Eligibility Requirements

Physical therapists who are current members in good standing of the association.

Nominees for this award must demonstrate:

• A significant contribution to health care by writing in the areas of theory, practice, foundational or clinical research, education, or administration.
• Publication in at least two different health care professional journals or contribution to at least two books, monographs, or proceedings from scientific meetings.
• Expertise of subject matter, innovation of ideas, and clarity of expression in their scientific writing.

Criteria for Eligibilty:

• Physical therapists who are current members in good standing of the association.
• Actively engaged in writing and publishing professional literature for a sustained period of not less than 10 years.

A strong application should demonstrate the following:

Duration of clinical practice:

• Engaged in extensive clinical practice for at least 15 years.

Effect on shape, scope, and quality of physical therapist practice:

• Positively and substantially affected physical therapist practice.

Effect on other physical therapists’ ability to practice:

• Mentorship and advisement of other therapists in a manner that has significantly increased their ability to practice.
• Use of expertise and experience to nurture future clinicians.
• Use of new or unique practice applications.

Effect on development of physical therapy as a caring profession.

Quality and quantity of contributions to the association:

• National-level activities.
• Chapter-level activities.
• Local- or district-level activities.
• Publications and presentations.

Letters of support that are positive, cite specific examples of professional accomplishments, and provide additional information on depth, scope, and quality in a convincing manner.

What Recipients Receive

An award will be presented to the recipient along with $500 as a contribution toward a charitable or educational institution or an established scientific or literary project of their choosing. The award will be presented by APTA's Board of Directors at an APTA national event, and an official announcement will appear in an association publication.

Submission Requirements

During the online process, the following documents will be required for upload:

• Current curriculum vitae or resume of the nominee.
• A letter of nomination that specifically focuses on the strengths of the nominee in relation to the award criteria, not to exceed three pages. Letters of nomination cannot serve as one of the required letters of support.
• Two letters of support obtained from individuals upon whom the nominee has had an impact that specifically address one or more of the criteria for selection, not to exceed two pages each. (Note: If more than two letters of support are received, only the first two will be considered. The nominator will be asked to remove additional letters.)

Submit a Nomination

The nominations call for the Honors and Awards program is open  Sept.1- Dec. 1. Nominations must be submitted through our online portal by Dec. 1; late submissions will not be considered. Selected recipients and their nominators will be notified in May.

Additional Resources

For questions regarding the nomination process or the award, please contact APTA Honors and Awards.