Frances Ekstam

Frances Ekstam (January 6, 1914 – January 18, 2005), a native of Des Moines, Iowa, was founder of the physical therapy program at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Early life Frances Clark was born to Charles A. and Edith (Sims) Clark on January 6, 1914, in Des Moines, Iowa. She married Harold C. Ekstam on June 13, 1942. A Methodist, and member of the Woman's Rotary in Indianapolis, she lived most of her professional life in Indiana.

Education Ekstam earned a Bachelor of Physical Education in 1933 from Chicago Normal School. She earned a Bachelor of Education in 1935 from Illinois State Normal University. She earned a certificate in physical therapy from Harvard Medical School in 1944 in part thanks to a scholarship from the United States Department of Public Welfare. She earned a Master of Science in 1960 from Indiana University (IU).

She served on the Vocational Rehabilitation Administration in Washington, D.C. starting in 1963, the Indiana Board of Medical Registration starting in 1957, as Vice President Speedway Medical Arts, Inc from 1962; a member of the American Physical Therapy Association where she served as a member of the Board of Directors, Ekstam also served as an accreditation surveyor for the American Physical Therapy Association. She also lectured on polio patients and participated in fundraising events for March of Dimes. During the polio epidemics of 1946, 1949, and 1951, Ekstam personally treated more than 2,000 patients and oversaw the care of thousands more.

Death and legacy Ekstam died in Greenwood, Indiana, on January 18, 2005. Her husband had previously died on August 20, 1986.

Honors and awards In 2000, Ekstam received the Sagamore of the Wabash from Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon. The American Physical Therapy Association awarded her the Lucy Blair Award in 1974, which honors physical therapists of exceptional qualities is one of the highest awards the Association bestows for outstanding service to physical therapy. the Indiana State chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association has named their outstanding contributions award for Frances Ekstam.