Teresa Pierce, PT, DPT, a board certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy and an assistant
professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at PCOM Georgia, represents Georgia as one of eight delegates to the American Physical
Therapy Association (APTA), the professional organization for physical therapists,
physical therapist assistants and students.
Elected in April 2021 by APTA Georgia, Dr. Pierce recently attended the American Physical Therapy Association's Centennial Celebration to celebrate its 100 years as a member association.
“Professional service is one of the pillars in academia and participating in APTA governance on behalf of our state has been a great learning opportunity,” Dr. Pierce said. “Being a delegate has allowed me to have a voice in legislative decisions to represent constituents in our association.”
In conjunction with the annual House of Delegates session in Washington, D.C., members
visited the new APTA headquarters, known as Centennial Center, on the banks of the
Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia. Delegates, officers and honorees also attended
a Centennial Gala at the Washington National Cathedral.
Consistent with the association’s vision of Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience, the APTA is sponsoring “100 Days of Service” during the last 100 days of 2021. According to APTA’s website, “These activities are meant to spark member engagement in local communities, promote collaboration with other members or components, and raise awareness about the profession.“
“As I share my experiences with students, my hope is that they will see the importance of service and be involved in our professional association throughout their education and future careers as physical therapists," Dr. Pierce said.
As National Physical Therapy Month is also observed during October, the PCOM Georgia Physical Therapy Department is sponsoring several health and wellness screenings, as well as a therapy equipment demonstration to raise awareness about the profession.
October 11, 2021, 3 – 5 p.m.
Carol A. Miller, PT, PhD, and DPT students will demonstrate the use of the Protokinetics Zeno Walkway. Participants
will have the opportunity to “Step Up” and have their walking patterns analyzed or
simply view the gait data that is collected for clinical progress and research.
October 14, 2021, 1 – 3:30 p.m.
Ruth Maher, PT, PhD, DPT, and DPT students will provide pelvic floor screenings using ultrasound imaging.
Pelvic floor health and wellness will be discussed.
October 18, 2021, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
Alaina Bell, PT, DPT, and first year DPT students will provide blood pressure screenings.
October 20, 2021, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Jennifer Wiley, PT, DPT, DHSC, and third year DPT students will provide postural screenings.
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
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