Dr. Laurita Hack presents the Mary McMillan Lecture

Our Physical Therapy Program was honored to co-host Dr. Laurita Hack, PT, DPT, PhD, MBA, FAPTA at the end of our spring semester. Dr. Hack is Professor Emeritus, Department of Physical Therapy at Temple University in Philadelphia. During her visit to Pacific University, she met with our faculty, student officers, and reprised her Mary McMillan Lecture to our students, alumni, clinical partners, and faculty. Dr. Hack’s visit, which was co-hosted by the Office of the Executive Dean for the College of Health Professions, concluded with a reception in her honor.    

Dr. Laurita Hack and Dr. Ann Barr-Gillespie

Dr. Hack's research interests include development of clinical expertise, supply and demand of physical therapy personnel, and the impact of changes in the health care system on the practice of physical therapy. She is a coauthor of Expertise in Physical Therapy Practice and Evidence into Practice. She has authored over 45 professional papers and book chapters and provided nearly 200 professional presentations. She is currently a co-investigator in the grant, Physical Therapist Education for the Twenty First Century (PTE-21): Innovation and Excellence in Physical Therapist Academic and Clinical Education. PTE-21 has gathered data from outstanding academic and clinical sites on the factors that contribute to excellence in physical therapist education. This work has resulted in several articles, presentations, and a book.

She has served the APTA as President of the Community/Home Health Section, the Health Policy Section and the Education Section. She has also served as Vice Speaker and Secretary of the APTA. She is a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the APTA and has received APTA’s Lucy Blair Service Award and the Baethke-Carlin Award for Teaching Excellence. 

Dr. Hack was recently honored with the 49th Mary McMillan Lecture at the 2018 APTA NEXT Conference in Orlando, which is the most distinguished honor an active APTA member physical therapist or life member can receive. This lecture is regarded as one of the keystone events at APTA's NEXT Conference & Exposition. This award recognizes those who have demonstrated exemplary skills in the areas of administration, education, patient care, management, and research. Her speech, Wisdom and Courage, will help our profession continue to move forward. Please view a summary of her motivating speech.

Picture above from left to right is Dr. Laurita Hack and Dr. Ann Barr-Gillespie (Executive Dean of the College of Health Professions).

Tuesday, June 25, 2019