News
Forum: Exploring Community Connections to Reduce Health Care Costs through Prevention and Wellness Initiatives
The College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences and the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science drew nearly 50 participants to the forum: Exploring Community Connections to Reduce Health Care Costs through Prevention and Wellness Initiatives, held Friday afternoon, October 30 in the Skaggs Building on the University Campus. The audience included business owners, human resource directors, insurance providers, clinicians, educators, worksite wellness practitioners, students and consumers. The purpose was to gather key participants in the advancement of preventive health and wellness to explore programs and possibilities that improve health and reduce the economic and social burden of illness. Following a welcome and overview by David Forbes, PhD, Dean, The College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences and Dave Levison, PT, MHS, Jim Porterfield, PT provided an opening keynote entitled “Getting the Stakeholders to the Table: Providers, Payors, and Consumers. The Northeast Ohio Health Care Summit Experience.” Panels followed and included Prevention and Wellness from Academia to Community: What programs and projects are underway at The University of Montana to prepare graduates and advance prevention and wellness; and At the Community Level: What is happening in the community and the workplace; what are the priorities of key stakeholders to improve the health and wellness of the citizenry? Jill Young, MS, CPC, Director of UM Faculty-Staff Wellness, concluded with a presentation on Montana’s Council on Work Force Wellness. It is hoped this forum will lead to subsequent meetings to continue the dialogue on wellness and prevention in health care.
Students organize fundraiser
Second-year students of the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science are fundraising to benefit a fellow student who has just been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. They will be hosting a spaghetti dinner and live auction at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 3201 Bancroft St. on December 4th with a suggested donation of $5. The dinner starts at 6:00 pm and the auction starts at 7:00 pm. The students have also made one thousand paper cranes as a wish for good health and long life (from a Japanese tradtion). They will give the cranes to the student as a gift, but are first asking people to "sponsor" the cranes for one dollar. Folks can then write their get-well wishes and signatures on the paper cranes. The students so far have raised $615 and counting! An account at the Missoula Federal Credit Union has been opened. If people are interested in making a tax-exempt donation to benefit the student and his family, please contact the PT office at (406) 243-4753 for details.
Over 130 enrolled in transitional DPT curriculum
With nearly 70 students enrolling in the most recent cohort of students in the tDPT curriculum, the total enrollment is close to 140 across the three cohorts in the program that was initiated in the fall of 2008. The curriculum, which bridges those with either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in physical therapy to the DPT designation, is now accepting applicants for the winter cohort that begins in January of 2010. Financial incentives are available for UM PT alumni and active clinical instructors; the program is designed to be affordable, self-paced and requires a singular on-campus weekend course within the 20-credit curriculum for those with a master’s degree and 30 credits for those with the bachelor’s degree. Link to http://umt.rehabessentials.com/ to learn more about the program.
Faculty position available
The School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science at The University of Montana invites applications for tenure-line faculty positions available Fall 2010. As a new faculty member, you would be joining nine others in a dynamic school with faculty who are committed to academic excellence. http://www.health.umt.edu/schools/pt/
The primary responsibility is to lead a research initiative within their area of expertise and seek appropriate extramural funding. Additional responsibilities include teaching and service commensurate with overall assignment. The position requires an earned post- professional research doctoral degree in Physical Therapy or related area, a record of scholarly activity, and teaching experience.
The primary responsibility is instruction, with expectations in service and scholarly activity commensurate with overall assignment. This position requires a PhD or equivalent or a post-professional advanced degree. Prior teaching and a minimum of three (3) years of clinical experience is preferred. A degree in physical therapy with eligibility for PT licensure in Montana is preferred but not required.
Projected needs in teaching include; anatomy, pediatrics, and/or aspects of neurorehabilitation.
The University of Montana is a unit of the Montana University System with a student enrollment of 14,000 and 600 full time faculty members. Missoula, a community of 75,000 is described as having a blend of small-town charm and big-city sophistication. The University of Montana has been called the “Most scenic campus in America” by Rolling Stone Magazine, and rated as “Among the top 10 colleges nationally for combining academic quality and outdoor recreation” by Outside Magazine. For more on Missoula visit (http://missoula.montana.com/ )
Salary and benefits are competitive. Rank, salary, and tenure status is commensurate with the applicant’s qualifications and experience. If interested, the applicant should send a letter describing their interest in and their qualifications for the position, curriculum vitae, official transcripts of all graduate work and the names and contact information of three (3) professional references. Review of applications will begin October 15, 2009 and will continue until filled.
Materials may be mailed, emailed or faxed to:
Charles Leonard, PT, PhD
School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
Two new faculty hired
The School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science has added two new faculty members effective autumn semester of 2009. Dr. Ryan Mizner joins the faculty after serving on the physical therapy faculty at Eastern Washington University. A native of Missoula, Ryan received his Ph.D. in Biomechanics and Movement Science in 2005 from the University of Delaware, where he also received his MPT in Physical Therapy in 2000. Ryan received the 2009 Margaret L. Moore Outstanding New Academic Faculty Award from the APTA, the 2009 Outstanding Faculty Award in Scholarly Activity from EWU, the 2007 Excellence in Quality Service Award from EWU and was a 2005 Finalist for New Investigator Recognition Award, Orthopaedic Research Society. His interests are in orthopedics and clinical research where his primary work has been in the advancement of evidence-based practice and the science of physical therapy practice and determining the extent, sources, and impact of skeletal muscle impairments in patients who have disorders of the knee joint.
New Faculty Hired in the School
The School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science has added two new faculty members effective autumn semester of 2009. Dr. Ryan Mizner joins the faculty after serving on the physical therapy faculty at Eastern Washington University. A native of Missoula, Ryan received his Ph.D. in Biomechanics and Movement Science in 2005 from the University of Delaware, where he also received his MPT in Physical Therapy in 2000. Ryan received the 2009 Margaret L. Moore Outstanding New Academic Faculty Award from the APTA, the 2009 Outstanding Faculty Award in Scholarly Activity from EWU, the 2007 Excellence in Quality Service Award from EWU and was a 2005 Finalist for New Investigator Recognition Award, Orthopaedic Research Society. His interests are in orthopedics and clinical research where his primary work has been in the advancement of evidence-based practice and the science of physical therapy practice and determining the extent, sources, and impact of skeletal muscle impairments in patients who have disorders of the knee joint.
The School is also pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Sara Scholtes from Washington University, where she has been finishing her dissertation work in the Movement Science Program. Sara has been the recipient of three prestigious PODS Scholarships through the Foundation for Physical Therapy, the 2004 Mary McMillan Doctoral Scholarship, the 2004 Steven J. Rose Research Award and the 2002 Scholars in Physical Therapy Award at Washington University. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Luther College; her current research focuses on movement impairments in people with musculoskeletal pain problems, particularly of the lower extremity. The arrival of Drs. Scholtes and Mizner will coincide with the development of a new motion capture laboratory which will include runway, force plates and a sophisticated camera system. We are delighted to have these two superb faculty members join our group and look forward to the opportunities for student learning and scholarly activities.
