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
PhD in Medical Sociology, University at Buffalo
MS in Occupational Therapy, University at Buffalo
BS in Occupational Therapy, University at Buffalo
AAS in Occupational Therapy, Erie Community College
Research Interests
Evidence-based rehabilitation for individuals with stroke using telehealth
Effectiveness of adapted Yoga for individuals with neurological disorders
Access to health care and rehabilitation for underserved populations
Cultural competence among health professionals
Areas of Expertise
Cultural humility and diversityInterprofessional Education and PracticeEvidence-Based Practice
Dr. Mary Smith’s teaching expertise is in the following areas: adult neurological and cognitive rehabilitation, functional anatomy, culture and disability, and community-based practice to underserved and diverse populations. She has more than 25 years of education and rehabilitation experience in the area of adult physical disabilities.
Dr. Smith conducts clinical research with students on Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy for individuals with stroke using telehealth. She recently published her findings in the International Journal of Telerehabilitation, July 2020. Additionally, Dr. Smith leads student research groups on the benefits of adapted yoga for individuals with neurological disabilities, as she is a registered yoga teacher.
Dr. Smith earned her PhD in Medical Sociology. The focus of her research was healthcare providers’ delivery of culturally competent care to ethnically diverse groups. Her results have been published and presented nationally and internationally on this topic. Her interest in diversity and culture complemented her role as the project director for Culture in the Curriculum (2006-2011). In this role for the Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange (CIRRIE), her work led to several publications on infusing cultural competence into pre-service rehabilitation programs. In addition, for 12 years, Dr. Smith co-directed the study abroad program, “Health in Brazil,” a reciprocal exchange between a university in Brazil and the University at Buffalo. Dr. Smith joined as core faculty in the Occupational Therapy program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences at the Austin, TX campus in 2020 and teaches Clinical Applications in Adulthood, Applied Anatomy and advises students on capstone projects.
