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School of Health Professions

Results: 517 news stories

Department of Occupational Therapy co-sponsors summit on neonatal evaluation and outcomes

By Kate Hunger

The fifth annual Neonatal Evaluation and Outcomes Network (NEON) Summit was held Feb. 8 at the new Department of Occupational Therapy facility.

Occupational Therapy

Speech-language pathology professor co-authors article on the impact of physical activity on college students’ health-related quality of life

By Kate Hunger 

A survey of undergraduate students revealed an association between higher levels of physical activity and positive mental health, according to an article in the American Journal of Health Promotion co-authored by Rocío Norman, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor.

“It’s one of the first studies to look at undergraduate athletes and general students and compare them on health-related quality of life,” Norman said. “I think it’s good evidence for having physical activity in your daily life as a college student.”

Rocio Norman

Caregiver skills workshops offer practical skills for taking care of loved ones with dementia

By Kate Hunger 

A series of multidisciplinary workshops at UT Health San Antonio trains caregivers of people with dementia on a range of skills, including how to communicate with their loved ones.

Speech Language-Pathology

PA Studies faculty member honored as Bexar County PA of the Year

By Kate Hunger 

Seeing graduates of the Physician Assistant Studies program at UT Health San Antonio thrive in the profession is one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching for Leticia Bland, MPAS, PA-C, Assistant Professor. 

“PAs are going to be ones taking care of our families,” she said. “So it’s important to make sure our PAs are prepared and competent.”

PA

PT student co-authors article evaluation novel socket for military services members with transfemoral amputation

By Kate Hunger 

Physical Therapy doctoral student Starr Brown co-authored an article on the use of a novel socket device in military service members with transfemoral amputation. The article recently was published in the U.S. Army Medical Department Journal.

The article described the results of a study by researchers at Northwestern University, who developed the subischial socket, and the Center for the Intrepid, where Brown worked as a research associate for several years before enrolling in the physical therapy doctoral program at UT Health San Antonio.

Starr

Department of Emergency Health Sciences trains Army, National Guard and Army Reserve flight paramedics

Several years ago, an Army colonel and physician approached the Department of Emergency Health Sciences about conducting a pilot program to train Army flight medics as paramedics, whose more rigorous training research had shown meant better outcomes for injured soldiers.

Conducted in 2012, the pilot program was a success and resulted in a five-year, $8.3 million contract to provide paramedic and critical care transport training to all flight medics in the Army, National Guard, and Army Reserve, said Associate Professor and Emergency Health Sciences chair, Lance Villers.

Emergency Health Sciences

George Kudolo, Ph.D., FAIC, FACB named interim chair of the Department of Health Sciences

I am very pleased to announce the appointment of George Kudolo, Ph.D., FAIC, FACB as the interim chair of the Department of Health Sciences in the School of Health Professions (SHP).  Dr. Kudolo has been with the School of Health Professions for 29 years and currently holds an appointment as full Professor with Tenure in the department.

Dr. Kudolo

Medical Laboratory Sciences program receives new director

By Kate Hunger 

When Gerardo Ramos, MS, Ph.D. MT (ASCP), F-ABFT, began his new role as program director of the Division of Medical Laboratory Sciences in January, it was a homecoming of sorts.

Ramos earned a bachelor’s degree in clinical laboratory science from UT Health San Antonio in 1994. In the intervening years, he earned master’s degrees in toxicology and higher education administration, and a doctoral degree in toxicology, all while serving in the U.S. Air Force and developing his expertise in leadership and forensic toxicology. 

Gerardo Ramos, MS, Ph.D. MT (ASCP), F-ABFT

Division of Respiratory Care to hold white coat ceremony Feb. 8

By Kate Hunger 

Thirty students will receive their white coats at the White Coat Ceremony and Lambda Beta Honor Society induction ceremony next month. Twenty-two of the students are master’s students and eight are undergraduates, said  Richard Wettstein, MMEd, RRT, FAARC, Respiratory Care Program Director and Associate Professor.

RT

New associate dean for research values the power of collaboration

By Kate Hunger 

The School of Health Professions welcomes its newly appointed Timothy A. Reistetter, Ph.D., OTR, FAOTA, Associate Dean for Research.

Previously appointed professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), where he served as director of the post-doctoral certificate program in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Reistetter also is a professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. 

Timothy Reistetter

CANCELLED: 24th Annual Respiratory Care Symposium scheduled for March 14-15

Out an abundance of caution for our university constituents and our community, this event has been canceled.

Patti Shermerhorn

Department of Occupational Therapy collects glove donations to help homeless

By Kate Hunger 

In an effort to help homeless people in the San Antonio Area, the Department of Occupational Therapy held a glove donation drive in late November and early December. 

The effort yielded 194 pairs of donated gloves which were delivered to Heaven for Hope, the city's homeless center, said Kimatha Oxford Grice, OTD, OTR, CHT, associate professor. Grice said the drive was inspired by the comments of a speaker at the annual meeting of the Texas Society for Hand Therapy about the effect of cold weather on hands. 

Gloves Donatin

EHS faculty is focused on saving lives prehospital with whole blood

By Kate Hunger 

San Antonio is pioneering whole blood transfusions for trauma patients in prehospital settings, through a collaboration among area institutions, including UT Health San Antonio. 

UT Health San Antonio is one of the institutions collaborating with The Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) to study the impact of using cold stored whole blood and transfusing injured patients in the prehospital setting. 

Dr. Winckler

OT students join Frontera de Salud leadership team

By Kate Hunger 

Two occupational therapy students are on the 2019 leadership team for the UT Health San Antonio chapter of Frontera de Salud, a student-run volunteer organization that provides health care to underserved populations in Texas.

Janna Roberts is the School of Health Professions liaison and Brianna Reyna is the McAllen service coordinator.

UT Health San Antonio Frontera de Salud

Speech-language pathology students engage in the community

By Kate Hunger 

Students in the master’s speech-language pathology program have been hard at work establishing a campus chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA). 

The group’s community engagement activities have included participating in fundraising walks for childhood apraxia of speech and autism, playing Bingo with local nursing home residents and teaching them how to use mobile technology, and assembling hygiene kits for Haven for Hope.

Speech-Language Pathology program

Respiratory Care student wins scholarship to attend AARC meetings

By Kate Hunger 

Second-year Respiratory Care master’s student Calandra Snowden received a scholarship to attend the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) International Respiratory Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas in December. 

Calandra Snowden

PA professor and veteran shares his professional journey at campus Veteran’s Day event

By Kate Hunger 

A career in medicine was not what Paul B. Allen, Sr., DSc, MPAS, PA-C, FAAPA, physician assistant studies assistant professor envisioned when he joined the U.S. Army. 

Allen, PA program director and chair, shared the story of his military service and medical career as the featured speaker at the Veteran’s Day program and reception held Nov. 9 by the Military Health Institute. Also speaking at the event were Byron C. Hepburn, M.D., Maj. Gen. USAF (Ret.), MIH Director and William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP, University President.

Paul B. Allen, Sr., DSc, MPAS, PA-C, FAAPA

EHS instructor publishes book to help save lives

By Kate Hunger 

Years after retiring from the San Antonio Fire Department, Conrad M. Gonzales, Jr. realized he yearned to be back in the classroom, teaching others how to save lives. The realization came during a lunch break one day after he stopped to help a woman who had been hit by a car and all of his paramedic training came rushing back. 

10-96 front cover

OT student is first from UT Health San Antonio to receive TOTA student leader award

By Kate Hunger 

Like a number of her classmates, third-year occupational therapy master’s student Amy Honeck has accumulated an impressive list of volunteer service and leadership positions during her time in the program. 

However, her recent selection to receive the Texas Occupational Therapy Association Student Leader Award is particularly notable.

“She is the first recipient from our university, so that is very exciting,” said Associate Professor Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, Ph.D., OTR, chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy.

Amy Honeck

PT faculty member gives presentation on the importance of research in allied health

By Kate Hunger 

Sandeep Subramanian, Ph.D., MS, BPT, physical therapy assistant professor highlighted the impact of rehabilitation research in the health professions during a presentation during National Allied Health Week.

Subramanian took a creative approach in his Nov. 8 Lunch & Learn presentation by describing the kinds of treatment a soldier injured in a blast would receive. Subramanian used the scenario to show how the soldier’s care would be informed by research from across departments within the School of Health Professions.

Allied Health Week

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