USAHS Founder Receives High Honor for His Contribution to Healthcare

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University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

Jul 10, 2024, 10:04 ET

The renowned healthcare practitioner and educator has been pushing physical therapy forward for the better part of a century.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., July 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) proudly announces that Dr. Stanley Paris, who founded the University and served as its president for several years, has received the prestigious Geoffrey Maitland Award for Advancement of Clinical Practice in Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapy. This renowned award acknowledges an individual who has made an extraordinary and influential contribution to the clinical practice of orthopaedic manipulative physical therapy (OMPT), mirroring the exceptional career of Geoffrey Maitland. The award points to Dr. Paris' stature within the specialty of orthopedic manipulative physical therapy (OMPT) and to the impact he has made on healthcare education by founding USAHS.

Throughout his tenure at USAHS, Dr. Paris' name was synonymous with innovation and achievement. His visionary leadership has been a major driver of the institution's culture of dedication to best practices in healthcare education, support for wellness across the lifespan and advocacy for professionalism in all healthcare fields. While seeding the academic landscape with resources for future generations of clinicians, Dr. Paris has also set a standard for effective and ethical healthcare practices.

“Receiving this recognition is a tremendous honor,” said Dr. Paris. “Throughout my career, I have worked to develop my skills to practice safely and effectively and bring to bear on each clinical challenge the very best of what my patients needed. I’m deeply grateful to be recognized.”

From the beginning of his career, Dr. Paris strove to launch the OMPT field and bring it in line with the latest research and discoveries. He laid the groundwork for what would grow into his multidisciplinary healthcare university in 1966, when he began teaching continuing professional education courses and seminars to physical therapists. The award committee, International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapy (IFOMPT), chose Dr. Paris after considering several factors such as the duration of his clinical practice, the effect of his work on the quality and scope of patient care, and his contributions to the evidence base underlying OMPT.

“I’m thrilled for Dr. Paris. This award couldn’t have been given to a more deserving individual, whose relentless dedication, integrity, compassion and commitment to excellence in physical therapy are unmatched,” said Dr. Elaine Lonnemann, past president of AAOMPT and a USAHS faculty member, who nominated Dr. Paris for the award with Brian Mulligan, Dr. Gwen Jull and Bob Sydenham. “Dr. Paris exemplifies the spirit of USAHS, where we are always working to improve as clinicians, colleagues and people in order to promote the public good.”

A testament to Dr. Paris' distinguished career, the announcement of the Geoffrey Maitland Award for Advancement of Clinical Practice in Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapy is also sure to be a source of inspiration for the aspiring healthcare practitioners in the University’s highly regarded and accredited programs.

For more information about USAHS' commitment to advance healthcare education, visit https://www.usa.edu/.

About the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is a graduate institution dedicated to educating, mentoring and inspiring the next generation of health sciences practitioners to be a force for good in their communities. The University has one of the top physical therapy and occupational therapy graduate programs in the country and offers additional graduate degrees in speech-language pathology, nursing, healthcare administration, and continuing education. Founded in 1979, USAHS has a network of five campuses that span three states — California, Florida and Texas — and is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501, (501) 748-9001, www.wascsenior.org. The University is transforming society by instructing tomorrow's healthcare providers to be competent, confident and a force for good through its B Corp certification. Follow USAHS on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. To learn more, visit: https://www.usa.edu/.