Art and Science.

To the Editor:

I was excited when I saw the title of your March 2000 Editor's Note: "Sex Appeal." As I read the editorial, I agreed--something is missing. I also agreed with your comments on the need for research and the application of theory, creativity, and science in moving the profession forward. Yes, we need evidence to justify what we do and to encourage consumer confidence in our services.

I liked your reference to Star Trek. As one who was accused of going where few therapists have gone before, I know the hope of a better tomorrow in rehabilitation. We cannot allow the rest of the world to move ahead of us, and the vision you refer to is there; its potential is just not being maximized.

But you did not balance your comments appropriately. Medicine, and I include physical therapy as a big part of that, is both an "art" and a "science." You emphasized the "science" part, and sometimes in today's evidence-based environment, we forget that there is also an "art" to what we do. If we put too much emphasis on the "science" part, we run the risk of becoming too technical in our approach to service delivery, too "cookbook." A wise person once said, "The long road between scientific work and the care of a patient is a road of uncertain interpretations, many of which are subjective in nature."

The "art" part brings in the intuitive reasoning and the gut passion, those intangibles that make that special relationship between the therapist and the patient not just an intervention, but an experience. The "art" part allows the innovative creativity that you refer to. The "science" part takes from history and fact, then opens the doorway for invention and creative innovation. The "art" part allows us to take the "science" part and apply it toward the vision and the needs of the future. That is why physical therapy is both an "art" and a "science." Now that is sexy.

Sam Brown, PT Somerset Physical Therapy Somerset, Ky