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Best-selling author and world's leading physical therapist to visit July 26

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Marilyn Moffat, PT, DPT, PhD, author of the best seller Age-Defying Fitness and president of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT), will meet with physical therapists and students in entry-level doctoral programs in physical therapy education at a reception Thursday, July 26, at 5:15 p.m. at SUNY Upstate Medical University's Institute for Human Performance, 505 Irving Ave., Syracuse.

Moffat, who was instrumental in establishing the doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree, also will present a lecture prior to the reception in SUNY Upstate's Medical Alumni Auditorium at Weiskotten Hall, 766 Irving Ave., Syracuse.

Moffat is visiting SUNY Upstate to work on a project for an advanced physical therapist certification program in exercise targeted to physical therapists that treat the geriatric population. She will work in collaboration with Dale Avers, PT, DPT, PhD, of the faculty of SUNY Upstate's College of Health Professions, the Department of Physical Therapy Education and Karen Kemmis, PT, DPT, CDE, of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The reception and the lectures are free and open to physical therapists and to students of entry-level PT doctoral programs across the region.

"Dr. Moffat is recognized as one of the most influential physical therapists nationally and internationally and we are honored to have her visit our campus," said Avers, director of the Transitional Physical Therapy program at SUNY Upstate's College of Health Professions.

Moffat is a professor of physical therapy at New York University, where she directs both the professional doctoral program (DPT) and the post-professional graduate master's degree program in pathokinesiology. She has been in private practice for 40 years and currently practices in the New York area.

She served as a member of the WCPT Task Force to develop an international definition of physical therapy and helped to develop international standards for education and practice. Moffat completed a six-year term as the president of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) in 1997, where she played a major role in the development of the Association's Guide to Physical Therapist Practice and was project editor of the second edition of the guide. She is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Physical Therapy and has done major fund raising for them over the years.

The WCPT is a non-profit organization comprising 101 members who, together, represent more than 250,000 physical therapists worldwide. The confederation works to improve global health by encouraging high standards of physical therapy research, education and practice; supporting communication and exchange of information among regions and WCPT member organizations; and collaborating with national and international organizations.

The reception to honor Moffat is hosted by the Central District of the New York Physical Therapy Association and SUNY Upstate's Physical Therapy Education Program.

During the reception there will be activities coordinated by SUNY Upstate's Physical Therapy (PT) Club to raise funds for the Pittsburgh-Marquette Challenge for the Foundation for Physical Therapy, the chief research grant-awarding agency for physical therapy research.

For more information about Moffat's visit, contact Avers at aversd@upstate. edu or by calling 315-464-6918.

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