Matthew Ithurburn, PT, DPT, PhD, assistant professor in the UAB School of Health Professions’ Department of Physical Therapy, has been selected by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Section on Research as a 2019 recipient of the Emerging Leader Award. Ithurburn, who is also treasurer of the Biomechanics Special Interests Group (2018-2020), was nominated by the Section’s leadership to recognize his accomplishments and contributions to the PT profession and the APTA, early in his career.

Andrew Butler, Ph.D., dean of the UAB School of Health Professions, was recently elected to the Lakeshore Foundation and the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions Board of Directors. Butler, who became dean of SHP in July 2019, came to UAB from the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions at Georgia State University where he was associate dean for Research and director of the Clinical Neuroplasticity Lab.

On Thursday, August 1, 2019, Sean Skelton, PT, DPT, a Physical Therapy Resident in UAB Medicine, became the first to finish the UAB Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency program. Skelton received a graduate certificate during a small ceremony at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center.

Faculty and alumni from the UAB Department of Physical Therapy, along with students from the UAB Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, were joined by students from UAB’s Department of Occupational Therapy and School of Engineering, to adapt electric toy cars for Alabama children with disabilities as part of the nationwide GoBabyGo program.

Andrew Butler, PT, Ph.D.,FAPTA, dean of the UAB School of Health Professions, was honored as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at the PT NEXT conference on June 13, 2019. The FAPTA award is the association’s highest honor.

For the 4th year in a row, students in the UAB School of Health Professions’ Doctor of Physical Therapy program hosts Oxford-style debates to better learn the issues they may face in the PT field.

 The University of Alabama at Birmingham has named Andrew J. Butler, MPT, MBA, Ph.D., dean of the UAB School of Health Professions following a national search.

Donna Slovensky, Ph.D., professor and senior associate dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs in the School of Health Professions, will become the interim dean of the school April 1, when Dean Harold Jones will officially retire after a distinguished career of 18 years in that role.

Researchers at the UAB School of Health Professions have been awarded a five-year, $4.625 million grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research to translate a novel exercise program, referred to as Movement-2-Music, into several community-based fitness centers in Birmingham. 

Two students in the UAB PhD in Rehabilitation Science program defended their doctoral dissertations in November. Anwar B S Almutairi and Sarah dos Anjos are the 9th and 10th students to defend in this young program that is an interdisciplinary program sponsored by the Departments of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy.

Jennifer Christy, Ph.D. is the new program director of the UAB Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. She says, “The UAB DPT program has a rich history of excellence and has great potential to become the top PT program in the nation.”

Harold Jones, Ph.D., dean of the School of Health Professions, has announced that he will be stepping down from his role as dean, pending arrival of his successor. Jones became dean of what then was known as the School of Health-Related Professions in April 2001, when it had a total of approximately 800 students. Today, it has more than 2,200 students.

Robert Motl, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Health Professions, developed the exercise program used in the study.Story by Bob Shepard, UAB News

Researchers studying methods of exercise delivery and the effects on people living with multiple sclerosis have been awarded $5.7 million in funding by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).

James Rimmer, Ph.D.The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors has approved a $5.8 million grant over the next four years to the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Health Professions’ James Rimmer, Ph.D., to fund a study to determine whether people with multiple sclerosis get as much benefit from an exercise-based rehabilitation program delivered via internet and telephone as they do when the therapy is provided in a clinic.