March 2008

Dear Alumni

The students in our first DPT class are on their Spring Break so the timing to write the annual alumni letter is perfect.  You cannot imagine the excitement that surrounds the launching of the new curriculum.  We are pleased to report we have experienced many more successes than failures.  For example, it was wonderful having the PT students in our department for 5 credit hours during their first summer semester.  Faculty got to know learning styles and personal data on the students and the students got comfortable with the faculty while experiencing coursework that could readily be applied to their chosen new profession.  The foundational Pharmacology course occurred in the fall semester, with the commitment from all faculty to keep the thread of pharmacology throughout all of the patient/client management course.  And this spring, Beth Deschenes and Patti Winchester are co-teaching a Pathokinesiology course, that offers classroom and laboratory time for analysis of abnormal movement.  You know if you are interested in teaching and have a defined area of expertise we would love to have you as a guest lecturer or lab assistance.  Jeff Rau (‘05) graced us with his presence this semester to speak to the students on Soft Tissue Mobilization.

Not only did the curriculum expand this year, the faculty did also.  This fall, Holly Jonely joined the faculty on a part time basis.  Dr. Jonely is a graduate of the doctorate of science program at Texas Tech.  She has a well developed area of expertise in the management of an individual with a foot and ankle dysfunction.  She spends time in our faculty practice and the classroom.  She took the lead role in the Therapeutic Exercise II course, which contains the entire curriculum from Thermal and Mechanical Agents.  Then we feel so fortunate, Ed Mulligan made the decision to join our faculty full time.  He adds tremendous depth and breadth to our faculty both in the areas of orthopedic patient management and clinical administrative issues.  The entire faculty is getting ready to send in their registrations for the National Meeting in San Antonio this summer.  Patti Winchester, Ross Querry, and Patti Blau will all be presenting.  Patti Winchester’s work in the SCI Mobility Lab has truly reached national prominence.  She was also instrumental this year in purchasing an UE device that uses virtual reality to help train involved upper extremity in a person post neurological injury.  The first pilot study will be with persons recovering from stroke.

In closing, I thank you all for the roles you play in helping us continually attract the top students in the state and area.  Your visibility, professional society involvement, and quality patient care is an exceptional example to patients, prospective students, and fellow clinicians.  Truly, the strong reputation of our program is in large part due to the strength of its graduates.  As always, we would like to invite each of you to return to campus for May Breakfast, to be held May 20, 2008, at 7:30 am in the Faculty Club.  You may RSVP to Charlene.Colorado@utsouthwestern.edu.  Finally if you cannot come to breakfast we are still interested in hearing from you, about your professional and personal accomplishments since graduation.  So email Jason Zafereo the good news at Jason.Zafereo@utsouthwestern.edu

Regards,

Patty Smith, PT, PhD