Two papers receive honorable mentions for PM&R Best Paper Award

Two research papers authored by University of Washington Department of Rehabilitation Medicine faculty have received Honorable Mentions for the 2024 PM&R Best Paper Award.

One paper, “The Development of Rating Scales to Evaluate Experiential Prosthetic Foot Preference for People with Lower Limb Amputation,” was authored by Professor David Morgenroth, MD; Affiliate Assistant Professor Elizabeth Halsne, PhD; and Professor Brian Hafner, PhD; as well as colleagues from a variety of institutions. The study describes the development of standardized rating scales to assess users’ prosthetic foot preferences. These scales could be used in clinical and research settings to help patients and providers select prosthetic feet. 

The second paper, “Heterogeneous Trajectories of Depression and Resilience Following Limb Amputation,” was authored by Acting Assistant Professor Jed McGiffin, PhD; Professor Dawn Ehde, Ph.D; Professor Rhonda Williams, Ph.D, ABPP-RP; along with Columbia University Professor George Bonanno, PhD. This research examines varying patterns of depression and resilience in individuals after in the first six months after limb amputation. 

The PM&R Best Paper award recognizes original research articles published in PM&R between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. Criteria for selection included the importance of the contribution to the field, relevance to clinical practice, quality of research methodology and interpretation, and overall writing quality.