Legacy of Impact: Dr. Trish King Named 2001 Elizabeth Noble Award Recipient
What did winning this award mean to you personally and professionally?
I was deeply honored and humbled, and once the shock wore off, filled with great joy, gratitude and pride to receive the Elizabeth Noble Award. I had the privilege of taking classes with Elizabeth Noble, including some in her clinic and in her home, deepening the meaning of the award for me both personally and professionally.
As an orthpaedic manual physical therapist (OMPT), receipt of the Elizabeth Noble Award, largely based on my work applying orthopaedic manual physical therapy (OMPT) to pelvic pain, underscored the importance of connecting OMPT and pelvic health and elevated my commitment to that cause.
The recognition of my work by pelvic health colleagues elevated my commitment to creating and supporting efforts to expand the knowledge and skill set of colleagues in pelvic health to include OMPT. Likewise, I felt a responsibility to do my part to expand the knowledge and skill set of OMPT colleagues to include impairments and conditions associated with pelvic health.
Reflections on what led this award to my doorstep led to the vision that one day OMPT skills would routinely be applied in pelvic health practice and likewise, screening for and implementing fundamental interventions appropriate for pelvic health impairments and conditions would become a routine part of OMPT practice. That vision remains a work in progress.
Why is it important to recognize excellence in pelvic health physical therapy?
I see recognition of excellence in any field as important for two fundamental reasons:
Impact on the honoree:
Contributions worth recognizing usually come with great sacrifice and lots of "giving" of self....Sometimes we are not sure of or maybe just not aware of how our work is impacting others....or even if our contributions are truly valued by others. Bringing honor to peers who make a difference, and whose work inspires and moves us forward is a just, right and respectful act of gratitude.
Impact on the profession:
Awarding excellence is important not only for the honor it brings to the peers we recognize but it also fuels passion and elevates vision by providing inspiration and giving visibility to outstanding works and ideas.
Recognizing peers expands our network. We learn about each other on different levels than usual through the recognition process. Nomination and recognition often connect us with colleagues we do not know well or maybe not at all. Often through the process of nominating someone we do know well, we learn about them at new levels, leading to a better understanding of their ideas and experiences, expanding all of our minds and abilities.
What would you say to someone considering nominating a colleague?
I would say, please take the time to do it. You will gain so much from the reflection that is required in the process of making a nomination.
The first step in nominating is to reflect on who and what has led, inspired, and/or supported you in your professional life. Think about what might be missing in where you are today or where pelvic health might be without that individual's contributions.... or more positively, how that person or their specific work or role impacted where you are what you are doing.
For me, the reflective part of the nominating process creates a sense of responsibility to give back and/or spread the word about those people who've led me and made me or my professional life, and as result, the lives of my patients, somehow better.
Nomination takes time and sometimes a lot of effort; in the end it inspires and brings great joy to all parties involved.
24 years later, I will say again, thank you to my colleagues in this organization for recognizing my work with the Elizabeth Noble Award. It remains an incredibly humbling honor and privilege to have my name associated with Elizabeth's.
Know Someone Who Inspires Like Trish?
The Elizabeth Noble Award is the Academy’s highest honor, celebrating members who have made extraordinary and exemplary contributions to the field of physical therapy or to the Academy itself. If Trish’s story reminded you of someone whose passion, leadership, and dedication deserve recognition, we encourage you to submit a nomination. The 2026 Award Cycle is now open—nominations are due by October 15, 2025.
