“I love these girls—they all have my heart,” says Madison (“Maddie”) Lovern, OTD, a recent graduate of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program on USAHS’ Austin, Texas, campus. She conducted the hands-on portion of her capstone project at a facility that fosters pregnant and parenting teens, most of whom are victims of abuse or
As a thought leader in simulation for healthcare education, USAHS was recently invited to demonstrate our simulation technology and best practices to members of the Welsh government. Seven commissioners from the department that regulates education in Wales joined USAHS simulation experts over videoconference to view a two-hour showcase of our face-to-face and virtual simulation methods.
USAHS is happy to announce a change in our admissions policy for our occupational therapy programs: We are no longer requiring that incoming OT students take the GRE exam. We’re aware that COVID-19 is creating significant practical challenges to students who wish to take the GRE. We see the opportunity to respond with empathy, and
As the profession of occupational therapy migrates toward a doctorate as the standard entry-level degree, more and more practitioners are going back to school for their Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PPOTD). At the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS), students are entering our PPOTD program at vastly different stages of their career.
On her first day as a student in the pro bono clinic on USAHS’ St. Augustine campus, Allison Esposito was assigned to work with a patient who had a transfemoral amputation and a prosthetic leg. “I was kind of terrified at first,” she says. As a sixth-trimester student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program,
In a life-long career as an Occupational Therapist, Mary Jo Ray-Jewett has been helping others her entire life. So, when she learned her 12-year-old neighbor, Will Walker, needed a kidney, she got tested to see if she was a match. She made the decision to donate her kidney without any hesitation. “To me, this is
At a time when so many aspects of education are compelled to go online, USAHS faculty are not only adapting—we’re taking virtual learning to the next level. During Fall 2020, faculty members across departments collaborated to create clinical simulation sessions that were delivered in a live, interactive virtual mode. Filmed with live actors in the
In their work with children who have cognitive and physical differences, occupational therapists (OTs) use fun, hands-on activities to help kids learn to self-regulate emotions, improve their fine motor skills, and reach other developmental milestones. But it’s not just occupational therapists who can use OT activities to work with kids. Parents can incorporate therapeutic methods
For her capstone project in USAHS’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program, Jessica Morgan (now “Dr. Morgan”) had planned to volunteer at a transitional housing facility in Denver, where she would explore the role of occupational therapy in helping the homeless population. But like many of her classmates, she had to re-envision her project when
We’re proud of our 567 graduates for rolling with the challenges of 2020! Not only did they successfully complete their studies during a pandemic—they had to pop the champagne at home. Our Fall graduations went virtual on four USAHS campuses, celebrating graduates from our physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology programs. Graduates created slides
Even in normal times, seniors are at a high risk for social isolation, which can lead to serious consequences such as depression, cognitive decline, and premature mortality.[1] But in early 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic led to social distancing mandates across the United States and around the world, millions of older adults became even more
If you’re an aspiring or practicing occupational therapist (OT), you may be wondering what non-traditional OT roles could be open to you. You might be surprised to learn that there are, in fact, many options for OTs who feel less inclined to work a traditional staff job in a school or clinic. Creative OTs can