III STEP (Summer Institute on Translating Evidence into Practice) was an intensive, multidisciplinary summer institute designed to catalyze the advancement of physical therapy for people with movement dysfunction through the translation of movement science into effective clinical interventions. The institute offered morning plenary sessions followed by afternoon concurrent focused breakout sessions lead by leading basic and clinical scientists from the fields of health services, neuroscience, neurology, developmental neurobiology, psychology, rehabilitation medicine, motor behavior, and physical therapy. Evening panel discussions and poster sessions facilitated dialogue and collaboration. III STEP was jointly sponsored by the Section on Pediatrics and the Neurology Section of the APTA, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , the National Institute on Aging, and a generous group of 15 Corporate Sponsors .

IIISTEP was attended by 632 participants representing pediatric and neurology practice and academic/research settings from the United States and Canada. In addition, 57 international participants [link to photo] were in attendance from countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and Australia. IIISTEP speakers, also reflecting a diversity of research and clinical backgrounds, collaborated with participants to consider basic science principles of neural plasticity, learning and adaptation, and the application of innovations in current research to future clinical practice and movement science research endeavors.

III STEP produced a variety of important Action Plans that promise to influence physical therapy research, education, and practice around the world for years to come.