ARP Welcomes a New President: A Conversation with Aileen Ledingham, PT, MS, PhD

Aileen Ledingham, PT, MS, PhD

Aileen Ledingham, PT, MS, PhD, identifies first and foremost as a physical therapist, which is why she always lists her physical therapy (PT) title first in the string of credentials following her name. Now, she has another title to add: president of the ARP.

Dr. Ledingham earned a bachelor of science in physical therapy at Northwestern University, a master of science in pediatric physical therapy and research at Long Island University, New York, and a doctorate in rehabilitation sciences from Boston University. During her career, she has held PT positions in the U.S. and abroad, and is currently a physical therapist at Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, Mass., where she specializes in rheumatology, particularly PT for older patients with knee issues.

She began volunteering with the ARP as a doctoral student, serving first on the ARP eLearning Subcommittee, which focuses on state-of-the-art technologies and interactive learning strategies to foster online education opportunities for rheumatology professionals. Dr. Ledingham eventually became chair of that committee. She has also volunteered on numerous other ARP and ACR committees, including the ACR Finance Committee. She is just finishing up a year as co-chair (with new ACR President Deborah Dyett Desir, MD) of the inaugural, blended ACR/ARP Membership & Awards Committee (MAC).

Dr. Ledingham accepted the presidential gavel during the ARP business meeting at ACR Convergence 2023.

In her new position as ARP president, Dr. Ledingham looks forward to continuing the forward momentum of the association as an active, relevant and responsive organization that works on behalf of practitioners while also furthering improved patient outcomes. In the coming year, she is especially interested in exploring new ways to build greater public knowledge about the field of rheumatology and the many ways that patients benefit from the expertise of rheumatology professionals.

As she takes the helm of the ARP, Dr. Ledingham spoke about her career so far, why she is such an enthusiastic volunteer and how she foresees the ARP’s role in promoting rheumatology, supporting practitioners and, ultimately, caring for patients.

The Rheumatologist (TR): You started out in physical therapy. How did your career evolve toward rheumatology and to becoming involved with the ARP?

Dr. Ledingham: My initial path to physical therapy was kind of haphazard. When I was a junior in high school, we students were all looking at books to figure out what our careers might be. Physical therapy just kind of popped up in one of the books, and I thought, ‘That sounds interesting. I don’t have to be a doctor or nurse, and I don’t have to deal with too much blood!’ So, I went ahead and got my bachelor’s degree, became a physical therapist and was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the job.