Message From The Chair
Past, Present, and Future On July 1, I stepped into some big shoes to fill. Scott Ward (and Carolee Moncur before him) built an incredible foundation for the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training. The opportunity to partner with students, staff, and faculty to honor Scott and Carolee’s legacy is both daunting and exciting.
Looking to the future, the Department can solidify its place as a national leader in the quality and value of health care education through attention to important details. First, our experience with COVID has provided valuable lessons that we must learn from. Working together, faculty and students have the opportunity to leverage technology to improve on the existing strengths of our classroom and clinical education. Second, the
disparate
effect
of
the
pandemic
on
individuals
without
consistent
access
to
health
care
has
emphasized the presence of health care disparities and the influence of social determinants of health on outcomes.
These
factors
must
be
threaded
throughout
courses
and
the
service-learning
benefits
of
programs like our pro bono clinics will be embedded into the curricula. Lastly, we must continue to invest and
support
mechanistic
the
valuable
research
to
research
health
performed
services
within
research
the
provides
department. value
to
The
our
spectrum
students,
of
the
cellular
University,
and our
professions, and our patients in a way that few departments in the country can match.
The challenges of the past 18 months have reinforced something I already knew – the resiliency, intelligence, and work ethic of our students, staff, faculty, and alumni are the department’s greatest assets. Over the next year, I hope to have the opportunity to engage with you and discuss opportunities to move the department forward.
Lee Dibble, PT, PhD, ATC, FAPTA Professor and Chair
Fall 2021 The Summit 2
