|
Robert Wellmon, PT, PhD, NCS, associate professor of physical therapy and director of Widener University's Transitional Doctorate in Physical Therapy Program, is the recipient of the 2009 Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching, an honor bestowed annually to a member of Widener's faculty. Wellmon recently accepted the award at the first faculty meeting of the year.
Dr. Wellmon, of Glenolden, PA, has practiced physical therapy for 21 years. He joined the Widener faculty in 1997 and remains active in a clinical setting, specializing in the treatment of patients with stroke, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. He lends his expertise on a per diem basis to MossRehab Hospital Therapeutic Resource Services in Elkins Park, PA. He also engages in ongoing research that examines the effectiveness of methods to teach students how to become effective collaborators as practitioners. In the clinical setting, he is interested in how cognition influences physical performance in older adults and patients post-stroke.
Dr. Wellmon believes that his ongoing involvement in clinical practice provides him with real-life patient stories that make for a powerful teaching tool. He simulates what happens in actual clinical practice in the classroom setting to help his students "think like a physical therapist and engage in appropriate clinical decision-making."
Dr. Wellmon's instructional approach combines the teaching of skills his students need as clinicians with the communication of a core set of values they'll need to truly stand out in the field. "I try to pass on the value of professionalism and the importance of really being able to provide effective, high-quality care," he said. "I emphasize the great responsibility they have taken on by choosing to go into physical therapy, and I remind my students that they have the potential to make a tremendous impact on someone's life."
In nominating Dr. Wellmon for the award, students, alumni, faculty and administrators all praised his exemplary teaching skills. A recent graduate noted that Dr. Wellmon challenges his students to become self-directed learners. "Although some students would probably prefer to be fed the material, he requires that they reach for a higher level," the graduate wrote. "I think they respect him for this, finding him to be a role model not just of what a professional should be, but of what an educated person in the modern world should be."
Dr. Wellmon graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from St. Joseph's University, a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from Thomas Jefferson University and a master's degree in physical therapy from Temple University. He earned a doctor of philosophy in physical therapy from Temple University.
|