Mary McMillan

Mary Jennie Livingston McMillan (November 28, 1880 – October 24, 1959) was an American physical therapist, and the founding president of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Early life and education McMillan was born in Hyde Park, Boston, the daughter of Archibald McMillan and Kate McMillan. Her father was born in Scotland. She was raised by Mary Livingston, an aunt in England, after her mother and sister died. She trained as a physical educator, and graduated from Liverpool Gymnasium College in 1905, with further training at hospitals in London. Career McMillan worked in hospitals in Liverpool from 1914 to 1916 and in Maine from 1916 to 1918. She trained rehabilitation aides at Reed College to work with wounded and disabled soldiers. In 1921, she was founder and first president of the American Women's Physical Therapeutic Association, now known as the American Physical Therapy Association. She was also president of the Massachusetts Physical Therapy Association. She taught summer courses in physiotherapy to army nurses at Harvard Medical School. In 1932, she became director of physiotherapy at Peking Union Medical College in China. She attended the 25th anniversary conference of the American Physical Therapy Association in 1946, and spoke about the organization's founding. Personal life and legacy McMillan died in 1959, at the age of 78, in Boston. In 1963, the American Physical Therapy Association named its Mary McMillan Scholarship Award in her memory.