Dr Margot Skinner was honoured at the World Physiotherapy Congress 2023 for her contributions to physiotherapy over a career spanning 50 years.
Distinguished physiotherapist Dr Margot Skinner has been awarded World Physiotherapy's highest honour for her outstanding contribution to the physiotherapy profession as a clinician, teacher and researcher.
After announcing the Mildred Elson Award at the 20th General Meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 31 May, Dr Skinner's contribution was recognised before more than 2,000 physiotherapists at the World Physiotherapy Congress 2023.
“It was truly an honour for me to receive the Award, but on reflection it is also a wonderful recognition of the contribution that those of us in the far south can make to the global profession of physiotherapy,” says Dr Skinner.
Dr Skinner's career as a physiotherapist, clinician, educator, and researcher spans more than 50 years. She retired as Associate Dean Academic Engagement at Otago's School of Physiotherapy Te Kura Kōmiri Pai in December 2021, after a long involvement with the School, since she first enrolled as a student in the early 1970s.
Dean of the School, Professor Leigh Hale, says Dr Skinner's enthusiasm, depth of knowledge and work ethic are unparalleled.
“For over 50 years she has worked tirelessly to advance both our School and the profession of Physiotherapy, and has been instrumental to so many successes within our School. We are absolutely delighted that her expertise and dedication has been honoured by the bestowment of our profession's highest accolade, the World Physiotherapy's Mildred Elson Award. We are very proud of Margot,” says Professor Hale.
Dr Skinner was World Physiotherapy vice president, 2015-2019, executive board member elected by the Asia Western Pacific (AWP) region, 2007-2015, and was chair of AWP region, 2003-2007. She also served two terms as president of Physiotherapy New Zealand.
Dr Skinner has always been a strong advocate for the physiotherapy profession to be able to control its own body of research. This requires opportunities to develop degree-based entry level education and postgraduate programmes. In the early 1990s, she led the drive for degree-based education to become a reality at Otago.
She has since worked with colleagues in many other countries and territories, particularly in the AWP region, to support the development of entry level physiotherapy education and for the education to meet international guidelines. The concept of an accreditation process was developed while Dr Skinner was World Physiotherapy vice president and she was the inaugural chair of the accreditation committee.
You can read more about Dr Skinner's career here.