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School of Health Professions

Results: 525 news stories

SHP students inducted into Alpha Eta Society

By Kate Hunger

Thirty-eight School of Health Professions students were inducted this spring into the campus chapter of the Alpha Eta Society, the national honor society of the allied health professions.

School of Health Professions Dean David C. Shelledy, PhD, RRT, FAARC, FASAHP, congratulated the inductees for their accomplishment in the April 13 ceremony. 

Alpha Eta logo

Medical laboratory sciences student is passionate about her profession

By Kate Hunger 

When Alana Rubio was growing up in Uvalde, Texas, she knew she wanted to find a career she could pursue with passion. 

She took a wide range of classes at Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, hoping to find the field that would inspire her and give her the direction she craved. That spark came in her chemistry class, taught by a professor whose enthusiasm for the subject was contagious.

That moment was when Rubio realized she wanted to find a profession she loved.

Alana Rubio

Occupational and physical therapy students help dental students in project geared toward reducing musculoskeletal injuries

By Kate Hunger 

Perching on stools and twisting into awkward positions for long stretches of time while treating patients can lead to musculoskeletal injuries for dentists. Those injuries are sometimes so problematic they lead dentists to retire from practice. 

IEP

Department of Physical Therapy faculty seek collaborators in rehabilitation research

By Kate Hunger 

The faculty in the Department of Physical Therapy is seeking to collaborate with other researchers in various areas of rehabilitation research.

PT faculty members have excellent training and experience in diverse fields including cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, clinical electrophysiology, geriatrics, neurologic rehabilitation, motor control/motor learning and orthopedics, said Department Chair and Associate Professor Greg Ernst, PT, PhD, ECS.

PT RESEARCH

The biomechanics of tai chi: New faculty member brings an engineering perspective to rehabilitation research

By Kate Hunger 

For years, Wei Liu, Ph.D., has researched tai chi as a rehabilitation intervention and exercise treatment option for people with knee osteoarthritis and other disabilities such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and low back pain. Still, he admits there is much to learn about the benefits offered by the ancient practice of continuous, controlled movements. 

Dr. Liu

SHP students recognized for their leadership, clinical excellence, research and community service

By Kate Hunger

Five School of Health Professions students have been selected to receive Student Life Awards from the Թ Student Government Association.

students awards

COVID-19 panel discusses long-term patient recovery and need for rehabilitation

By Kate Hunger

Patients recovering from COVID-19 often require rehabilitation involving a range of therapies, according to a panel discussion hosted by the School of Health Professions.

Presented on Feb. 23, the was moderated by School of Health Professions Dean David Shelledy, Ph.D., RRT, RPFT, FAARC, FASAHP. 

COVID 19

OT faculty member to receive Presidential Clinical Excellence Award

By Kate Hunger 

In 21 years of practice as an occupational therapist, Laura Novak, OTD, OTR, BCG, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, has become an expert in productive aging and in working with people with dementia and their caregivers.

Dr. Novak

New occupational therapy professor wants to address outdoor play in pediatric population

By Kate Hunger 

When Mei-Ling Lin, Ph.D., OTR, was weighing her career options, her desire to help others drew her to occupational therapy.

“I like to work with people,” said Dr. Lin, assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. “When I was in high school, I decided I wanted to pursue a profession where I could constantly interact with people and help them.”

OT

Online degree advancement program helps working respiratory therapists take their careers to the next level

By Kate Hunger 

Corey Caballero, CPhT, RRT, is a husband and father, a student in the , and a full-time respiratory therapist at Houston Methodist Hospital. 

Corey Caballero, CPhT, RRT

Online degree advancement program helps working respiratory therapists take their careers to the next level

By Kate Hunger 

Corey Caballero, CPhT, RRT, is a husband and father, a student in the , and a full-time respiratory therapist at Houston Methodist Hospital. 


Register: Respiratory Care Symposium and Virtual Student Conference

By Kate Hunger 

The Division of Respiratory Care will host two virtual events in March: the and the first-ever . Find program details and registration information for each event below.

RC Symposium

Occupational therapy doctoral program gains full accreditation

By Kate Hunger 

The School of Health Professions’ occupational therapy doctoral program is the first accredited state-supported entry-level OTD program in Texas.

The program received news of its full accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in December.

OTD accreditation

New alumni council supports wide range of SHP efforts

By Kate Hunger

The School of Health Professions Alumni Council held its inaugural meeting virtually in January. 

The council represents the voice of health professions alumni and supports the mission and goals of the School of Health Professions while serving as an advisory council in conjunction with alumni initiatives at the school. 

alumni council

Health professions students assist COVID patient positioning teams in ICU

By Kate Hunger 

Research has shown that turning COVID-19 patients onto their stomachs for a number of hours can help improve lung function and decrease mortality — but the process requires a specially trained team and a significant amount of time.

Patient Positioning

Teaching is a lifelong passion for Presidential Award winner

As a high school science teacher, Meredith Quinene, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, assistant professor and academic coordinator for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, learned to begin with the end in mind. 

When she decided to leave the classroom to become a physician assistant, for instance, she did so knowing that her ultimate goal was to one day join the faculty of Թ, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in physician assistant studies in 2003.

Quinene

Professor coauthors textbook on respiratory critical care

A textbook coauthored by Respiratory Care Professor Ruben Restrepo, MD RRT, FAARC, FCCP, is geared toward preparing respiratory therapists for the Adult Critical Care Specialty (ACCS) exam while also providing essential information for all members of critical care teams.

Restrepo

Respiratory care student embraces profession that enables him to help others

After Anthony Mendoza Jr., graduated from high school in his hometown of Carrizo Springs, he worked for four years in the oil field, where he often put in 14-hour days. He decided he wanted a different career, one that would enable him to help others. He started taking college classes and researched health professions.

Anthony Mendoza

Neuroplasticity is the focus of new PT faculty member’s research

Department of Physical Therapy Assistant Professor Anjali Sivaramakrishnan, PT, Ph.D., wants to learn more about the potential of non-invasive brain stimulation on improving mobility for patients experiencing problems with movement due to neurological disorders. 

Dr. Sivaramakrishnan, who joined the faculty in December, is establishing her neuroplasticity research program. In particular, she is hoping her research will address gaps in the translation of the potential benefits of non-invasive brain stimulation from lab to clinic.

Dr. Sivaramakrishnan

Students assemble clean birth kits and find other ways to serve

By Kate Hunger 

Three hundred mothers and their newborns in Nigeria will experience safer births using the clean birth kits physician assistant studies students created in December.

The Class of 2021 partnered with the nonprofit Global Health Charities to reduce infant and maternal mortality internationally. The effort was spearheaded by Evan Bridges and McKenzie Humphrey, global service coordinator and service coordinator for the Class of 2021, respectively.

Cleaning Kits

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