The Foundation for Physical Therapy Board of Trustees recently awarded a total of $292,500 in Promotion of Doctoral Scholarships (PODS I & II) to 25 PTs.

"The level of excellence of the applications submitted for consideration increases each year," said Foundation President Richard Shields, PT, PhD, FAPTA. "The Foundation is pleased to continue fulfilling its mission by providing support for such promising young researchers as they begin their careers."

As part of its Doctoral Opportunities for Clinicians and Scholarships (DOCS) program, the Foundation awards PODS I scholarships of $7,500 each year to PTs or physical therapist assistants who have completed at least two full semesters or three full quarters of their coursework toward a doctorate. PODS II scholarships of up to $15,000 each are awarded to PTs or physical therapist assistants who have been formally admitted to doctoral candidacy.

Recipients of the 2008 PODS I scholarships are Stacey DeJong, PT, MPT, MS, Washington University in St. Louis; Stephanie De Stasi, PT, MSPT, University of Delaware; Ward Glasoe, PT, MA, University of Minnesota; Adam Goode, PT, DPT, Duke University; Andrew Littmann, PT, MA, NCS, University of Iowa; Mark Lyle, PT, MSPT, OCS, University of Southern California; Amee Seitz, PT, MS, DPT, Virginia Commonwealth University; Barbara Smith, PT, MPT, University of Florida; Kristen Stearns, PT, MSPT, University of Southern California; Lori Tuttle, PT, MPT, Washington University in St. Louis; and Richard Willy, PT, MPT, BSSPS, University of Delaware.

Recipients of the 2008 PODS II scholarships are Justin Beebe, PT, MSPT, Washington University in St Louis; George J Beneck, PT, MS, OCS, University of Southern California; Shauna Dudley-Javoroski, PT, MPT, University of Iowa; Shawn Farrokhi, PT, DPT, University of Southern California; Erin H Hartigan, PT, MSPT, DPT, BSEP, University of Delaware; Wendy Herbert, PT, MS, The Ohio State University; Karen Huhn, PT, MS, DPT, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Beth McManus, PT, MS, MPH, Harvard School of Public Health; Erika Nelson-Wong, PT, MSPT, DPT, University of Waterloo; Brian W Noehren, PT, MSPT, University of Delaware; John Popovich, PT, DPT, MS, University of Southern California; Sara Scholtes, PT, DPT, Washington University in St Louis; Jill Stewart, PT, MS, NCS, University of Southern California; and Ann Tokay, PT, DPT, University of Delaware.

Amee Seitz, PT, MS, DPT, was awarded the Viva J Erikson Doctoral Scholarship, given to a PODS I recipient for post-professional doctoral studies. This scholarship is intended to help prepare the recipient for academic leadership in physical therapy education programs. The award is generously funded by the Viva J Erikson Fund established in 1995 in memory of an accomplished physical therapist and APTA leader.

Barbara Smith, PT, MPT, was awarded the Scot C Irwin, PT, DPT, CCS Scholarship, given to a PODS recipient for post-professional studies in cardiovascular & pulmonary studies. This award is in memory of accomplished physical therapist and Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Section member Scot C Irwin.

The PODS I awarded to Mark Lyle, PT, MSPT, OCS, was made possible by the Marquette Challenge, co-sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh. This annual grassroots student fundraising effort coordinated by physical therapy students from Marquette University has become so successful that this year, in addition to the research grant that the Challenge supports, it is funding a PODS I scholarship.

Justin Beebe, PT, MSPT was awarded the Mary Lou Barnes scholarship, given to a PODS II recipient for post-professional studies in neurology. This award is given in memory of accomplished physical therapist and Neurology Section member Mary Lou Barnes, PT, EdD, FAPTA.

[Source: American Physical Therapy Association]