The Program in Physical Therapy at Washington University in St. Louis has been a trailblazer within the profession. With luminaries like Shirley Sahrmann and the MSI approach, WUPT has been at the forefront of pushing the profession forward. In that same vein, the Program in Physical Therapy has decided to again be out front in moving the profession forward by its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
I am excited to serve as the Inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leader within the Program in Physical Therapy at Washington University in St. Louis. Being here at WUPT at this time of significant change has been one of the greatest accomplishments of my career. The visionary leadership and support provided by Dr. Gammon Earhart and the faculty and staff to make this position a priority within the department reflect the commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
We aim to create an environment conducive for all students, not just to survive but to thrive academically, personally, and professionally. We want students to express their authentic selves and be an asset to our program, the school of medicine, and, more importantly, the St. Louis community.
Our ambitions are not bold, they are not radical, but instead, they are simply a commitment to do the work that needs to be done to make us better. We will be met with many challenges, but we are committed to weaving DEIB throughout our program, allowing us to continue to be leaders in education, patient care, and research.
In closing, I want to leave you with the words of Benjamin E. Mays. “Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive, and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done.” We want to embrace the spirit and essence of these words by fostering a spirit of equity, inclusion, and belonging for all.
Welcome to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging within the Program in Physical Therapy at Washington University in St. Louis.
Sincerely,
Julian L. Magee
Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Washington University Program in Physical Therapy
A letter from the Associate Dean
My goal as Associate Dean and Director of Physical Therapy is, in the words of Kid President, to “be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.” I have the responsibility and privilege to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within the Program in Physical Therapy. To that end, in 2016, I worked with two student leaders to co-found Physical Therapy Inclusion & Diversity (or PT ID). The School of Medicine’s investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion manifested in 2018 with the formation of the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) under the leadership of Dr. Sherree Wilson, Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Working together, PT ID and the Office of DEI have engaged students, faculty and staff in various community outreach activities, promoted networking among students and alumni and sponsored numerous opportunities for learning and discussion. While we’ve made substantial progress through these efforts, there will always be more to do to ensure that we are at our best and continuously improving. This work is vitally important to me personally and to the Program and physical therapy profession. As we move into our next phase of this journey, I am thrilled that Dr. Julian Magee has joined our faculty as the inaugural leader for DEI within the Program in Physical Therapy. I look forward to working alongside Julian to ensure that everybody – whether they are a student, patient, employee, research participant, or visitor – feels like a somebody.
Sincerely,
Gammon M. Earhart, PT, Ph.D., FAPTA
Associate Dean and Director