Physical Therapy professor has served as a Texas delegate to PT profession’s policy-making body for more than a decade

By Kate Hunger 

Although the annual meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association's House of Delegates was not a particularly meaty on in terms of policy making, it did result in the election of a Texan to the executive board of the APTA.

"That was exciting," said Michael Geelhoed, D.P.T., OCS, MTC, associate professor and director of clinical education, of the election of Dr. Rupal Patel, PT of Texas Woman's University, to APTA's nominating committee. "We don't usually have Texans running for national office," he said.

Held June 19-21 in Boston, the meeting included much discussion of the future of clinical education in the profession, particularly with regard to moving toward a restricted licensure model, similar to the residency model in medicine, Geelhoed explained. He said such a move could help resolve the current challenge of finding clinical sites for students. 

In past years, the 402-member Hosue of Delegates has formed policies that have substantially impacted the field, from moving all programs to the doctoral level revising the code of ethics in the field. 

Delegates are elected in October. Geelhoed has served as a Texas delegate for more than a decade and was the chief delegate from 2012 to 2015.