Phala Helm

Biography

Dr. Phala Helm received her undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University summa cum laude and her medical degree from Southwestern Medical School, followed by residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor University Medical Center. She was appointed as an instructor at UT Southwestern Medical Center in 1970. Dr. Helm was named Acting Chair of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department in 1974 and was named Chairman in 1977. This marked a significant point in her career, as she was the first female chair of PM&R. The Burn Unit at Parkland was developed in 1977, with Dr. Helm and Dr. Charles Baxter as Co-medical Directors. She served in this position until 1988. In 1985 she started the Problem Foot Clinic, which continues to serve patients today. In the early 1990s Dr. Helm was part of a group that went to Washington, D.C. to request funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for burn rehabilitation. This effort led to the establishment of the Burn Rehabilitation Model Systems in 1993 and Dr. Helm received an award from NIDRR that year to set up one of three Burn Model Systems in the U.S. Dr. Helm stepped down as Chairman of the PM&R department in 1996, after leading the unit for nearly 20 years. She continued as Professor, Director of the Kimberly-Clark Center for PM&R, and Principal Investigator of the North Texas Burn Rehabilitation Model System (NTBRMS). It was at this time that she also stepped down as a member of the board of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation after serving for more than a decade. In 1997 Dr. Helm received the Distinguished Clinician Award from the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Academician of the Year Award from the American Medical Women’s Association. By retirement, Dr. Helm had published over 18 chapters in textbooks, over 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals, received funding for over 13 research grants, and presented over 100 papers and lectures at national and international conferences. Dr. Helm and Dr. Steve Fisher published the first burn rehabilitation text book. A selected list of her publications is provided below. In 2004, Dr. Helm was invited by NIDRR to serve on a Model Systems Review panel to analyze NIDRR’s investment in the model systems programs, including Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Burn Injury. She continues to participate in NTBRMS research activities and serves on the Professional Advisory Board. Dr. Helm also continues to serve on the editorial board for the Journal of Burn Care and Research. The “Phala A. Helm, M.D. Distinguished Lectureship” is held in her honor during the PM&R department’s Annual Scientific Day celebrations.

Research Interest

Burn Rehabilitation High Risk Foot/Insensate Foot/Diabetic Wounds Neuromuscular Diseases