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 fourth term, and for Flex, in the seventh term.
A longstanding tradition in OT practice, the pin celebrates the diversity of practice areas, the client-centered nature of our practice and the values of our profession.
“It’s an opportunity for faculty to acknowledge our students’ transition from classroom learning to clinical learning,” says Mary Zadnik, ScD, MEd, OTR/L, director of the entry-level OT programs on Read more
BS, Texas Woman's University Dallas - 1995
MS, Texas Woman's University Dallas - 1997
ScD, Texas Tech University - Lubbock - 2020
Research Interests
Dry Needling
Tendopathy/Tendinosis
Areas of Expertise
Musculoskeletal
Dr. James Lewis is a licensed physical therapist and an educator. He has more than 20 years of experience in outpatient orthopedic treatments and has mentored and taught physical therapists through continuing education coursework. He has taught nationally for both Institute of Physical Art (IPA) and CrunKeyser as a level one instructor in the Foundations (FMT), Kinetic Shoulder (KSC) and Dynamic Foot Ankle (DFA) course work. He most recently joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences as a full-time core faculty member to teach musculoskeletal content.
Dr. Lewis specializes in the areas of spine, shoulder and knee injuries and has worked with high school, collegiate, professional and Olympic caliber athletes during his career. His research interests are in the area of dry needling for musculoskeletal injuries with a particular interest in tendopathy and tendinosis treatments.
For 17 years he was the managing partner/owner and clinical educator coordinator at Allen Sports and SpineCare, L.L.P. in Allen, TX. A native of Texas, he received his Physical Therapy degree from Texas Woman’s University-Dallas in 1997. Prior to entering the field, Dr. Lewis served six years in the U.S. Air Force as a B-52H crew chief and is a Gulf War veteran.
Dr. Lewis achieved board certification in 2010 and recertification in 2020 by the American Physical Therapy Association as an orthopedic certified specialist, and in 2006 he obtained recognition as a certified functional manual therapist. In 2013, he received recognition as a certified kinesiotape practitioner. In 2020, he completed his terminal academic degree, Doctor of Science, through Texas Tech University Health Science Center.
