News — The Physiatry Foundation officially launched at the recently concluded Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) Annual Meeting, Physiatry ’24, February 20-24, 2024.
The new Physiatry Foundation will provide much-needed support for education and career development initiatives in physiatry based on the values of Altruism, Inclusivity, and Academic Excellence. First-priority funding opportunities include scholarships for flagship leadership programs - the AAP’s Program for Academic Leadership (PAL) and Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program (RMSTP), funding for medical student externships and scholarships to attend the Annual Meeting, and new programs that will support wellness, innovation, and international outreach in PM&R departments.
The creation of the Physiatry Foundation was made possible by the American Physiatric Education Council (APEC). The APEC Board of Directors, who are the editors and leading authors of textbooks in the specialty, and who desire to give back by serving the needs of the field, chose to execute a change and become the Physiatry Foundation as of February 2024. APEC has funded various innovative programs throughout the years, perhaps the most noteworthy being the Kottke Society, a ‘think-tank’ that brings together some of the brightest minds in the specialty to discuss challenges and potential solutions to help shape the future of physiatry.
“APEC has a long history of advancing physiatry that dates back to the 1950s and involves some of the pioneers of our specialty such as Frank H. Krusen, MD and Frederic Kottke, MD, PhD,” describes William Bockenek, MD, former APEC Chair. “Until now, APEC has been solely funded by our board of directors and the royalties of our collective textbooks. Through the Physiatry Foundation, we hope to offer the same opportunity to give back to all of our colleagues, impact many more lives, and together create a future for physiatry that we all wish to see.”
Chaired by Dr. Gerard Francisco of TIRR Memorial Hermann and UTHealth Houston, the Physiatry Foundation will also be supported by the AAP.
About APEC
APEC was founded by early pioneers in physiatry, Drs. Kottke, Gullickson, Stillwell and others. Their purpose was to advance physiatry by studying and supporting important education and research matters. Royalties from the Handbook (Krusen), and later Rehabilitation Medicine: Principles and Practice (DeLisa) were contributed to APEC and when the leadership transitioned to DeLisa and Gans, a strong relationship with the AAP was established to align the activities of APEC with those of the AAP
About AAP
The Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) represents 3,000 leaders in physiatry at every career level. Our vision is a thriving global academic community leveraging mentorship, leadership, and scholarship to maximize human function. Our mission is to empower academic physiatrists to advance the science of physical medicine and rehabilitation, educate leaders of the future, and champion physiatry to transform healthcare.
About Physiatry ‘24
Physiatry ’24 is the annual meeting of the AAP, took place February 20-24, 2024 at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida. Physiatry ’24 brought together over 1,750 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation professionals for hands-on workshops, interactive educational sessions, inspiring plenary talks, cutting-edge research presentations, and spontaneous and intentional networking opportunities.
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