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With projects ranging from increasing the number of physician assistants practicing in rural South Texas to research aimed at improving central hearing in people with concussion, School of Health Professions researchers have been awarded more than $5.6 million in federal grant funding in the last six months. “These awards reflect well on the outstanding efforts of School of Health Professions…, “Integrated Clinical Care Experience in Rural Texas (ICCERT)”, Project Director Tiffani Burgin, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C , assistant professor and director of clinical education in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, received a five-year, $2 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration for ICCERT, which will provide hands-on training to participating Master of Physician Assistant Studies students as they rotate through rural…, “Evaluation of Post-Acute Care Access and Outcomes: Influence of Social Determinants of Health on Urban and Rural Rehabilitation Service Areas Before and After COVID-19”, Associate Dean for Research Timothy Reistetter, PhD, OTR, FAOTA , a professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, has secured more than $1.5 million in RO1 grant funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to support his research on the effect of social determinants of health on rehabilitation outcomes before and after COVID-19 in the United States. The study evaluates…, “Project ASPIRE: Advancing Successful Preparation of Interprofessional Related Services in Education Settings”, The Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs awarded a five-year, $1.2 million grant to fund Project ASPIRE, a multidisciplinary project directed by Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, PhD, OTR, FAOTA , professor and chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy. Faculty from the Department of Occupational Therapy including Assistant Professor Mei-…, “Substance Use Education in the Interprofessional Setting (SEIS)”, Leticia Bland, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C , assistant professor and director of didactic education and outcomes assessment in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, is the program director on a three-year, $759,300 grant awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency. The goal of the project, Substance Use Education in the Interprofessional Setting, is to address the shortage of…, , , and, , Heather Trepal, PhD, LPC-S, associate dean for academic programs and student success and professor in the Department of Counseling at UTSA., “Targeted Auditory Plasticity Training to Improve Central Hearing in Mild TBI”, Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders Associate Professor Rocío Norman, PhD, CCC-SLP , is principal investigator on a three-year grant from the Department of Defense, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health Research Program. The study aims to determine the neural basis and efficacy of a validated hearing intervention on…
For Jordan Briggs, master’s student and president of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Class of 2025, donning her white coat represents the realization of a dream to help others. Briggs and her 37 classmates marked the transition from the classroom to the clinical phase of their program with a white coat ceremony held Sept. 20 in the Holly Auditorium. “We know we are in this program because we want…
Two faculty in the Division of Medical Laboratory Sciences presented at the American Society of Clinical Pathology 2024 Annual Meeting held in Chicago in September. Director of Clinical Education and Assistant Professor Cordy Kudika, MHA, CHS (ACHI) , attended the conference as vice chair of the American Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI) Laboratory Professional Recruitment…
School of Health Professions Dean David Shelledy, PhD, RRT, RPFT, FAARC, FASAHP, received the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Society for Advancement of Health Professions at its 46 th annual conference, which was hosted by the school at UT Health San Antonio Sept. 19–20. “TSAHP is a very important organization, representing the health professions across Texas with a focus on…
Time is running out to register for the free six-week Pulmonary Rehab by Yoga program for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dyspnea on exertion and other breathing conditions. Registration closes on Oct. 1. The program is open to faculty, staff, students and the public with chronic respiratory concerns seeking to improve their pulmonary health through targeted…
The School of Health Professions in September added speech therapy to the rehabilitation services it offers at Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center. The school began offering physical therapy and lymphedema therapy in 2023 for people with cancer or recovering from cancer in its space on the 4 th floor of the Urschel building at Mays Cancer Center. As of…, Speech, voice and swallowing rehabilitation services, Communication Sciences and Disorders Assistant Professor/Clinical Alexandria Gawlik, SLPD, CCC-SLP, is now providing speech, voice and swallowing rehabilitation services. These include:, Pretreatment assessment, Occurring between diagnosis and onset of head and neck cancer treatment to obtain baseline measures of speech, voice and swallowing skills, assessments focus on evaluation of articulation and speech intelligibility, voice and resonance, upper airway/respiratory and swallowing function. For individuals undergoing a total laryngectomy, assessments focus on counseling/education pertaining to…, Follow up care during and after cancer treatment, Tailored to the patient's specific diagnosis and needs using additional treatment approaches, including manual therapy of the head and neck, respiratory muscle strength training (RMST), tongue resistance training, strengthening exercises for swallowing, surface electromyographic (sEMG) biofeedback and trismus therapy to improve jaw opening and range of motion. Other treatments include McNeil…, Physical therapy and lymphedema therapy services, Department of Physical Therapy Assistant Professor/Clinical Shammi Anholt, MSPT, CLT-LANA, and Justin Birch, PTA, CLT, provide PT and lymphedema therapy. PT can help patients experiencing limited upper extremity/lower extremity range of motion and strength, pain, fatigue and/or deconditioning, and who have difficulty walking, balancing and performing basic activities. Lymphedema therapy can help…, Referrals, Physicians seeking to refer patients for rehabilitation services may call the clinic at 210-450-3417.
School of Health Professions students shared information about their programs with UTSA undergraduates interested in health professions during two events in October. During Roadrunner Return Day on Oct. 22, School of Health Professions faculty, admissions officers and current School of Health Professions students who are UTSA alumni participated in information sessions about the school’s academic…
School of Health Professions faculty and leaders presented at the 24th Annual Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions Conference, held in Atlanta Oct. 8–10. The conference’s theme was Blazing the Trail: Navigating the Changing Landscape of Higher Education and Health Professions. The School of Health Professions was a platinum sponsor of the conference. “The ASAHP annual conference…
Respiratory Care master’s student Brianna Guerin aimed high when she applied for a clinical rotation at Mayo Clinic. Guerin, a second-year student and president of the Respiratory Care Class of 2025, spent one month at Mayo Clinic this fall, where she rotated through clinical settings including the emergency room, trauma intensive care unit (ICU), neurological ICU, medical ICU and…
Aaron Littlejohn is a second-year student in the Master of Science in Imaging Sciences program — and a full-time radiologic technologist. “I feel excited to be doing what I wanted to do,” said Littlejohn. “It’s perfect for me because I still get the patient interaction. That’s the No. 1 thing for me — I enjoy helping people.” With his certification from the American Registry of Radiologic…