PHOTO: APTA Pennsylvania President Jazmine Tooles, left, presents the organization's President Award to Pamela G. Unger.
Pamela G. Unger, PT, DPT, CWS, Doctor of Physical Therapy department chair and associate professor at Alvernia University, received the highest honor from the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) when the organization selected her to receive its President Award in October.
According to the chapter, the award honors individuals whose years of dedicated service and contributions may have gone unrecognized, but whose impact has been deeply felt.
"Over the past 49 years this organization has been a resource and wealth of knowledge for me as a physical therapist," Unger said. "The organization has afforded me many opportunities to advance the profession in the specialty of wound care. I have also developed lifelong friends and colleagues. I can think of no greater way to give back to this magnificent profession than serving the organization and educating the next generation of physical therapists. My only hope is they love the profession of physical therapy as much as I have."
Unger received the award less than two years after the APTA named her a Catherine Worthingham Fellow. That prestigious recognition is the highest membership category bestowed by the APTA and serves as inspiration for all physical therapists to attain professional excellence.
"I am deeply honored to be recognized as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow,” Unger said upon receiving that award. “This distinction not only reflects my dedication to the field but also acknowledges the collective efforts of colleagues, students, and collaborators who have contributed to the advancement of physical therapy and wound management."
Unger's multifaceted career includes leadership, advocacy, education, research and clinical practice. Her legislative advocacy and collaborative efforts with professional organizations have significantly influenced policies and standards for the practice of wound care for physical therapists.
Since joining Alvernia in 2019, Unger has developed the clinical education program through increasing the number of clinical sites and improving processes for every aspect of the program. She has contributed to instilling her passion for advocacy within Alvernia DPT students by introducing them to the APTA House of Delegates (HOD) and engaging them in legislative advocacy in Pennsylvania and in Washington, D.C.
"We are thrilled to see Dr. Unger receive this esteemed recognition,” said Senior Vice President and Provost Leamor Kahanov, Ed.D. “Her commitment to advancing the field of physical therapy aligns perfectly with Alvernia's mission of fostering excellence in education, service and leadership."
