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
Relationships between didactic and clinical education
Dr. Early earned a B.S. degree in Biology from Clark Atlanta University. Then she went on to earn a Masters degree in Physical Therapy from Florida International University. She later earned her PhD in Physical Therapy from Nova Southeastern University with focus on educational program attributes and faculty teaching behaviors as predictors of National Physical Therapy Examination success. While completing her terminal degree, she served as a clinic director in private practice and several outpatient clinics in Georgia and Connecticut. Dr. Early has also had the opportunity to work in multiple settings as a travel therapist in Florida, Georgia, and Texas including home health, outpatient, inpatient, skilled nursing facilities and hospice. She has certifications in skilled dry needling, vestibular rehabilitation as well as functional capacity/human performance evaluations.
