Why is “change” so very difficult? The change in our global climate has created fear because of the predicted consequences to the planet. The change mandated by the Affordable Care Act in the United States has led to uncertainty for physical therapists who ponder their roles in the revised health care system. Some clinicians worry that the introduction of robotics or virtual reality will make them obsolete. Some educators who have honed the craft of storytelling are fearful of flipping the classroom into an environment for discussion or debate.
Here in Philadelphia, the azaleas, peonies, lettuce, and radishes brought glorious color and tasty spring treats; as summer approaches, the roses are in bud, the blueberries are beginning to turn that spectacular deep purple color, the corn is almost knee high, and the tomatoes and green beans are adorned with flowers. No season is superior—each season ushers in something new and fresh and exciting—and something uncertain.
So it is with journals. It is the job of the editor in chief to periodically change the mix of the Editorial Board. As I say goodbye to some of our current Editorial Board members, I am grateful to each of them for all that they have done to improve the number and quality of published manuscripts, to reduce the review time, and to introduce new features. I am sad that they are leaving, and, on a personal level, I'm a little worried about journal life without them; but I also am able to look forward with enthusiasm about what lies ahead because of the work they have done.
Josh Cleland, PT, PhD, OCS, has served PTJ since 2007. He has helped us increase the quality of our randomized control trials (RCTs) by serving as a member of the superb RCT team. As an Editorial Board member for musculoskeletal content, he has been fair and supportive of our authors while helping to push for a higher standard of research excellence in clinical science. Josh has helped us to attract new authors in this content area and helped to define the difference between a musculoskeletal paper in PTJ compared to JOSPT.
Carolynn Patten, PT, PhD, has served since 2007. She has helped us increase the quality of our neuromuscular content. Her insight and innovative thinking about the bridges among measurement methods, new technology, and clinical practice are superb. Carolynn has pushed authors to emphasize the relationship between mechanisms and interventions to the next level. She is enthusiastic about preparing new Editorial Board Member Darcy Reisman, PT, PhD, who will help attract authors who investigate the quality of movement deficits and interventions to reduce the deficits in people with neuromuscular diagnoses. Darcy is on the physical therapy faculty at the University of Delaware and serves as the Academic Director of the Neurologic and Older Adult Clinic. I am looking forward to new initiatives that promote “bench to bedside” research that will emerge from our Board members with a neuromuscular and aging focus.
Although Michel Landry, BScPT, PhD, served only briefly on the Editorial Board before he needed to leave to focus on his academic appointment, he was with us long enough to help us recognize the importance of health policy issues as they are related to supply and demand of physical therapist services and delivery models from a global perspective.
Kathleen Kline Mangione, PT, PhD, has served for about 10 years, mentoring geriatrics research scientists and novice clinician authors, pushing authors and readers to grapple with confidence intervals and effect size, and de-emphasizing the importance of the P value. Kate also provided critical guidance to the team who developed the Linking Evidence And Practice (LEAP) feature. Hundreds, if not thousands, of manuscripts have been touched by her.
It's difficult to capture all that Diane Jette, PT, DSc, has contributed to PTJ. Through the past 16 years and various editors in chief, Diane has been the “go to” Editorial Board member willing to take on and master new content areas enthusiastically. She is a role model for embracing change and looking for opportunities rather than barriers. Diane boosted the quality of papers in the areas of education and epidemiological research and the rigor for survey, qualitative, and test construction methods, shepherding numerous authors, reviewers, and Editorial Board members through the first papers in “new” content areas. With Rachelle Buchbinder, she made LEAP come alive to serve as aids for classroom discussions and clinical journal clubs.
In addition to Darcy Reisman, I welcome the following new Editorial Board members:
Leonardo Costa, PT, PhD, comes to us from Brazil by way of Australia with a strong publication record in musculoskeletal research, expertise with RCT methods, and a solid history of insightful manuscript reviews. Leo teaches in the physical therapist education program at the University of São Paolo.
Janet K. Freburger, PT, PhD, who has an impressive publication record in health policy and health services delivery research, will help PTJ improve the quality of our health policy research reports and will work with Linda Resnik, PT, PhD, OCS, to further develop our Health Policy in Perspective papers. Janet is a research associate and fellow at the Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina.
Jay Irrgang, PT, PhD, ATC, FAPTA, who has incredible insights and vision and help PTJ in developing specific content areas. In addition to his extensive musculoskeletal content expertise, Jay is a master of research design and measurement issues and knowledge translation. He is a professor and Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, as well as a faculty member in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and at the Clinical Translational Science Institute at the University of Pittsburgh.
Pauline R. Kezer, former Connecticut Secretary of State, said, “Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.” To each of our departing Editorial Board members—thank you for your outstanding devotion to PTJ and for providing PTJ with such strong roots. To the new members of the Editorial Board—we look forward to the new heights you will help PTJ reach.
- © 2013 American Physical Therapy Association
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