Maurice Albin, M.D. and David Morris, Ph.D. with Gossman thesisMaurice S. Albin, M.D., professor of anesthesiology in the UAB School of Medicine, presented his copy of a Master’s Thesis, submitted by a young Marilyn Gossman, to the UAB Department of Physical Therapy as a historical archive. Albin was Gossman’s thesis Chair when she was a student at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio in 1965, when Albin was an assistant professor at the same institution.

Gossman went on to earn a PhD and became recognized as a national leader in the physical therapy profession. She was also Chair of the UAB Department of Physical Therapy from 1968 to 1998 when she passed away following a battle with Breast Cancer. Albin presented the original copy of the thesis to the UAB Department of Physical Therapy in a ceremony held on Thursday, December 18, 2014, on the 6^th floor of the School of Health Professions Building. Gossman's thesis title was "Electrophysiological Evaluation of Experimental Spinal Cord Injury."

Gossman note to Albin, 1965Dr. Albin is an authority in the areas of spinal cord injury and venous air embolism. He has written extensively on the cerebrovascular dynamics associated with acute neurological trauma and anesthetic agents and adjuvants. He is also a noted historian in the field of anesthesia and substance abuse during the American Civil War. His publications number more than 300 articles, abstracts and book chapters including a book on spinal cord injury.

In a personal note to Dr. Albin, which he included in his donation, Gossman said, "you have given me a vision beyond the scope of this work and for this I cannot express enough gratitude.”

Speaking at the ceremony, David Morris, PT, PhD and Interim Chair of the Department, stated “Dr. Albin’s gift is important as it reminds us of the fact that great leaders like Marilyn Gossman were first mentored by important teachers like Dr. Albin. We are truly grateful to Dr. Albin for sharing this valuable piece of history with us.”