The 40th McMillan Lecture
BALTIMORE-Here in Charm City, the PT 2009 conference is off to an energetic start. At 11 a.m. today, Carolee J. Winstein, PT, PhD, FAPTA, presented the 40
th McMillan Lecture. This lecture is considered APTA's highest honor, recognizing somebody who has made a distinctive contribution to the profession. Dr. Winstein certainly fits that description, having enjoyed a distinguished 36-year physical therapy career. She is currently a professor and director of research at the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Winstein is also director of the Motor Behavior and Rehabilitation Laboratory in the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy at USC.
Her McMillan Lecture, titled "The Best We Can Be is Yet to Come," focused both on the past of physical therapy and more importantly its future. "Thank you for giving me this tremendous honor," she said to open the session. "Preparing for this lecture over the past year has been one of the most daunting tasks I have ever undertaken. There were times that I almost gave up. But it has also been one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life."
In 2009, how can the physical therapy profession reach its full potential? "First, we must invest in building strong academic centers of physical therapy," explained Dr. Winstein. "Second, we must build effective clinical partnerships within our profession. And finally, we must acknowledge the complexity of the situation and develop strong interdisciplinary relationships with other professions. Let's stop pulling the patient into different parts. We are all passionate about our profession and its future."
Keep an eye out for a more extensive summary of this fascinating session in a future issue of ADVANCE!