Dr. Stephen McDavitt represents over 45 years of experience as a physical therapist sharing a wide spectrum of enduring practice and watchful leadership across the profession. Beyond academic credentials, Dr. McDavitt is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT) and a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association (FAPTA). He is currently a member of the APTA Scientific and Practice Affairs Advisory Committee, past president of AAOMPT Board of Trustees of the AAOMPT Foundation for Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy, and a Special Government Employee on the Neurological Devices Panel of the Medical Device Advisory Committee in the FDA.
Dr. McDavitt has served APTA for 2 terms as President of the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy and two terms as a Director on the APTA Board of Directors. Nationally, he is also recognized for his stewardship as AAOMPT Chair of the Practice Affairs Committee and as its Vice President. Dr. McDavitt’s earlier APTA positions have included being Chair of the APTA Manipulation Task Force and Chair of the Orthopedic Section Practice Committee.
For over 35 years, he has been nationally involved with speaking and leading initiatives promoting physical therapist practice across advocacy and within standards representing scope of practice, education, regulation, and payment. This has involved advocacy for the design and implementation of APTA positions and policies, the 3rd and 4th revisions of the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, and numerous frameworks for national practice legislation.
In May of 2022, Dr. McDavitt transitioned from 2 years teaching hybrid DPT education at South College in Knoxville Tennessee joining the faculty at the University of Cumberlands. Professor McDavitt’s primary teaching responsibilities at the University of the Cumberlands include professionalism in practice, biophysical agents, orthopaedics, and manual therapy.