A Brief History of the Profession of Physical Therapy 1

A Brief History of the A Brief History of the Profession of Physical Profession of Physical

TherapyTherapy

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Across the agesAcross the ages

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Influences in the early 20Influences in the early 20thth centurycentury

►WarWar►EpidemicsEpidemics

Polio – NYC, Polio – NYC, EnglandEngland

►AccidentsAccidents

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1911-19161911-1916

►Nurses/selected Nurses/selected phys ed graduates phys ed graduates recruited to assist recruited to assist with polio epidemicwith polio epidemic

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Pioneer of the ProfessionPioneer of the Profession

►Mary McMillanMary McMillan► 1880-19591880-1959►Grad work in Grad work in

physical culture and physical culture and corrective corrective exercises, which exercises, which included Swedish included Swedish gymnasticsgymnastics

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Mary McMillanMary McMillan

► Worked in hospitals in Worked in hospitals in England with the war England with the war wounded, wounded, developmental developmental disabilitiesdisabilities

► Returned to U.S. in Returned to U.S. in 1915 and became 1915 and became director of massage director of massage and medical and medical gymnastics at gymnastics at Children’s Hospital in Children’s Hospital in Portland, MainePortland, Maine

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World War IWorld War I► 1917, WWI1917, WWI► Surgeon General of U.S. Surgeon General of U.S.

Army anticipated a need Army anticipated a need for a formal for a formal “reconstruction” program “reconstruction” program for injured soldiersfor injured soldiers

► Established the Army’s Established the Army’s Division of Special Division of Special Hospital and Physical Hospital and Physical ReconstructionReconstruction

► Charged with Charged with development of development of education programs to education programs to prepare “reconstruction prepare “reconstruction aides”aides”

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Early physical therapistsEarly physical therapists

► Early recruits into Early recruits into what would become what would become the profession of the profession of physical therapy physical therapy were primarily were primarily women with women with physical education physical education degreesdegrees

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World War IWorld War I

► At Walter Reed At Walter Reed General Hospital, General Hospital, organized units of organized units of Reconstruction Aide Reconstruction Aide Corp, which were to Corp, which were to be sent overseasbe sent overseas

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1917-19181917-1918

► Reconstruction Reconstruction AidesAides 14 education 14 education

programsprograms 2000 graduates2000 graduates 800 in service800 in service 300 overseas300 overseas

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Training in anatomyTraining in anatomy

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Educational programsEducational programs

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Reconstruction AidesReconstruction Aides

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After WWIAfter WWI

►McMillan was the McMillan was the superintendent in superintendent in U.S.S.G.’s office over U.S.S.G.’s office over training programstraining programs

► 86,000 returning 86,000 returning veterans received veterans received care from care from reconstruction aides reconstruction aides on their return to on their return to the U.S. the U.S. (1919 Fort Sam (1919 Fort Sam Houston)Houston)

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Getting organizedGetting organized

► As Reconstruction As Reconstruction Aides scattered to Aides scattered to civilian positions, civilian positions, Mary McMillan Mary McMillan proposed the proposed the establishment of a establishment of a national association national association to preserve the role to preserve the role of physical of physical therapiststherapists

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Getting organizedGetting organized

► Invited to form the Invited to form the American Women’s American Women’s Physical Physical Therapeutic Therapeutic AssociationAssociation

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AWPTAAWPTA

► First organizational First organizational meeting was held in meeting was held in 19211921

► Acknowledged the Acknowledged the need for recognition need for recognition of their workof their work

► 274 members in 274 members in their first year (vs. their first year (vs. >70,000)>70,000)

►Mary McMillan first Mary McMillan first presidentpresident

► ““The purpose of the The purpose of the association shall be association shall be to establish and to establish and maintain a maintain a professional and professional and scientific standard for scientific standard for those engaged in the those engaged in the profession of physical profession of physical therapeutics.”therapeutics.”

► Association history Association history parallels profession parallels profession historyhistory

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PT REVIEWPT REVIEW

► Two months after the association’s founding the Two months after the association’s founding the PT REVIEW was in print, and has been published PT REVIEW was in print, and has been published continuously (now continuously (now Physical TherapyPhysical Therapy))

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First annual convention 1922, First annual convention 1922, BostonBoston

►Treatment for patients with infantile Treatment for patients with infantile paralysisparalysis

►Posture trainingPosture training►Physiotherapy and its relation to Physiotherapy and its relation to

industrial accidentsindustrial accidents

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19281928

► Standards for PT Standards for PT educationeducation

► 6 schools approved6 schools approved► AMA asked to assist AMA asked to assist

with accreditation in with accreditation in 19361936

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Training/credentialingTraining/credentialing

► First bachelor’s First bachelor’s degree at NYU in degree at NYU in 19271927

► 1935, the American 1935, the American Medical Association Medical Association established the established the American Registry American Registry for physical for physical therapists who pass therapists who pass a qualifying exama qualifying exam

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Poliomyelitis epidemicPoliomyelitis epidemic

► 1910 – 40’s1910 – 40’s► National Infantile National Infantile

Paralysis Association Paralysis Association contributed much contributed much money to start up money to start up additional schools additional schools and training and training programs programs (New England (New England 1916)1916)

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National Infantile Paralysis National Infantile Paralysis AssociationAssociation

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1922-19411922-1941

► Few job opportunitiesFew job opportunities► 1941, WWII declared1941, WWII declared► Fewer than 1200 PT’sFewer than 1200 PT’s► Emergency Emergency

educational educational programs established programs established in Army hospitals in Army hospitals and civilian schoolsand civilian schools

► 1600 PT’s served in 1600 PT’s served in WWIIWWII

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WWIIWWII

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19471947

► ““American Physical American Physical Therapy Therapy Association”Association”

► 1958, 38 1958, 38 educational educational institutions, BS or institutions, BS or certificate programscertificate programs

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Influential womenInfluential women

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Physical Therapy in the Physical Therapy in the 1950’s1950’s

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Development of roles and Development of roles and skillsskills

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MilestonesMilestones

► 1960, first master’s 1960, first master’s degree, at Case degree, at Case Western ReserveWestern Reserve

► 1983, CAPTE sole 1983, CAPTE sole accrediting agencyaccrediting agency

► 1984, Diagnosis by PT’s1984, Diagnosis by PT’s► 1985, Board 1985, Board

certificationcertification► 1985, Entry point into 1985, Entry point into

health carehealth care► 1993, first DPT1993, first DPT

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First DPT Class at Chatham First DPT Class at Chatham College College May 2005May 2005

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