northeastern university bouve college of health professions

This year the university and department have continued to grow and change. I am pleased to announce the arrival of

our new Dean Dr Terry Fulmer as well as two new tenure track faculty, Drs Ann Marie Flores, Amee Seitz and a

clinical faculty member, Dr Maureen Watkins and Dr Matt Nippons

The PT clinical teaching labs in our state-of-the art building, Beharkis Health Sciences Center, are being outfitted

with a camera and video relay system to enhance teaching. All faculty have accesse to Tegrity, a system for deliver-

ing classroom lectures synced with slides. We have also expanded and renovated our PT Research labs to include a

new Center for Cancer Survivorship Studies. , a Neurocognitive Lab, a Neurorehabilitation Lab and a Biomotion Lab.

We welcomed Swiss students for our inaugural physical therapy exchange program and held a Dialogues In Diversity

Course in South Africa. Our next issue will present more about exciting innovations this fall and spring.

Greetings from the Chair , Dr Maura Daly Iversen

Newsletter

Fall 2011 Northeastern University

Bouve College of Health Professions Department of Physical Therapy

Excellence, Distinctiveness and Innovation

NU Hosts the APTA Section on Pediatrics IDEA Conference

Program Chairperson Wins Prestigious Award

The Department was the proud host of the

IDEA Conference sponsored by the APTA

Pediatrics Section on July 15 and 16, 2011.

The conference attracted 100 attendees from

the continental United States and Guam. In

addition, Associate Clinical Professor Ann-

Golub Victor and 5 PT students attended.

The conference updated pediatric clinicians on

application of law to their practice and how

best to serve clients. Several renowned speak-

ers presented including Stephen J Bagnato

from University of Pittsburgh, Toni Doty,

from Kent State, Susan Effgen from University

of Kentucky, Irene McEwen from University

of Oklahoma, Toby Long from Georgetown

University, Mary Jane Rapport from the Uni-

versity of Colorado and Nate Thomas from

Federal Government Affairs of the APTA.

Dr Maura Daly Iversen, Professor and Chairperson of the Physical Therapy Department has been

named the 2011 Distinguished Scholar by the American College of Rheumatology, Association of

Rheumatology Health Professionals. This award will be presented during the opening ceremony of

the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology on Nov 5, 2011. This ac-

colade acknowledges her contributions to expanding knowledge about interventions for clients with

Rheumatic diseases and improving treatment outcomes.

Save the Date!

3 NU Faculty presenting at the

2011 APTA of MA Annual

Conference

Saturday November 5, 2011

David Nolan PT, DPT, MS,

OCS, CSCS and

Trevor Winnegge PT, DPT,

MS, OCS, CSCS

Current Concepts in Managing

Knee Dysfunction

And

Maureen Watkins PT,

DPT,MBA, LMT

The Pelvic Floor & the

Female Athlete

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Members of the NU community received awards at the 2011 APTA Annual Con-

ference this June in Washington, DC. Sonya Larrieux, Assistant Clinical Profes-

sor, was presented the Minority Faculty Development Award and received funds

to support her dissertation research in health disparities for the PhD in Law, Policy

and Society. Li Li DPT, Class of 2011 was awarded the Minority Affairs Scholar-

ship for her advocacy work with the Chinese community both here and in her na-

tive China. The NU PT Club was recognized for their fundraising efforts for the

Marquette Challenge. During the 2010-2011 academic year they raised $3,000.

APTA Award Recipients

Innovative Swiss Student Exchange Program at NU

We have initiated a very exciting student exchange program with the Physiothera-

py program at HECV Sante in Luasanne, Switzerland. Ten students and their in-

structor arrived in Boston this July. They attended several classes alongside our

PT students and took a special topics class on Comparative Health Care Systems in

Switzerland and the United States. There was also time for getting to know our

students and faculty and exploring historic Boston. Of course, no trip to Boston is

complete without a visit to Fenway Park. The Swiss students thought baseball

looked easy given that the Sox scored 7 runs! In November, 15 NUPT students

will travel to HECV with Dr Iversen to attend

classes and interact with patients in hospital set-

tings. In addition, side trips are planned including trips to the World Health Organiza-

tion, the International Red Cross and International Olympic Committee. Many thanks

to Dr Chris Diehl of Spaulding, Dr Mike Sullivan and Dr Ann Jampel of Massachu-

setts General Hospital and Dr Dan Murray of Sports and Orthopedic Assoc. for

providing opportunities for the Swiss students to learn about how PTs practice.

DPT Class of 2015 White Coat Ceremony

On April 21, 2011, ninety DPT students attended the annual White Coat Ceremony

to mark their official transition to the professional phase of the PT program, and

the beginning of their first Cooperative Education Experience. The key note speak-

er was Aimee Klein, PT, DPT, DSc, OCS, a member of the APTA Board of Direc-

tors. Dr Klein spoke about PT values and provided thought provoking remarks

about the importance of professionalism. She stressed that we must have passion

for both the science and art of the profession.

PT Students Receive College and University Awards

The Spring Awards ceremony for the School of Health Professions in the

Bouve College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University was held on

May 2, 2011. We are very proud that several Physical Therapy students re-

ceived awards in recognition of their outstanding achievements. Award cate-

gories included Academic Excellence, Professional Promise, Community Ser-

vice, Outstanding Undergraduate Achievement, and Commitment to the Uni-

versity. Awardees are Madeline Powers, Katherine Young, Abigail Reid,

Lauren McMillan, Elizabeth Fairburn, Meaghan Hitt, Stephanie Parsons, Jill

Arsenio, Christina Wilson, and Seri Gordon. Pictured left are the awards win-

ners with President Aoun and Dr Ventura (Left) and Dr. Hickey (Right)

"People overlook what a strong voice students can have. But with so many of us enrolled nationwide, we have the power

to make a big difference," says Abby Reid, Class of 2012. "In school, we learn about the many flaws and injustices in

today's health care system. Just because we are not yet practicing physical therapists (PTs) does not mean that our opin-

ions on such issues will be ignored."

“These issues--such as changes in Medicare reimbursement rates and student loan forgiveness--will affect many of those

students as soon as they graduate. The sooner we become involved in advocating for our

rights as professionals, as well as for our patients' rights, the smoother the transition will

be once we graduate and become part of the 'professional' world," Reid says. "If we want

to see change by the time we are practicing in the field, we need to begin now. It's time

we stop relying on other people to make the changes we want to see and start doing

something proactive about it ourselves. To advocate for one's profession is as much as an

"inalienable right as voting, the students noted. It's critical to explain that the profession

is still evolving, and they can help in determining its direction, they say.”

Abby attended Student Conclave last year and is actively involved with legislative issues

on a local and national level.

Hooding and Pinning Ceremony Carries on and Expands An NU Tradition

We were delighted to hold our annual Pinning and Hooding ceremony for the eighty-four members of the class of 2011

on May 5th in Blackman Auditorium. Faculty, family and friends gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of the class

and to launch them on their physical therapy careers. This event is traditionally held the afternoon before graduation and

allows us to celebrate with students and their loved ones in an intimate and personalized ceremony. The students select-

ed Dr Prudence Plummer-D’Amato, Assistant Professor to be their faculty speaker. Student speakers were Christopher

Joyce and Kathryn Moran. A lovely reception followed the event in the Curry Student Center ballroom.

This event is part of a long tradition of honoring our newest alumni. The first Bouve Pining ceremony was held in 1955.

The pin, which is unique to Bouve College serves as an symbol of welcoming them into the profession of Physical Ther-

apy. Graduating students become part of a long tradition of caring and service to patients and the community. With the

transition to the DPT degree in 2007 we added the placement of doctoral hoods over the students academic gowns in

preparation for the formal University graduation the following day.

NUPT Student Quoted in Recent PT in Motion Article on Advocacy.

CONGRATULATIONS TO

THE CLASS OF 2011. WE

ARE VERY PROUD OF

YOU!

from

THE NUPT FACULTY

Abby, far left, attended the Annual

Student Conclave with her class-

mates in the Fall of 2010

NU Congratulates Our Faculty On Achieving Their Clinical Specialization

Bouve College Announces Appointment of New Dean

We would like to congratulate two of our faculty for achieving their clinical

specialization certification awarded by the American Board of Physical

Therapy Specialties Board at CSM, February, 2012.

Dr Diane Fitzpatrick, Associate Clinical Professor, received Board certifi-

cation in Geriatrics. Dr Alycia Markowski, Associate Clinical Professor,

received Board Certification in Orthopedics as well as being a Fellow in the

American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy.

Through this initiative the department provides financial support and re-

lease time to faculty to pursue specialization. Next year, two more faculty

will be supported to prepare for the exam.

Faculty Grants

Dianne Fitzpatrick, PT, DPT,

MS, GCS Alycia Markowski, PT,

DPT,FAAOMPT, OCS

Dr Ann Marie Flores has joined us from Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she led and

developed the Rehabilitation Oncology Program in the Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation.

Her research focuses on cancer survivorship, women's health and health disparities.

She is the Principal Investigator of the Southern Community Cancer Survivorship Study (NCI/NIH

#7R21CA137483-03). The study targets breast cancer survivors in the southern United States with special

emphasis on physical and functional well being. She has received funding from the National Cancer

Institute/National Institutes of Health, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Vanderbilt University Medical

Center, University of Maryland System, and the U.S. Department of Education.

Dr Plummer-D’Amato received a $308,000 4-year new scientist Development Grant from the Ameri-

can Heart Association to conduct a randomized controlled trial entitled, “Training dual task walking

after stroke: effects on attentional and locomotor control”. The grant involves collaboration with Dr.

Dagmar Sternad, Dr. Bijan Najafi, and the outpatient physical therapy department at New England Re-

habilitation Hospital in Woburn, MA. The study will compare the effects of single-task and dual-task

gait training on attention allocation and locomotor performance in community-dwelling stroke survi-

vors.

Dr Lorna Hayward was awarded a grant of $20,200 from the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center Fund of Massachusetts

General Hospital (MGH). The title of the grant is "Creating a Culturally Competent and Inter-professional Aware Health

Care Environment within the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital." The grant will enable patients to share their stories

about their experiences with care at SRH. The stories will become a DVD that will be used in an educational module

designed to assist with the training of culturally competent and compassionate care givers.

Northeastern University announced that Dr Terry Fulmer will become the new Dean of

Bouve College of Health Sciences beginning Oct 1, 2011. She is an accomplished scholar

who was elected to the Institute of Medicine in 2010 and was most recently the Erline Per-

kins McGriff Professor and Dean of the College of Nursing at New York University.

“As dean of Bouvé, Terry Fulmer will combine her vision, passion and energy to take the

college to new heights,” said President Joseph E. Aoun. “Her appointment will also

strengthen our signature focus on health — a major theme of Northeastern's teaching and

research.” Fulmer will succeed Dr Stephen Zoloth, the founding Dean of the Bouvé Col-

lege of Health Sciences. Under Zoloth’s leadership for more than 10 years, Bouvé achieved

new levels of excellence, including a broad range of new undergraduate and graduate offer-

ings and vastly expanded research programs. The PT faculty congratulate Dr Fulmer and

look forward to working with her to continue our growth and innovation.

Northeastern University

South Africa: Dialogues in Civilization.

This year we instituted our first Dialogues in Civilization Course. Dr Diane Fitzpat-

rick (PT) and Adam Thomas (AT) organized an interdisciplinary group of 29 students

from Northeastern University, and spent four weeks in South Africa. This new venture

is part of NU’s emphasis on global education combined with our traditional emphasis

on experiential learning.

The course was designed to familiarize students with the history, culture and traditions

of South Africa through the use of lectures, personal interactions and experiences, in

the cities, townships, government and health facilities. Community service with guided

reflection and journaling was also part of the learning experience. Students learned

about infectious diseases, chronic health conditions, and health disparities which affect

the citizens of South Africa. There was a special focus on HIV/AIDS and TB.

The service component of the trip provided many opportunities for students to work with healthcare organizations in

South Africa . For example, the students worked with Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organization (SHAWCO) at

the University of Cape Town Medical School. It is a student run NGO, whose mission is to improve the quality of life of

individuals living in the developing communities within the Cape Metropolitan

Area. They provide services which are delivered by volunteer doctors and other

medical workers. The students assisted in caring for patients in mobile and sta-

tionary clinics for evening care in the townships and collaborated with students

from the University of Cape Town. Our partners in South Africa were very posi-

tive about the experience an our students report this was a life changing event that

gives new meaning to professional values and personal beliefs.

Student interacting with a traditional faith

healer

Heather Whiting, a 2011 DPT graduate of Northeastern, is starting her year-long residency in September through the

Functional Manual Therapy Foundation. She will be completing her residency at Elite Health Services in Old Green-

wich, CT under the mentorship of Brad Gilden. The program includes one on one mentorship hours each week, taking

post graduate continuing education courses through the Institute of Physical Art (IPA), live patient demonstrations and

community service all culminating with a test in her hometown of Steamboat Springs, CO for her certification in func-

tional manual therapy. She must also sit for her OCS certification within one year of completing the residency.

Recent Alumni Achievements

Matthieu Newton, DPT, 2008 has begun his training to become a physician at the University of

Rochester Medical School. Matt is following through on his goal to become an orthopedic sur-

geon. On the other hand, he loved being a Pediatric PT at Johns Hopkins Medical Center so who

knows? Matt is pictured here in his white coat ceremony this past summer.

David Cimino, a 2011 DPT graduate is a resident in the sports residency program at Howard Head Sports Medicine

Center in Vail, Colorado. During this 14 month program, he will participate in clinical rotations focusing on different

aspects of Sports Rehabilitation, attend lectures and conferences with specialists from around the globe and engage in

research. He will also participate in emergency first response and on-field management at high school athletic events; on

-mountain coverage at professional ski/snowboard competitions; as well as biking and trail running race coverage. He

will work with the head strength and conditioning coach for Ski Club Vail, treating skiers on and

off the mountain throughout their training. At the end of the year he will be eligible to sit for the

Sports Clinical Specialist exam.

Students at the Cape of Good Hope


Faculty Hiring News: Welcome Amee, Matt and Maureen

Amee L. Seitz, PT, PhD, DPT, OCS

Amee Seitz is joining the university as an Assistant Professor in the Department

of Physical Therapy. She received her B.S. in Physical Therapy from Ohio Uni-

versity, her post-professional M.S. and clinical doctorate from the MGH Institute

of Health Professions, and her PhD in Rehabilitation and Movement Science from

Virginia Commonwealth University.

Dr Seitz is a licensed physical therapist and board-certified orthopaedic clinical

specialist. She completed post doctoral work in Rehabilitation Sciences at the

University of Kentucky and at the Shoulder Research Laboratory at Massachu-

setts General Hospital. Her research interests are in the neuromuscular and biome-

chanical mechanisms of shoulder disorders and associated rehabilitation out-

comes. We look forward to Amee’s contributions to teaching , service and her

contributions and growth in our new Biomotion Lab.

Matt Nippins, PT, DPT, CCS

Dr. Nippins is expanding his role in the PT Department taking over as primary

faculty in our cardiopulmonary course. He began his career at Northeastern

University in 2006 as adjunct faculty teaching in the Cardio-Pulmonary Man-

agement course. He is also a Senior Therapist at Massachusetts General Hospi-

tal working with cardiac and pulmonary patients.

Matt has 12 years of clinical experience and is board certified as a Cardiopul-

monary Clinical Specialist. He is actively involved with the North American

Cystic Fibrosis Conference for the past 10 years as a moderator, abstract re-

viewer, workshop mentor and instructor. He currently serves as one of three

mentors in the US for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations mentorship program. He

also works with the Boston Renegades Beep ball team as a volunteer coach

and has raised over $110,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation research. He

raised the money running in several Boston Marathons in the past 10 years.

Maureen Watkins, PT, DPT, MBA, CMT

Dr. Watkins joins NU as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Physical Therapy

Department at Northeastern University. Since 2004, she has been adjunct faculty

specializing in business, women's health and orthopedic classes.

Maureen has 18 years of clinical experience in a variety of settings. She currently

maintains her clinical proficiency as a clinician at South County Physical Therapy

and at Saint Vincent Hospital located in Worcester, MA. A licensed massage thera-

pist, she previously owned a massage therapy clinic in Grafton, MA. She is an ac-

tive APTA member serving as a Central Massachusetts Representative and as a rep-

resentative for the orthopedic membership committee.

Maureen earned a B.S. and doctorate in physical therapy from Northeastern Univer-

sity and a MBA from Anna Maria College.


Drench M, Noonan A, Sharby N , Ventura S . Psychosocial Aspects of Health Care, Edition Three, Pearson Prentice

Hall, 2012

Cahlin LP, Markowski A, Hickey M. Blackmer B, Hayward L A Cardiopulmonary Instructor’s Reflection on a Student

Standardized Patient Experience: Implications for Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Education. Journal of Cardiopul-

monary Physical Therapy. 2011. 22(3):21-30.

Iversen MD, Chudasama N, Losina E, Katz JN. Influence of Limb Length Discrepancy on Function and Satisfaction

Following Total Hip Replacement. J Geriatric Phys Ther 2011; DOI: 10.1519/JPT.0b013e31820e16dc

Guillemin F, Iversen MD, Rat AC, Osborne R, Peterson IF. Non pharmacologic interventions need Outcomes for Evalu-

ating Complex Interventions in Rheumatic Diseases. J Rheumatol (In press, 2011)

Iversen MD, Ruchita RV, Servi, A, Solomon DH. Factors Affecting Adherence to Osteoporosis Medications: A Group

Approach Examining Viewpoints of Patients and Providers. J Geriatric Phys Ther. 2011: DOI: 10.1097/

JPT.0b013e3181ff03b4.

Garneau K, Iversen MD, Jan S, Parmar K, Tsao H, Solomon D. Rheumatoid Arthritis Decision-Making: Many Infor-

mation Sources But Not All Rated As Useful. International J Clinical Rheum Vol 17;5 (2011 in press)

Plummer-D’Amato P, Altmann LJP, Reilly K. Dual-task effects of spontaneous speech and executive function on gait

in aging: Exaggerated effects in slow walkers. Gait & Posture. 2011;33:233-237.

Plummer-D’Amato P, Altmann LJP. Relationships between motor function and gait-related dual-task interference after

stroke: a pilot study. Gait & Posture. (In press)

Recent Faculty Publications

Featured Faculty Presentations

Dr Maura Iversen presented her research entitled, Technology Application in Rehabilitation and Wellness on May 25th-

27th at the PETRA Conference in Crete, Greece.

Plummer-D’Amato P, Altmann LJP, Reilly K. Self-selected walking speed predicts cognitive-motor interference in

aging. 16h International Congress of the World Confederation of Physical Therapy. Amsterdam, Netherlands. June 20-

23, 2011. Research report platform presentation.

Laura Bradbury, Kirsten Brown, Christine DeMao and their mentor, Dr. Susan Ventura have been invited to present

their work, The Assistive Technology School Swap Program in MA, at the international conference of the Rehabilitation

Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America in Toronto, Canada this June.

Alicia Canali will be presenting at the World Association of Cooperative Education Conference in Philidelphia, PA in

June. Rose DiMarco co-authored the presentation. The panel session title: FIRE WORK: A Multi-faceted International

Collaboration between HandReach, Beijing, China and Northeastern University’s Nursing and Physical Therapy Co-

operative Education Programs, Boston.

The First Two Years of Practice: A Longitudinal Qualitative Investigation of the Learning and Development of Promis-

ing Novice Physical Therapists. Mostrom E, Perkins J, Black L, Jensen G, Ritzline P, Hayward LM, Blackmer, B.

World Confederation of Physical Therapy Congress, Amsterdam, Netherlands, June, 2011.

Integrating Cultural Competence, Professional Core Values, and Evidence Based Practice: A Blended Service Delivery

and CurricuModel. Hayward, LM, Charrette AL. World Confederation of Physical Therapy Congress, Amsterdam,

Netherlands, June, 2011.

Plummer-D’Amato P. Invited commentary on Physical activity participation, functional exercise capacity and self-esteem in patients with schizo-

phrenia. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation. 2011;18(4):229.

Iversen MD, Rat AC, Osborne R, Peterson IF. Non pharmacologic interventions need Outcomes for Evaluating Complex Interventions in Rheu-

matic Diseases. J Rheum (In press, 2011)

Hayward L, Cahalin L. Markowski A, Hickey M. A cardiopulmonary instructor's perspective on a standardized patient experience: Implications

for cardiopulmonary physical therapy education. Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal, Sept .2011

Garneau K, Iversen MD, Jan S, Parmar K, Tsao H, Solomon D. Rheumatoid Arthritis Decision-Making: Many Information Sources But Not All

Rated As Useful. International J Clinical Rheum Vol 17;5 (2011 in press)

Plummer-D’Amato P, Altmann LJP. Relationships between motor function and gait-related dual-task interference after stroke: a pilot study.

Gait & Posture. (In press)

Plummer-D’Amato P, Altmann LJP, Reilly K. Dual-task effects of spontaneous speech and executive function on gait in aging: Exaggerated ef-

fects in slow walkers. Gait & Posture. 2011;33:233-237. (Impact Factor: 2)

Iversen MD, Chudasama N, Losina E, Katz JN. Influence of Limb Length Discrepancy on Function and Satisfaction Following Total Hip Re-

placement. J Geriatric Phys Ther (In Press, 2011).Guillemin F,


phrenia. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation. 2011;18(4):229.

Iversen MD, Rat AC, Osborne R, Peterson IF. Non pharmacologic interventions need Outcomes for Evaluating Complex Interventions in Rheu-

matic Diseases. J Rheum (In press, 2011)

Smith JJ, Iversen MD, Anderson A, Connell P Kocher M. Reliability, Validity and Responsiveness of a Modified Inter-

national Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (pedi-IKDC) in Children with Knee Disorders. Ann J

Sports Med. 2011;39:933-939.


phrenia. International J Therapy Rehabilitation. 2011;18(4):229.

Garneau K, Iversen MD, Jan S, Parmar K, Tsao H, Solomon D. Rheumatoid Arthritis Decision-Making: Many Infor-

mation Sources But Not All Rated As Useful. Int J Clin Rheumatol. 2011;17:231-235.

Department of Physical Therapy

6 Robinson Hall

360 Huntington Avenue

Boston, MA 02115

Excellence, Distinctiveness and Innovation.

As a physical therapy student at Northeastern Univer-

sity you will have the unique opportunity to enrich

your education with real life experiences in the field

of physical therapy through our cooperative education

program, one of the largest and most innovative pro-

grams in the world. These experiences provide ex-

tended exposure to current, state-of the art physical

therapy practice in world renowned hospitals and

clinics across the globe: from Boston to Peru, Hawaii

http://www.northeastern.edu/bouve/

healthprofessions/dept/PT_Welcome.html

Physical therapy students at Northeastern University have

unique opportunities to enrich their education through experien-

tial learning. This combines hand on experience in the field of

physical therapy through our Cooperative Education program.

We are the only physical therapy program offering this year long

opportunity.

We also offer experiential education and exposure to current,

state-of the art physical therapy practice in world renowned

hospitals and clinics across the globe. Our global initiatives

include opportunities in Boston and the continental United

States and Hawaii as well Peru, Costa Rica, China, Cape Town,

South Africa, Ecuador, and Switzerland.

There are three opportunities to earn a DPT a NU: as a fresh-

men, as a student possessing a baccalaureate degree and if you

are a US licensed PT, we have the tDPT offered jointly by

Bouve and CPS.

northeastern university bouve college of health professions

Documents