UAB Department of Physical Therapy Vice Chair David M. Morris, PT, Ph.D., received the Marilyn Gossman Professionalism in Physical Therapy Award from the Alabama Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). This is considered the chapter’s most prestigious honor to recognize a member demonstrating outstanding professionalism in any of the areas of physical therapy service, practice, education and/or research.
A physical therapist in Alabama and at UAB since 1983, Morris also is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and is training coordinator for the UAB Constraint Induced Therapy Research Project. Morris has a long history of service to the APTA, including terms as president of the APTA Aquatic Section from 1998-2002 and president of the Alabama Chapter from 2005-2010.
Morris also was co-chair of the Patient Interest and Access Act (PIAA) Task Force, a group convened to develop and pass legislation to allow Alabama citizens better access to physical therapy services. Such a bill was passed in the 2012 Alabama legislative session. Marilyn Gossman, PT, Ph.D., FAPTA, the award’s namesake, is the former director of the UAB Division of Physical Therapy.