2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 44
BY SENATOR PEACOCK
A RESOLUTION
To commend Sharon L. Dunn, PT, PhD, for her tremendous leadership and her impact on
the medical field of Physical Therapy and its distinctive role in the improvement of
healthcare outcomes.
WHEREAS, Dr. Sharon Dunn, PT, PhD, and a board-certified Orthopaedic Clinical
Specialist, has brought honor to the state of Louisiana through her appointment, for a second
term, as president of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and as president
of the APTA Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, her vast knowledge of physical therapy and of the American Physical
Therapy Association resulted in her selection as the media spokesperson for the APTA, a
role she has held for the past twenty-three years; and
WHEREAS, since 1985, Dr. Dunn has also been a fervent leader in the Louisiana
Physical Therapy Association (LPTA), having served as president and state government
affairs chairman of the organization; and
WHEREAS, her passions include advocacy, member engagement, and the potential
of the physical therapy profession to add greater value to the healthcare delivery system; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Dunn actively addresses the heightened demand for physical
therapists which is projected to increase by twenty-eight percent by 2026, at a much faster
rate than most occupations; and
WHEREAS, by leading the charge to create a doctoral program (PhD) in
Rehabilitation Sciences at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport,
Dr. Dunn developed a post-professional residency program in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy
at the LSU Health Sciences Center in 2008, which has produced twenty-three graduates; and
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WHEREAS, Dr. Dunn served as the director of this accredited and credentialed
program for seven years; she also serves as chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation
Sciences and as a tenured associate professor in the School of Allied Health Professions in
Shreveport; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Dunn is also active on numerous committees in the School of Allied
Health Professions, the School of Medicine, and the School of Graduate Studies; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Dunn holds membership in several medical associations that include
being a long-time member of the Louisiana Sports Medicine Society and an associate
member of the International Society for Hyaluronan Science; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Dunn is a student and faculty inductee of the Alpha Eta Society, an
organization that recognizes students and faculty in the top ten percent in the field of allied
health professionals; and
WHEREAS, she is a recipient of the Allen A. Copping Excellence in Teaching
Award, a nationally known keynote speaker and presenter, and a peer-reviewed publisher
of scientific articles and illustrations; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Sharon Dunn is a native of the state of Louisiana; she pursued her
education entirely within this great state; and she serves as a role model for youth who wish
to pursue a medical education and professional career in their home state.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend Dr. Sharon L. Dunn for her exceptional dedication and remarkable
impact on the profession of Physical Therapy and on healthcare in the state of Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Sharon L. Dunn, PT, PhD.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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