Let it rain
Monday July 23, 2012
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Last May, I had the opportunity to travel to Albuquerque, N.M. One of the highlights of my trip was my tour of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. At the center, I made some new friends and learned the importance of rain in the Native American culture and to their survival. To invoke rain, Native Americans of the Southwest hold ceremonial rain dances, since the summers often bring long droughts.
The American Physical Therapy Association Annual Conference & Exposition, held in Tampa, Fla., in June, was drenched with torrential rain. As I drove to the conference, I couldn’t help ask the question: Is this rain a sign of mourning from the heavens — a premonition to the eventual fate of physical therapist assistants resulting from the passage of RC3-11 last year?
In my editorial last July, I wrote about RC3-11, a new APTA position that was scheduled to become effective July 1 of this year. This sanctions use of extenders, such as athletic trainers and exercise physiologists, to provide physical therapy treatments.
On the other hand, I was thinking about what rain means in the Native American culture: survival, renewal and change. I couldn’t help but wonder if instead of foretelling a "washed out" conference and a disappointing decision on how to implement the intents of RC3-11, could all this rain also signal renewal and change?
Of all the events of the conference, I most eagerly anticipated the PTA Town Hall meeting. I was curious to find out the status of RC3-11 now that there had been a year to study prospective models of implementing it. Compared to last year, there were more people in attendance at the meeting — most of whom were academicians. Several PTA delegates reported that during the caucus, a motion was passed to further explore the RC’s implementation with a report due in 2014. In addition, an exploration of the educational requirement for PTAs, whether it should be adjusted to a bachelor’s level, also passed.
Essentially, a two-year exploratory phase, instead of a quick, haphazard decision on the matter, prevailed. In my estimation, this timeline provides our profession some valuable time to truly contemplate this position and for association members to participate in shaping its implementation.
The conference may had been drenched with rain, but it seemed the rain brought a much needed cooling effect and level-headed decision-making on the part of our appointed leaders. •
The American Physical Therapy Association Annual Conference & Exposition, held in Tampa, Fla., in June, was drenched with torrential rain. As I drove to the conference, I couldn’t help ask the question: Is this rain a sign of mourning from the heavens — a premonition to the eventual fate of physical therapist assistants resulting from the passage of RC3-11 last year?
In my editorial last July, I wrote about RC3-11, a new APTA position that was scheduled to become effective July 1 of this year. This sanctions use of extenders, such as athletic trainers and exercise physiologists, to provide physical therapy treatments.
On the other hand, I was thinking about what rain means in the Native American culture: survival, renewal and change. I couldn’t help but wonder if instead of foretelling a "washed out" conference and a disappointing decision on how to implement the intents of RC3-11, could all this rain also signal renewal and change?
Of all the events of the conference, I most eagerly anticipated the PTA Town Hall meeting. I was curious to find out the status of RC3-11 now that there had been a year to study prospective models of implementing it. Compared to last year, there were more people in attendance at the meeting — most of whom were academicians. Several PTA delegates reported that during the caucus, a motion was passed to further explore the RC’s implementation with a report due in 2014. In addition, an exploration of the educational requirement for PTAs, whether it should be adjusted to a bachelor’s level, also passed.
Essentially, a two-year exploratory phase, instead of a quick, haphazard decision on the matter, prevailed. In my estimation, this timeline provides our profession some valuable time to truly contemplate this position and for association members to participate in shaping its implementation.
The conference may had been drenched with rain, but it seemed the rain brought a much needed cooling effect and level-headed decision-making on the part of our appointed leaders. •
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Monday July 23, 2012