Inaugural TSAHP student leadership development program kicks off

By Kate Hunger 

Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs David Henzi, Ed.D., is co-directing the first student leadership program offered by the Texas Society of Allied Health Professions (TSAHP).

“The goal is to train future leaders in different health profession programs,” Henzi said, noting that the program is interprofessional by design. 

Henzi’s co-director is fellow TSAHP board member Lynette Watts, Ph.D., RT(R), associate professor at The Shimadzu School of Radiologic Sciences at Midwestern State University. 

Built around six one-hour sessions, the program begins in February and runs through September. Facilitated via video chat, the program will include readings, online discussions and in-person attendance at the TSAHP Annual Conference in September.

The first cohort of participants includes 11 first-year graduate students from a variety of Texas health profession programs, including Clinical Lab Science, Clinical Nutrition, Healthcare Administration, Genetic Counseling, Nutrition, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Pharmacy, Radiologic Sciences, and Speech-Language Pathology.

“We have different ages, different backgrounds, different experiences, and I think the differences will really add a ton to the discussions,” Henzi said. 

One of the program’s features that appealed to the School of Health Professions Physical Therapy student Kevin Hamilton is its emphasis on professionalism in management. 

“You can make a big impact as a leader,” he said. 

The program’s online delivery makes it much easier for students to participate, he added. 

Planning for the program began last year, with the expectation that leadership of the program will rotate among TSAHP board members, Henzi said.