PRESIDENTS OF THE APTA ACADEMY OF PEDIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPY: 50 YEARS OF PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN CLINICAL PRACTICE

Purpose: The purpose of this poster is to illustrate the strides in clinical practice over the past 50 years as guided and shared by the presidents through written documents and oral interviews.

Description: As the APPT celebrates 50 years of serving children and families, the History Committee invites you to learn the lessons and wisdom in clinical practice that leaders have bestowed on this component as it grew from a special interest group to an Academy. The poster offers the guidance, thoughts, and suggestions related to clinical practice of early and recent presidents of APPT using written documents and oral interviews. The rich history of these pioneers and the clinical accomplishments of APPT over these 50 years can inform future steps and advance a sense of community and pride. Future clinical initiatives and interests can be revealed by an examination of historical excellence in pediatric PT clinical practice.

Summary of Use: Understanding significant clinical practice accomplishments that have occurred over the past 50 years as shared by Presidents, our leaders, can inform pathways for future clinical initiatives. Current and future leaders can use historical guidance to foresee next steps for clinical excellence.

Importance to Members: History and historical evidence inform clinical practice initiatives and decisions. Using evidence, members can interpret information to align decisions with the values of the Academy. Presidents are uniquely positioned to provide the historical evidence about clinical practice as it evolved for children and families, and the History Committee gathered a significant amount of history from these important leaders.