It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our colleague and friend, Christine McDonough, PT, PhD, FAPTA, on Dec. 18, 2024. Christine was diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2023. She was a force, with an incredible drive and zest for life. Her contributions to the fields of physical therapy and outcomes research cannot be overstated.

Christine received her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Vermont in 1985. She completed coursework at Boston and Harvard universities before completing her master’s degree at Dartmouth College, where she also completed her doctoral degree. She completed two postdoctoral fellowships, one at Dartmouth College and one at Boston University in the Health & Disabilities Research Institute. Christine was a clinician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston before founding her own physical therapy practice in Needham, Massachusetts, which she operated for 15 years.

Seeking greater impact, she moved to Norwich, Vermont, with her husband, completed her PhD in healthcare decision sciences and measurement, and raised their twin daughters. Christine often held multiple roles simultaneously. She was an adjunct assistant professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, an adjunct clinical assistant professor at the Geisel School of Medicine, and project lead for the Center for Translation of Rehabilitation Engineering Advances and Technology and also for the New England Pediatric Device Consortium. She was a research assistant professor at Boston University School of Public Health. In 2018, she joined the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center as a research scientist, having collaborated with NIH since 2009 on research to improve the Social Security Administration’s disability determination processes. That year, Christine joined the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh as an assistant professor with a joint appointment in orthopedic surgery. 

Christine was actively involved in dozens of professional organizations during her storied career, including APTA for over 40 years. In 2015, she became a certified exercise expert for aging adults through APTA Geriatrics. She was on the editorial board of PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal from 2016-23. Her numerous awards included the prestigious Jack Walker Award and the Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association. For 10 years, Christine was the clinical practice guideline editor for the APTA Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, now APTA Orthopaedic, where she led the development of multiple CPGs. She received research grants from the Foundation for Physical Therapy, Magistro Family Foundation, Optum Labs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIH, Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, and the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. In 2024, she was co-director of the Pilot Studies Core of the Center on Health Services Training and Research and the director of the Techniques Component of the Learning Health Systems Rehabilitation Research Network, an NIH-funded research resource center at Brown University.

Christine mentored countless students, residents, fellows, and faculty members. She was a researcher’s researcher — the one you sought when grappling with a dicey methodological issue or conceptualizing a challenging project. She published extensively, with over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications by the end of 2024 and more in press. Christine’s work focused on patient-centered outcomes and implementation research on work-related injury, leaving a lasting impact on the field of physical therapy, rehabilitation, orthopedic surgery, and health policy. Her research was insightful, innovative, and pragmatic. Her contributions to CPGs were actionable and widely used to support physical therapy practice. In her last months, she received three awards for her contributions to the Vermont Retaining Employment and Talent After Illness/Injury Network study, funded through the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Christine was a kind, thoughtful, and caring individual who always placed others’ best interests at the heart of her work. Outside of her professional life, she lived with great passion, enjoying soccer, fishing, traveling, skiing, sailing, and spending time with her family. Throughout her illness, Christine maintained an incredible attitude, living with grace, strength, and determination. Her light, dedication to helping others, incredible work ethic, and optimistic spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew her.