Award

A week ago, Phil was in Chicago for the annual meeting of the Academy of Prosthetics and Orthotics, of which he is the President-Elect.  Phil has done so much in his career, which I don't think many of our local friends are aware of, because he does it all without expense to our family time.  He manages to use his time so wisely that he is able to be there for the boys and I and all of our exciting adventures while he saves the world on his "off hours".  I've always appreciated how he puts our family first, yet does so much "on the side".  He was able to be recognized at the Academy Meeting for some of what he does as he was awarded the 2014 Carlton Fillauer Prize for Outstanding Contributions to Prosthetics Science and Practice.  Since I can't do him justice, here is an excerpt from that award ceremony by Don Katz:

"Phil is one of those rare individuals that can not only serve as a most effective practitioner of both disciplines of prosthetics and orthotics, he has also proven to be a highly productive researcher and author.  Whether publishing case studies in developing patient populations, such as quantifying the importance of balance confidence for the selection of prosthetic knees in unilateral and bilateral users, or serving as a major contributor to organized investigational conferences such as the Academy’s State of the Science Conference on Microprocessor Knee Mechanisms or the ISPO Consensus Conference on the Orthotic Management of Cerebral Palsy in Oxford, England, if one were to try and identify a central theme for Phil’s written work it would be “clinical relevance.” 

Considering Phil’s self-motivation to pursue a Masters of Allied Health Education and Administration from the University of Houston while working long hours at a busy O&P practice, this really comes as no surprise.  With 15 publications, his work is well represented in formal, peer-reviewed academic literature; a most impressive accomplishment for any practicing clinician.  However what really sets Phil apart is his dedication to “knowledge transfer.”  That is, he recognized a need to translate the more academic literature into mediums that the average clinical practitioner could more easily obtain, understand and incorporate into clinical practice.  To that end, he has been remarkably productive in writing manuscripts for the O&P Edge, the Academy Today and Advance for Directors in Rehabilitation; all in an effort to translate research findings into the practices of everyday clinicians. 

When considering these additional publications, Phil has actually produced a staggering 53 publications to date; a remarkable and most meaningful contribution to the O&P profession.  We mustn’t also overlook that he clearly has the respect and support of his peers, earning the Academy’s Clinical Creativity Award in 2011, and now serving as the Academy’s President-Elect after being initially elected to the Board of Directors in 2009.

In recognition of these and his many other sustained contributions to prosthetic science and practice, and on behalf of the OPERF Board of Directors, it is my distinct honor to present Mr. Phil Stevens, MEd, CPO, FAAOP with this inaugural 2014 Carlton Fillauer Prize."

 We are so proud of Phil and all that he has accomplished the last 13 years in this field!