Physical Therapy Alumni News Volume 1, Issue 1 Inside this issue:
History of the UAB Department of Physical Therapy Part 1: The Beginning
History of the UAB Department of Physical Therapy 2 Part 1: The Beginning. Cont. from pg. 1 PT Alum Honored with State Award
3
Brown named Director of PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences Program at UAB
3
Contributions for Gossman Lectureship Needed
3
Letter to PT Alumni
4
PT Chapter of the UAB NAS
4
Gift giving
5
Dr. Shaw receives highest award from state PT group
5
Clinical Education
6
Current Faculty
7
Student Retreat
7
Alumni Action
8
Alumni Advisory Committee Jenny Wilson (08’) - President, PT Chapter of the UAB National Alumni Society David Bryson (‘89) Jonathan Delk (’99) Chantel Jones (‘07) Donna Kay King (‘86) Cheryl Knowles (‘82) Donald Lein (‘88) Tana Lieb (‘09) Sonya Pearson (‘06) Reid Warren (‘10) David Morris (‘90) -Faculty representative
June 2012
In 1967, the first graduates of a program in physical therapy received their baccalaureate degrees from the University of Alabama. Note that it was not the University of Alabama at Birmingham, because UAB was not in existence in 1967. The Medical Center was growing and was the location of three divisions of the University of Alabama. These were the medical and dental schools and the University of Alabama Hospitals and Clinics. [note: It was important to officials of UA that the "hospitals & clinics" be recognized as equal divisions of the university - such as the College of Arts & Sciences, School of Law, etc.] The University of Alabama had an extension center located in Birmingham. Students in physical therapy came to the Medical Center
for the final two years of their physical therapy education, with their degree being granted from the Tuscaloosa campus. The history of the development of an educational program in physical therapy goes back long before 1967, in fact, all the way back to the mid 1950’s when the first physical therapist was hired to develop a physical therapy department at University Hospital. Prior to this time, physical therapy services were available to those in the military stationed in Alabama. In VA hospitals, Crippled Children’s Clinic and Hospital (which stood where the Spain-Wallace Building of University Hospital now stands). Patients with polio from all over the state came to Crippled Children’s Hospital, but there was no physical therapy service available
for the general patient population in the Birmingham area, so University Hospital set about to provide this service by hiring a young physical therapist by the name of Joan Silverberg; we now know her as Dr. Joan Bergman. University Hospital administration saw the need for more physical therapists in the area and pushed for the development of an educational program. Cont. on pg. 2
The first graduating class of UAB
Physical Therapy program
2011 Alumni Leadership Award presented to Ellen Strunk The 2011 Department of PT Alumni Leadership Award was presented to Ellen Strunk, PT, MS, GCS, CEEAA at the Department of PT Pledge ceremony on May 14. Ellen is Founder and President of Rehab Resources & Consulting, Inc, a company providing consulting services and training to providers in post‐acute care settings. She
specializes in helping customers understand Medicare prospective payment systems in the skilled nursing facility, home health and rehab agency settings. Ellen has held numerous professional leadership positions including serving on the Board of Directors for the APTA Section on Geriatrics and holding the offices of Secretary and Treasurer for
the Alabama Chapter of the APTA.
Ellen Strunk and Dr. David Morris