In a very proud moment for the School, the inaugural awards of the Dr Stanley Paris Research Fellowships and Scholarships were presented on December 5 2019 by Dr Stanley Paris and Dr Catherine Patla.
These awards are made available through the Stanley Paris Musculoskeletal and Manual Therapy Fund.
From left: Dr Catherine Patla and Dr Stanley Paris presenting awards to Dr Cathy Chapple (Research Fellowship recipient) and Mr Daniel Sela (Postgraduate OMT scholarship). They were joined by Professor David Baxter, and Dean of School, Professor Leigh Hale.
Dr Paris spoke of his wish that these awards will foster a growth in research in the field of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy, further continuing the School's impressive history as a leader and innovator in the field.
Established in 2019 by the University of Otago, from a generous donation by Dr Stanley Paris and Dr Catherine Patla, the fellowships and scholarships are named after Stanley G Paris and Stanley V Paris, father and son of the New Zealand School of Physiotherapy in Dunedin.
The awards were created to support University of Otago researchers in the area of orthopaedic manual therapy at the School of Physiotherapy - Te Kura Komiri Pa. These awards seek to enhance the School's international and national profile as leaders in research and clinical practice.
Awardees
Stanley Paris Research Fellowship: Awarded to Dr Cathy Chapple “What is the optimal frequency of treatment for people with knee osteoarthritis?”
This award is the flagship scholarship of the fund. This prestigious individual research award supports an academic staff member from the School to pursue a designated research project or programme within the areas of musculoskeletal and orthopaedic manual therapy.
Cathy's main research focus is on the physiotherapy management of osteoarthritis (OA). Previous research has included the physiotherapy management of hip and knee OA (MOA trial), the incremental effects of manual therapy and booster sessions in addition to exercise for people with knee OA, and pre-habilitation for people with hip OA.Physiotherapists often use manual techniques to treat people with knee OA, and patients report high levels of satisfaction with the manual therapy approach. Surprisingly, there is little research about aspects of dose such as the frequency of treatment sessions. The primary aims of this study are to identify whether clinical outcomes at six months are influenced by frequency of manual therapy for people with knee OA: is manual therapy delivered twice per week more effective than once per week, and how does this compare to usual care?
Translation of research findings into clinical practice will also rely on the cost-effectiveness of manual therapy for people with knee OA. Therefore, a secondary aim of this study is to evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness of the treatment protocols.
Cathy will lead a team of researchers to answer these questions, including co-investigators Associate Professor Steve Tumilty and Professor Haxby Abbott.
The Stanley Paris Postgraduate OMT Scholarship: Awarded to Mr Daniel Sela.
The award will support Daniel's study toward the Postgraduate Diploma in Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy with his goal of continuing into the endorsed Masters in OMT while working full time as a clinician.
“I am planning to base my Master's research around manual treatment of spinal conditions. In the longer term, I hope to become a Musculoskeletal Specialist Physiotherapist. This would enable me to help people with complex conditions, further the profession and support the next generation through teaching, and engage in research. My intention is to stay involved with the School of Physiotherapy and the Centre for Health, Activity, and Rehabilitation Research (CHARR) after finishing my studies to support research as a specialist research-informed clinician to be involved in clinical research”
The Stanley Paris Visiting Fellowship: Awarded to Professor Chad Cook
This Fellowship supports a distinguished international faculty within the area of OMT to visit Otago School of Physiotherapy. The Fellow will spend three weeks in Otago, interacting with students and faculty, giving a public lecture and/or clinical workshop.
The 2020 Stanley Paris Visiting Fellow has been awarded to Professor Chad Cook. Dr. Cook is a clinical researcher, physical therapist, and profession advocate with a history of clinical care excellence and service. His passions include refining and improving the patient examination process and validating tools used in day-to-day physical therapist practice.
Details on Professor Cook's visit will be circulated in the New Year.