August 2, 2013.

Doherty Colgin Riebessel (DPT class of 2009) and her husband Ryan welcomed a new baby girl, Avery Elizabeth Riebessel on May 18, 2013.

Tapan Mehta, PhD

The PT class of 1974 is planning a 40th year class reunion in 2014. For more informa on please contact

Ron Richardson at [email protected]


Delk Named as New UAB PT Alumni President

Jon graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. He was a

four year member of the ECU Football staff as a coach’s assistant from 1993‐1997. From there Jon

went to the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he received a Master of Science degree in

Physical Therapy in 1999. He has been with EW Mo on Therapy (formerly Eskridge & White

Physiotherapy) since 2001 and is the Clinic Director. Jon co‐founded EW Fit (formerly PhysioFitness), a

fitness/personal training/wellness company within EW, in 2005. His clinical special es include the

IMAP system of manual therapy, func onal exercise applica on and post‐opera ve rehabilita on in

athletes. Jon has had the opportunity to work with several collegiate and semiprofessional athletes

throughout his career. He enjoys func onal training, mountain biking, playing flag football and

spending me with his wife and 3 children. Jon and his family live in Homewood, Alabama.

Wilson, UAB PT Alumni Chapter President ,Takes on Exci ng New Job

Jenny Wilson, PT, DPT (UAB Class of 2008) has recently accepted an interna onal job offer in Beijing, China.

Star ng this Fall, Dr. Wilson will be the Therapist Supervisor at Beijing United Family Rehabilita on Hospital,

"the pioneer of interna onal‐standard rehabilita on services in China." The posi on is a combina on of

clinical and administra ve du es and will include suppor ng the Therapist Director in the development of

protocols, workflows, and guidelines for therapy, teaching and training therapists, and par cipa ng in

community & public health educa on events. Wilson stated that “I am very excited about this opportunity

to use my training and skills to be a part of the development of rehabilita on services in China!” We are

proud of Dr. Wilson and her philanthropic spirit and wish her the best of luck in this new and exci ng

posi on. We also wish to thank her for serving as PT Alumni Chapter President for the past two years.

Jenny Wilson, PT, DPT

Alumni News cont.

Online Health Focused Pa ent/Client Management Course Available this Fall

PT and OT professionals can learn from UAB experts about how to integrate concepts of physical ac vity/fitness, nutri on, and weight

management into everyday prac ce and design clinical and community programs in these areas. Issues addressed include screening,

best prac ces for PT and OT interven ons, pa ent educa on resources, and consulta on/referral sources to op mize health outcomes.

Offered this fall, PTC 782: Health Focused Pa ent/Client Management I (3 credits) can be taken as a stand‐alone course for con nuing

educa on purposes* or as the first step toward comple ng the new Graduate Cer ficate in Health Focused Pa ent/Client Management

for Physical and Occupa onal Therapists at UAB. Registra on deadline for non‐degree seeking students is August 16th. For more

informa on, please contact Cecilia Graham at [email protected] or 205‐934‐5949 or visit the cer ficate program website at h p://

www.uab.edu/ptotcert.

*Many licensure boards accept formal academic coursework as required con nuing educa on hours. Please check with your licensure board to confirm the policies in your state.

Jon Delk, PT, MS

We’re on the Web www.uab.edu/pt

Department of Physical Therapy SHPB 360 1720 2nd Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35294 Phone: 205‐934‐3566 Fax: 205‐975‐7787

Alumni in Ac on

Toshio Sidney‐Ando and Jennifer Christy

Lois Headman; Frances Wedge; Carolyn Kelly; Cecilia Graham; Anna de Joya; Michelle Gu errez and Diane Clark

Cathy Henderson; Lisa Lein and Helen Ma hews

John Lowman; Adam Kno and Kenny Jno‐Finn

Alumni a end UAB PT Alumni Recep on at APTA Combined Sec ons Mee ng in San Diego, Calif., February 2013

uab pt alumni news - august 2013

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