Physical Therapy Contact Person: Laura Karle       Welcome to the Fresno State has a Physical Therapy Alumni Chapter page! We need your help to make our alumni chapter strong. The purpose of the Fresno State Physical Therapy Alumni and Friends Chapter is three fold. The first part of our mission is to provide networking opportunities between clinicians, the Department of Physical Therapy, and alumni. Second, to continue to augment the quality of the department and the students who graduate from the program by fundraising to help finance departmental enhancements and scholarships for students in the program. The joint DPT program is a self supported program and currently costs students $21,000. Our vision is that ALL graduate PT students take the additional year after the MPT program and receive the joint DPT. Student finances continues to be the major barrier in achieving that goal. Lastly, we will have a more active voice in continuing education that is brought to the University. The central valley has enough clinicians to support world class continuing education right here in the valley. It is time to stop spending high dollars to travel to San Francisco, Los Angeles, or elsewhere to attend the classes you want. Together we can bring high caliber classes to the Valley and receive the education we want at a fraction of the cost. Please help us revive our alumni chapter by joining the non-profit Fresno State Physical Therapy Alumni Chapter. Please download the Physical Therapy Newsletter Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Events! And join us for any or all of the events. We look forward to seeing you there. October 2, 2009: Alumni Reception @ California Physical Therapy Association Conference in Pasadena, CA 5:30 pm—6:30 pm Friday evening @ Pasadena Convention Center Reunite with your old classmates and friends; meet the new students and faculty; recognize the faculty, students and alumni presenters at the meeting. Cash bar and hors d'oeuvres. Raffle for the DPT Scholarship fund.  October 10 & 11, 2009: Fall Continuing Education Course Alum Tim McCarthy (Class of ‘78) and Don Torrey will present a course on the knee. Both are Fellows in the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy. The course will be developed for practicing Clinicians and only a few advanced students will be in attendance. CEU certification will be sought. Details are being developed, more information to follow. October 17 & 18, 2009: NPT Exam Preparation We will be hosting a licensure exam preparation course at Fresno. If you have any new grads or others that will be taking the exam soon, they may be interested. For more information call the Department of Physical Therapy or go online to www.therapyed.com October 17, 2009: Homecoming Event @ Fresno State Join us for the Fresno State Alumni tailgate and the football game against longtime rival San Jose State. December 1, 2009: DPT Case Presentations The DPT students will present their evidence-based case reports and lead a professional discussion for each.  Practicing clinicians are urgently requested to participate as audience and discussants. February 17-20, 2010: Alumni Reception @ APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting in San Diego, CA Reunite with your old classmates again and other friends; catch up on new developments. Cash bar and snacks. Raffle for the DPT Scholarship fund. Spring Continuing Education Course Women’s Health topics: Speakers and date are being developed. Details will be distributed during the Fall. For more information on any of the events, visit our website: www.csufresno.edu/physicaltherapy; email us @ csufresnopt@yahoo.com or call us at (559) 278-2625. REQUEST FOR RAFFLE ITEMS We will be conducting raffles at the two Fresno State alumni receptions in upcoming professional meetings in  California. We will be in Pasadena in early October at the California Physical Therapy Association meeting and in San Diego at the APTA Combined Sections meeting in February 2010. The raffles will benefit the DPT Scholarship Fund so GREAT items are needed. Items that always do well include jewelry, wines, food baskets etc. but we are also interested in professional items such as a registration in an upcoming course, a piece of equipment, a day of consultation, a guest lecture, a special text or reference book. Also popular would be a vacation item such as a round of golf at a prestigious course, a theme-park admission or a stay in a vacation cabin. Think creatively and if you can donate any items, please contact Jan Duttarer or (559) 709-1178. Alumni News/Request for Volunteers Several alumni have commented that they are glad we are reestablishing the Alumni Chapter and have offered to help.  Here’s your chance. If we are to be successful this year we will need help with several activities. None require extensive time, and most should be kind of fun. As my mother always said “many hands make light work”. Please join us to lighten the load. Alumni Reception during the California Physical Therapy Association Conference in Pasadena, CA October 2-3, 2009.  We'll need 2 or 3 coordinators are needed to host the event and must be planning to attend the reception. Room, food and bar will be arranged with hotel so main responsibilities will be to welcome guests, oversee the event and the students who will be managing the raffle. Homecoming Event at Fresno State on October 17, 2009.  We'll need 2 or 3 coordinators are needed to host the event. Dinner and facilities will be provided by the Alumni Association.  Primary responsibilities will be to welcome and register guests, oversee the event and trouble-shoot any problems that arise. Faculty will be on site. DPT Case Presentations on December 1, 2009.  We need as many as are interested, the more the merrier. The students and clinicians will benefit from a lively discussion of the cases. Practicing clinicians are urgently requested to participate as audience and discussants. Alumni Reception during APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting in San Diego, CA February 17-20. We'll need 2 or 3 coordinators are needed to host the event and must be planning to attend the reception. Room, food and bar will be arranged with hotel so main responsibilities will be to welcome guests, oversee the event and the students who will be managing the raffle. Spring Continuing Education Course, we'll need 3-4 therapists who practice in areas of Women’s Health are needed to plan and implement this course. A faculty member will assist and clerical help will be available. Planning will begin in August and responsibilities will continue until course is completed.   For more information on any of the events, visit our website: www.csufresno.edu/physicaltherapy; email us @ csufresnopt@yahoo.com or call us at (559) 278-2625. Alumni Headlines…  Congratulations to Tracy Halmos, MPT, ATC, CSCS (Class of 2000) for being featured in PT Magazine this month for her design of the new ‘BackStrap’. Tracy and her husband Zsolt have owned their own PT clinic since 2003 in Morgan Hill. Tracy was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1996 while attending PT school and provides innovative treatment and expert advice to all of her patients including those with MS.