Jefferson PT faculty member Julie Mount Recognized for Contributions to Local MS Chapter

Julie Mount, PhD, PT, professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Jefferson School of Health Professions, in Thomas Jefferson University’s Jefferson College of Health Professions, will be inducted into the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Volunteer Hall of Fame for Health Professionals and Researchers in November.

Dr. Mount’s relationship with the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society began about 15 years ago when she wanted to offer her physical therapy students an opportunity to evaluate complex neurological patients.

“I wanted to give students a chance to learn more about neurological physical therapy by interacting with people with disabilities in their own homes,” Dr. Mount says. She explains that when she did home health care in center city Philadelphia she realized the physical therapy that makes sense in the clinic does not always work in a person’s home. “I would visit patients who kept their assistive equipment under their beds or, even worse, used it improperly because it simply didn’t work in their homes,” she says.

Dr. Mount worked with the Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center at Jefferson Hospital to identify MS patients who were willing to invite students to conduct a home assessment and provide an exercise program. Dr. Mount soon became involved in the Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and is the first and only physical therapist and rehabilitation therapist on the chapter’s Clinical Advisory Committee (CAC). The other CAC members are physicians and nurses.

“The chapter depends on the CAC to evaluate policies, services and literature for accuracy according to science and health professions,” Dr. Mount explains. CAC members also provide courses and in-services about MS to health professionals, speak at conferences and support groups for people with MS and their families, and review insurance companies’ policy changes, offering expertise about the impact on the MS population.

As a physical therapist, Dr. Mount offers unique input to the CAC.  She advises the chapter on rehabilitation services and wellness programs and reviews exercise videos and books about rehab for accuracy and appropriateness for the National MS Society library.  She has also conducted research on the effects of exercise for people who have MS and suffer from foot drop. Recognizing the need for more physical wellness programs for this population, she has run a number of group exercise classes for people with MS. By including Jefferson physical therapy students in these programs, she is educating future PTs to work with this population.

Karen Mariner, a vice-president of the Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, nominated Dr. Mount for the Volunteer Hall of Fame. The induction will be held at the National MS Conference in November in Chicago.

Contact:
Jane Clinton
215-503-9865
jane.clinton@jefferson.edu

Published: 9-9-08