Occupational Therapy OT

OTD Alum Becomes First Occupational Therapist in Anguilla

Upon graduation, Kniquiah Hughes, OTD, OTR/L (OTD ’21) returned to her home in the West Indies and became the first occupational therapist in Anguilla. The Caribbean island has a population of about 15,000. Then, in 2021 on World Occupational Therapy Day (October 27), she opened her own occupational therapy (OT) practice providing services to clients

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Dr. Tia Hughes, USAHS, Discusses Heightened Demand for OTs Due to Aging Population

The call for occupational therapists (OTs) is becoming increasingly critical – particularly in locations with an aging population, such as St. Augustine, Florida. The Ponte Vedra Recorder explains that as “health care concerns arise with age, provider shortages will become increasingly evident in the years ahead, especially in states with the largest populations of senior

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The Post-Professional OTD Degree

If you’re a licensed occupational therapist (OT) and are exploring the range of places an occupational therapist can work, you may be contemplating ways to take your occupational therapy career to the next level. A Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy  (PPOTD) is a viable and attractive option. This degree program prepares graduates to improve patient

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What is an OTD Degree?

A Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree enables healthcare professionals to assist clients in a variety of ways, from helping seniors learn how to mitigate falls in their homes to promoting the physical mobility of employees who have been injured in the workplace.1 Occupational therapists (OTs) also enjoy a rewarding professional experience: The U.S. Bureau

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Five Reasons to Pursue a Career in Occupational Therapy

If you’re looking for a career that allows you to help individuals improve their daily lives in meaningful and creative ways, occupational therapy may be right for you. As a registered occupational therapist (OTR), you may work with individuals or groups dealing with all types of physical and mental injuries and disabilities. Your role will

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OT Alum Launches a Career in Adaptive Scuba Diving

“I never once thought, coming into this school, that I would be working for a scuba diving company as an occupational therapist. Never once did I think I would get to travel the world and interact with so many amazing people who have so many challenges and so many experiences—and be part of something so

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USAHS Students Form Student Veterans of America Chapter

Students on the USAHS campus in St. Augustine, Florida, led by Flex Master of Occupational Therapy (Flex MOT) student Lureida Soto, were inspired to form an organization to support student veterans and family members of veterans and active-duty military. What began as the FLSA Student Veterans Club in fall 2021 has grown into a chapter

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OTD Alum Aids Rural City in Earning $100,000 Access Grant

Madison Rowlison’s, OTD, OTR/L (OTD ’21) Doctor of Occupational Therapy capstone project focused on community access for elderly residents in Sunland Park, New Mexico. Sunland Park is a rural community on the U.S.-Mexico border near Las Cruces, where she resides. Dr. Rowlison worked with the city council and transportation board to make changes for better

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Student Associations COTAD and SPEAK Promote Diversity

In January 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic was weighing heavy on society, students were learning at home, and the Black Lives Matter movement was inspiring demonstrations for equality around the country, MOT student Spencer Rasberry decided to join a group that offered ways to interact on these topics. The Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for

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The OT Pinning Ceremony: Marking the Move from Classroom to Practice

At a key transition point in their studies, occupational therapy students across all USAHS campuses participate in a meaningful ritual, witnessed by family and friends. The OT pinning ceremony marks the end of the classroom portion of their studies and the beginning of their fieldwork. For Residential MOT and OTD students, this happens in their

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OT Student Teaches 3D Printing to Her Peers Through TikTok

When OTD student Shaina Rooney was first introduced to the 3D printer in her Assistive Technology class, “I loved it,” she says. “I saw the potential. 3D printers are new tools that occupational therapists can use to create an endless number of interventions for patients.” For example, they can print orthoses, assistive devices, home improvement

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