A Time to Harvest, a Time to Sow: Ethics for a Shifting Landscape

Abstract

Abstract Ruth B Purtilo, known to many physical therapist students and clinicians through her numerous publications in the area of ethics, has influenced the delivery of health care nationally and internationally. Throughout her long career, she has educated us about the moral issues and courses of direction that guide us in our daily lives as health care professionals. Dr Purtilo has been a visiting professor or named lecturer to more than 30 different colleges and universities worldwide. Her publications, primarily on ethics in health care, include 8 books and more than 70 articles and chapters. In addition to being involved in APTA, Dr Purtilo has served as President of the American Society of Law, Medicine, and Ethics and was a founding member of the Society of Bioethics Consultation. She is a member of many other professional organizations, including the American Association of Bioethics, the American Philosophical Association, the Society for Health and Human Values, and the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. Dr Purtilo has been recognized by APTA as a recipient of the Golden Pen Award, the Helen Hislop Award for Outstanding Contributions to Professional Literature, and a Catherine Worthingham Fellowship.