August 25, 2020

Inform

Time To Defend the Profession: Take Action, Add Your Voice in Opposition to Payment Cuts

"We're at a critical crossroads. The profession needs your voice and we need it now." We're making it easy to do your part to call for action against a proposed 9% Medicare payment cut. Momentum is building.

APTA Flash Action Strategy: Support PT-PAC

This year—an election year—APTA members are encouraged to take action during APTA's Flash Action Strategy, Sept. 15-16, by supporting PT-PAC and learning how it advocates for the profession.

Student Spotlight: APTA Oncology, an Academy of the American Physical Therapy Association

APTA sections are your link to resources you need to stay current in expertise areas, and they're the best way to connect with others who share your interests — including some of the profession's most influential thought leaders. Here, we highlight APTA Oncology, an academy of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Engage

APTA Live: PT-PTA Teams

Hosts Yusra Iftikhar, DPT, director of communications, and Scotti Gamboa, SPTA, director of SPTA relations, both on the APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors, talked about PT-PTA teamwork, collaboration, and more with guests Christine Davidson, PT, DPT, and Nanako Barry, PTA, CBIS. Christine and Nanako, who won the APTA Outstanding PT-PTA Team Award for their exceptional teamwork and collaboration, discussed their model for success and answered questions.

Navigating the Job Market During a Pandemic: Part 2

The American Council of Academic Physical Therapy's Student Leadership Development Committee will be hosting a second Facebook Live event to help recent graduates navigate the job market during these challenging times.

APTA's National Student Conclave Goes Virtual in 2020

In the interest of safety related to COVID-19, we are replacing our in-person NSC scheduled for November 5-7 in Austin with a virtual event. Details about virtual NSC will be available in September.

APTA Student Core Ambassador Spotlight

As the APTA Student Assembly Core Ambassador for Florida and a member of the APTA Student Assembly Advocacy Project Committee, Alyse Hausman, SPT, assisted programs across the country and in Florida in organizing National Advocacy Dinners this Spring. Five dinners were planned in Florida when COVID-19 required in-person events to be cancelled or transitioned to virtual events. Alyse and other Florida members of the Advocacy Project Committee (Riyad Mohommad, PT, DPT, and Marino Bucci, SPT), planned a statewide virtual dinner. Guest speakers included FPTA President Jamie Dyson, PT, DPT, who spoke about current state and national advocacy efforts over the past year. The event had over 125 attendees including students, clinicians, and members of both the FPTA and APTA boards of directors. Great job, Alyse!

Note from the Vice President

In the beginning stages of quarantine in March I remember looking forward to being reunited with all of my #PTFam at the APTA House of Delegates and APTA's NEXT conference in Arizona in June. When those meetings transitioned to a virtual format I was not surprised or even that disappointed. I was impressed by APTA’s ability to adapt, eager to participate in this new way of learning and excited that it would be accessible to so many more students. However, the transition to virtual formats of both APTA National Student Conclave and APTA Combined Sections Meetings have hit me differently.

NSC would have been the last time for the 2019-2020 Student Assembly Board of Directors to meet in person and interact face to face with many of the students that we have worked so closely with over this last year. And as for CSM, I was so looking forward to the grand celebrations for APTA’s Centennial. I understand and support these decisions, but it is not an easy pill to swallow. I’ve had to remind myself that it is ok to be disappointed about this, but I must remain engaged and continue to be an active member and advocate for our profession, our communities, and our patients. I know it can be easy to “check out” now, but I encourage you to continue to be involved, informed, and engaged.

Stay safe.