1999, CVM Professor Linda Blythe organized the first International Symposium on Veterinary Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy in Corvallis, Oregon. This month she was honored by the International Association of Veterinary Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy for having the foresight to take that step and create a worldwide interest in the field. They also thanked Dr. Blythe: “You took a risk organizing a symposium on a subject that was not internationally known at that time. By doing this you inspired many people.”
Blythe has also contribute to the field of veterinary rehabilitation by helping create the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabiliation (ACVSMR) in 2010. In just two years, it has grown from 6 members to nearly 50 and recently gained provisional approval as a specialty college by the American Veterinary Medical Association. This summer, the ACVSMR board received nearly 100 submissions from applicants wanting to test for board certification in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.