CRAJ Winter 2018

Winter 2018 (Volume 28, Number 4)

Awards, Appointments, and Accolades

Dr. Debbie Feldman – 2018 ARHP Distinguished Scholar

Dr. Feldman began her career as a pediatric physical therapist and subsequently earned a PhD in epidemiology. She conducts health services research in musculoskeletal disease and arthritis, investigating access to care in rehabilitation and optimal ways of prioritizing care for patients with chronic musculoskeletal problems and arthritis. Her contributions to rheumatology encompass pediatric rheumatology and musculoskeletal problems, adult inflammatory arthritis, chronic pain/low back pain/osteoarthritis, organization of care, ethical and clinical issues in rehabilitation and knowledge translation and advocacy. She has more than 160 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 220 peer-reviewed abstracts and has held numerous grants. She has been a member of The Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) for more than 10 years, is a current member of the research committee of the Arthritis Alliance of Canada (AAC) and served as a member of the advisory board of the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2009-2016). She continues to co-chair the Research Ambassador Knowledge Translation Committee for IMHA. Dr. Feldman teaches physical therapy students and has also mentored more than 60 graduate students and trainees, many of whom have contributed to rheumatology research and some of whom have gone on to faculty positions at various universities.

Danielle Rice (PhD candidate) – ARHP Outstanding Student in Rheumatology Award

The Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) presents the Outstanding Student Award annually to recognize students advancing rheumatology through education, practice, research and/or advocacy. The 2018 award recipient was Ms. Danielle Rice, PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology at McGill University. Danielle’s doctoral research focuses on understanding the experience of informal caregivers to persons with systemic sclerosis (SSc, scleroderma), in order to develop support services to lessen the burden associated with caregiving. Danielle’s research is supported by the Scleroderma Patient-centred Intervention Network (SPIN) and is guided by a caregiver advisory committee.