In 2019, for the first time, the Academy of Acute Care Physical Therapy (AACPT) presented an award to honor an outstanding physical therapy educator. Ellen Costello, PhD, PT, director of the Physical Therapy Program at the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences, received the award.
It honors Costello, who also serves as associate professor of health, human function, and rehabilitation sciences, for her professional involvement and contribution in acute care physical therapy education.
“I am honored to receive the AACPT Educator Award and appreciate the efforts of all acute care physical therapists, who set the stage for optimal patient recovery,” Costello said. “My initial area of clinical practice was in the ICU in a NYC burn and trauma center. Those experiences set the stage for my love of acute care practice and the understanding of the critical role physical therapy should and must play in the hospital setting. Teaching this content to GW’s bright and energetic DPT students is a joy."
