2025 MGH IHP PT Social Justice & Health Equity Conference

Overview

This workshop is designed to highlight the connection between physical therapy and social justice and health equity. We will introduce the social determinants of health—defined by the World Health Organization as the conditions under which people live, work, learn, and play—and explore how patients’ health and well-being can be viewed as socially constructed. We discuss the role of systems of oppression and location of position in generating health inequities and help participants develop strategies to intervene to promote health equity.

At the end of this conference, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the constructs that make health a socially constructed phenomenon.

2. Describe the social determinants of health and strategies to intervene at individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels to improve patients’ quality of life and promote health equity.

3. Articulate the role of systems of oppression and location of position in generating health inequities.

4. Discuss how neighborhood characteristics influence population health.

5. Understand how anti-fat bias is rooted in multiple systems of oppression.

6. Evaluate the biopsychosocial consequences of experiencing weight stigma and assess the interplay of societal attitudes, psychosocial wellbeing, and physical health outcomes.

7. Apply evidence-based strategies to combat anti-fat bias in healthcare, including incorporating principles of weight-inclusive medicine, language, and practices into the provision of physical therapy care.

8. Demonstrate an understanding of LGBTQIA+ terminology and explain why it is important to know.

9. Gain knowledge on how physical therapy can be more involved with and better informed about transgender health care needs.

10. Recognize housing security as an important social determinant of health in patient care.

11. Understand the individual, population, and community level factors that contribute to the experience of homelessness.

12. Describe the resources physical therapists can leverage to support patients experiencing homelessness.

13. Identify the ethical and legal dilemmas associated with the biased patients and caregivers.

14. Describe the decision-making associated with responding to inappropriate patient requests including requests for specific clinicians.

15. Describe the framework for responding to biased patients and caregivers.

Who should attend

Physical therapists, physical therapist students, IHP faculty and students
Speakers

Dr. Justin Wong PT, DPT (he/him)
Dr. Wong, born and raised in Queens, New York, in an immigrant household, discovered his passion for serving Asian diasporas through various volunteer opportunities during his youth. Deciding to pursue a career in a helping profession, he earned a combined Bachelor of Science in Health Studies and Doctor of Physical Therapy from Boston University, where his academic practicum focused on a Strength and Balance program for Cantonese-speaking older adults in Boston’s Chinatown. He completed the MGH Institute of Health Professions Orthopaedic Clinical Residency, contributing to research on culturally and linguistically diverse learners in physical therapy education. Dr. Wong now practices as a board-certified orthopaedic clinical specialist at Spaulding Outpatient Center in Malden, where he enjoys educating and treating Cantonese-speaking patients. He also serves as adjunct faculty in the MGH IHP physical therapy program and as faculty for its Orthopaedic Clinical Residency. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, gardening, and experimenting with new recipes.

Dr. Rebecca Pham, PT, DPT (she/her)
Dr. Rebecca (Becca) Pham, PT, DPT, CCS (she/her/hers) is an Instructor in the Department of Physical Therapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Dr. Pham completed a B.S.in Biology and B.A. in Dance at Duke University in 2014 and DPT at MGH Institute in 2017. She began her clinical practice in acute care at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where she remains in a per diem role today. Her clinical interests include critical care and complex medicine, cardiovascular and pulmonary, trauma, vestibular, and neurology. In June 2023, Dr. Pham became a Board-Certified Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist. She is also deeply passionate about social justice and health equity. She was the co-founder and prior co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee for Brigham’s Rehabilitation Services Department. Dr. Pham’s teaching and scholarship interests include cardiovascular and pulmonary, acute care, and health equity. Outside of her clinical and teaching roles, Dr. Pham maintains her passion for dance as a physical therapist in Boston Ballet’s Adaptive Dance program and a dance fitness instructor.

Dr. Lauren Rimmel, PT, DPT (she/her)

Lauren (she/her) is an outpatient physical therapist. She studied Exercise Physiology and Physical Therapy at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Following graduation, she continued on to complete her orthopedic residency at MGH Institute of Health Professions to specialize in orthopedic physical therapy. She then participated a year-long public health fellowship to further develop her expertise in health inequity. Currently, she works at The Brigham and Women's Health Center in Chestnut Hill, where she sees patients with a variety of health conditions including orthopedic, vestibular, and oncology management. She also conducts clinical research to better understand the extent of inequity in physical therapy care. She loves working together with her coworkers, interdisciplinary care team, and patients to find the most authentic, accessible types of movement for each person. She is particularly passionate about the care for the whole person and working to facilitate care beyond the clinic.

Dr. Keelin Godsey, PT, DPT (He/They)
Dr. Keelin Godsey PT, DPT is a Clinical Specialist physical therapist at Johns Hopkins hospital. He is the Coordinator of the Johns Hopkins Sports Physical Therapy Residency program. He has worked as a lab instructor at MGH’s Institute of Health Professions, and teaches about transgender health care. Dr. Godsey earned his Doctorate from Northeastern University in 2010, and completed his fellowship through Kaiser Permanente in Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy in 2020. Dr. Godsey is passionate about transgender health care and equity in sports. He was the first out transgender athlete competing in the NCAA. He represented the US National track and field team for the Pan-American games and has competed in the US Olympic trials twice as an out transgender athlete.

Dr. Keshrie Naidoo, PT, DPT, EdD (she/her)
Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy Emeritus
Dr. Keshrie Naidoo PT, DPT, EdD, is the Chair and a Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy Program at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. Dr. Naidoo earned a Bachelors of Science (Physiotherapy) from the University of Cape Town, an Advanced Masters and transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the MGH Institute of Health Professions, and a Doctorate in Education from Johns Hopkins University with a focus on entrepreneurial leadership in education. Her research focuses on social belonging, culturally responsive pedagogy, and equity in health professions education. Dr. Naidoo is the Editor-in- Chief of the Journal of Physical Therapy Education

Key Information

The APTA of Massachusetts has authorized the MGH Institute of Health Professions to issue 6 Continuing Education Credits for participation in “Connecting Physical Therapy Practice, Social Justice, and Health Equity.” If you are a clinical partner, alumnus, faculty or student of the MGH Institute of Health Professions, there is no charge to receive CEUs for this event.

Host or Publisher MGH Institute of Health Professions - Physical Therapy Department