School of Health Professions promotes faculty members to leadership positions
Two longtime faculty members have advanced to new positions in the UT Southwestern School of Health Professions, effective Sept. 1: Dr. Ross Querry to Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy and Leslie Gray to Program Director of Prosthetics-Orthotics.
“Both programs are strong academically and have profitable clinical enterprises,” said Dr. Jon Williamson, Dean of the School of Health Professions. “The goals involve enhancing academics and strategically growing clinics to better serve the UT Southwestern Health System, while also raising the research profiles of both programs. I think Leslie and Ross will be very successful.”
Dr. Querry, Professor of Physical Therapy and Orthopaedic Surgery, joined UT Southwestern in 2001. In his new role, he now leads a 30-month Physical Therapy Program that admits about 40 highly qualified students annually out of a competitive applicant pool that often exceeds 1,000.
“Academically, we strive to create opportunities for our graduates to excel, and we’re well-situated to offer that,” Dr. Querry said. “Students develop strong didactic and clinical educations. They have the opportunity to interact with health care providers in orthopedics, neurology, sports medicine, and cardio-pulmonary specialties and with those working at Zale Lipshy and William P. Clements Jr. University Hospitals.”
Within the School of Health Professions, Physical Therapy Department faculty and residents in advanced training provide over 18,000 patient visits per year. The faculty also engages in collaborative research projects with multiple departments.
Dr. Querry said the Program’s students are in the right place for advanced residencies and training opportunities, adding that “they’re achieving success in postgraduate work already.”
Ms. Gray, Assistant Professor of Health Care Sciences, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in prosthetics-orthotics at UT Southwestern in 2002. She then completed a two-year residency, also at UT Southwestern. Ms. Gray estimates she has made more than 1,000 prosthetic limbs, while her clinical team cares for more than 400 patients a month at UTSW clinics and affiliated hospitals.
In addition to an 18-month master’s degree program in prosthetics-orthotics, the School of Health Professions also offers residency training programs in this specialty.
“Prosthetics-orthotics is a growing field,” Ms. Gray said. “From among 120 applicants, we can take up to 16 students. Our Program is known for providing clinically relevant and current academic experiences. We are proud that our graduates have grown into accomplished professionals.”
Dr. Querry holds the Doris E. Porter Professorship in Physical Therapy.
