Award presented to Dr. Lucas Pratt, from San Diego, for his commitment to professional development and achievement in the advancement of the clinical practice of physical therapy.
San Marcos, CA, January 29, 2018—The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is proud to honor alumnus Lucas Pratt, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC, FAAOMPT, with the university’s prestigious Patricia King Alumni Award, which is presented to outstanding alumni of the university in recognition of their commitment to professional development and achievement in the advancement of the clinical practice of occupational or physical therapy. The award is named for Dr. Patricia King, who led the university’s successful 1993 effort to gain national accreditation, which helped pave the way to becoming a broader health sciences university with programmatic and regional accreditation. The award recently was presented to Dr. Pratt, a 2012 graduate of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, at the university’s commencement ceremony in California.
“At USAHS, we are so proud to have outstanding alumni, such as Dr. Pratt, who are passionate about making a positive impact on the healthcare industry and the communities in which our university and alumni serve,” said Dr. Wanda Nitsch, president and chief academic officer, USAHS. “It is an honor to have Dr. Pratt as a part of our USAHS community. In addition to his service to the physical therapy industry, he is a role model for our students. We thank him for his commitment to the university, to the ethical practice of physical therapy, and to life-long learning, not only for himself, but for healthcare practitioners and our USAHS students alike.”
Dr. Pratt completed his bachelor’s degree at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. While at USAHS, Dr. Pratt was presented with the Stanley V. Paris and Catherine E. Patla Award for Excellence in Manual Therapy. After receiving his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from USAHS, he completed the USAHS Manual Therapy Certification, a second manual therapy certification through the Manual Therapy Institute (MTI), a Fellowship in Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy through MTI and conferred by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists, and became Board Certified in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy.
“I am very grateful to Dr. Nitsch and to the University of St. Augustine for this prestigious award. I am also grateful for Dr. Patricia King, who continues to leave a legacy of professional and community engagement, academic rigor, and lifelong learning,” said Dr. Pratt. “This honor emboldens my passion to advance the clinical practice of the physical therapy profession and encourages me to continue to strive to develop my own clinical knowledge and skills so that I may make a meaningful, positive impact in the lives of my patients and my students, and on the future of our profession.”
Dr. Pratt works full time as a clinician and a therapy director for Concentra Physical Therapy in San Diego in an outpatient orthopaedic setting. His passion and drive for advancing the profession through the clinical instruction of Doctor of Physical Therapy students and the mentoring of fellows-in-training has led him to become the national director of Concentra’s Student Program as well as the center coordinator of clinical education for Concentra’s San Diego market.
Dr. Pratt is a USAHS contributing faculty member at the San Marcos campus, assisting with advanced manual therapy courses. He is a teaching faculty member of MTI’s manual therapy certification program and a mentoring faculty member of their fellowship program.
Dr. Pratt has several publications in highly respected medical journals and industry publications, including the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy, and has presented at several local, national, and international industry conferences.
Dr. Pratt is also a strong supporter of local nonprofits and has volunteered with organizations such as the Parkinson’s Association of San Diego, Sharp Healthcare Rehabilitation Center, TERI Therapeutic Equestrian Program and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
To interview Dr. Pratt, contact [email protected].
For more information about the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, programs, and faculty publications, visit www.usa.edu.
