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By Kate Hunger Students in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders have been performing pediatric speech, language, hearing and literacy screenings this summer. The screenings began in June and will run through early August. The program is funded in part by a Community Service Learning project grant called Rea(DI)ng Uni(VERSITY) from the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics.…
By Kate Hunger Physician assistants often do not learn about their future profession until they are already in college — or even afterwards, according to a pilot study led by Steven “Tony” Skaggs, PA-C, assistant professor and associate chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. That study is the subject of an article ― "Path to a Profession: How a Physician Assistant Becomes a…
By Kate Hunger For Doctor of Occupational Therapy student Elise Gray, volunteering at a back to school event this summer was more than a way to educate families on the proper way to pack and carry a backpack. Gray and fellow OTD students also shared activities and information to help school children manage stress and anxiety as they head back to class. “We were telling them if they come home…
By Kate Hunger Physical Therapy Assistant Professor Sandeep Subramanian, PhD, MSc, BPTh, served as scientific chair for the International Conference for Virtual Rehabilitation this summer during RehabWeek 2022 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Subramanian, who is a board member of the International Society for Virtual Rehabilitation, served as co-chair of a keynote address presented by Associate…
Sara (Neubauer) Lyons (MPAS Class of 2022) grew up on a farm in Bottineau, North Dakota, where many of her family still live and farm. She studied biology/pre-med at the United States Air Force Academy while completing military requirements and competing on the Division I track team. While at the Academy, Lyons received numerous awards, recognitions and honors, including three-time NCAA First-…, Q: What does being inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame mean to you?, A:, It's still a bit surreal. My athletic career does not feel far enough behind me to be eligible for a Hall of Fame induction. At the time, I just tried my best to keep getting better — becoming a stronger, more fit, more technically sound athlete. The bigger picture is that Hall of Fame is a testament to working hard and achieving dreams, as cliché as that sounds. However, it was a team effort…, Q: What was your career/educational path after graduating from the Academy in 2010?, A:, I was commissioned into the Air Force. Based on my athletic achievements and performances in undergrad, I was accepted into the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) to serve as an officer-athlete for my first two years on active duty. I was stationed in Los Angeles, California, and trained with two-time Olympian Conor McCullough, Sr., and his son, 2016 Olympian, Conor McCullough, Jr. I focused on…, Q: When did you decide to go to PA school and why did you choose UT Health San Antonio?, A:, I originally applied to medical school in 2014 but was not accepted. Then my husband and I welcomed twin boys in 2016 when medical school would have begun. I firmly believe that timing sometimes dictates the next path in our journey, so after a year of staying home with our premature babies, I began taking more classes to reapply to medical school or apply to PA school. At that time, my husband…, Q: Why do you want to be a PA?, A:, I've always wanted to work in orthopedic surgery and originally wanted to be a surgeon. However, I've had some amazing opportunities through athletics and the Air Force that also exposed me to PAs and surgeons. I learned that PAs can do a lot of the same things a physician can do in clinic and be the first assist in surgery without the longer process of a residency and fellowship or the…, Q: Do you have a particular specialty in mind after graduation?, A:, I love orthopedic surgery and the operating room. I've really enjoyed total joint repairs and tumor resections throughout the body. , Q: What have you learned (either through classroom or clinical experiences) in PA school that surprised you?, A:, I've learned that there are many different paths to the same ailment in patients. Hence the treatments must be tailored to fit each person, each insurance allowance and comorbidities. Treating patients includes a lot more than just knowing the textbook ways to diagnose and treat.
The program that enables emergency responders in San Antonio to give prehospital hemorrhagic shock patients whole blood is marking its fourth anniversary with more than 1,000 patients transfused. Launched in October 2018, the program transfused its 1,000th patient in mid-September, said C.J. Winckler, MD, LP, associate professor/clinical in the Department of Emergency Health Sciences and an…
Third-year OTD student Jackie Johnson is one of two students to receive this year's Ellsworth scholarship. Third-year Doctor of Occupational Therapy students Jackie Johnson and Ayla Akers have received the 2022 Paul D. Ellsworth Endowed Scholarship in Occupational Therapy . The scholarship honors Army Lt. Col. Paul D. Ellsworth, who retired from the occupational therapy faculty in 1998 and…, Q: Why did you choose the OTD program at UT Health San Antonio? , Johnson:, The first time I visited the UT Health SA campus was to learn about the OT program. I remember entering the building not sure where I was going and immediately being helped by friendly people in the lobby. During the informational tour, I felt reassured that the program was conducive to learning with experienced and knowledgeable professors, and I knew I had found my dream program. , Akers:, I chose UT Health because I love the culture in San Antonio and grew up hearing about UT Health's awesome reputation. , Q: What do you like most about OT?, , Akers, : I love that OT is personalized to meet the needs and preferences of each client and their families. OT services are very diverse and dynamic and can benefit anyone and everyone. , Johnson, : Occupational therapy focuses on patient-centered goals and facilitates the process of helping patients perform their everyday activities and participate in everyday life. We focus on activities that are meaningful to the patient and draw on intrinsic factors to habilitate and rehabilitate for purposeful and lasting results. , Q: When and why did you choose to pursue a career in OT?, , Johnson, : I grew up watching and participating in therapy for my autistic sister, and I particularly enjoyed the occupational therapy she was doing. As I got older, I shadowed occupational therapists and found that I really enjoyed the profession and the emphasis they put on patient-centered care. , Akers, : I wanted to feel like I was making lives better and helping people through what could possibly be the most challenging time of their life, as would be the case in working with clients who are recovering from significant injury or managing a complex illness. , Describe what receiving this award means to you., , Akers, : I am very honored to have been selected for this award and feel an even greater sense of responsibility to make the most of the educational opportunities I have been so fortunate to receive during my time at UT Health. , Johnson, : The Ellsworth scholarship enables me and other students to be able to focus on our studies and do the best we can in school and in fieldwork. I greatly appreciate the time and effort it takes to provide financial support to me and other students. To contribute to the Paul D. Ellsworth Endowed Scholarship in Occupational Therapy fund, please visit , https://makelivesbetter.uthscsa.edu/ellsworth, .
Second-year speech-language pathology master’s student Jena Hermes received the 2022 Texas Society for Advancement of Health Professions (TSAHP) Student Award. Hermes received the award at the TSAHP annual conference awards dinner on Sept. 22. “The committee selected Jena based on her service to the community and profession, as well as her scholastic achievement and future professional…
Students in the Medical Laboratory Sciences Class of 2023 received their white coats in the program’s first-ever white coat ceremony. The Sept. 16 event highlighted the tradition of the white coat, which is a symbol of the transition from the pre-clinical to clinical phase of the program and underscores the oath students take to provide the highest standard of ethical care to patients. In…
The School of Health Professions plans to launch a new Master of Science in Imaging Sciences program to train outstanding imaging technologists in radiography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to address the technologist shortages currently stressing the health care system. “The program will be the only one of its kind in the country — an entry-to-the-profession…, Meeting the need for imaging specialists, Training medical imaging technologists at UT Health San Antonio will help meet the need for imaging technologist specialists locally and improve patient care by enabling imaging studies to be completed more swiftly, said Professor Rajeev Suri, MD, MBA, FACR, FSIR, interim chair of the Department of Radiology in the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. “There is a marked need for…, Versatile training, The program’s curriculum is designed so that students must complete each modality phase and related certification to progress to the next phase. The first phase is radiography, followed by CT and finally, MRI. Students also will participate in clinical practicums with clinical affiliates in hospital and outpatient imaging settings. The master’s curriculum also includes leadership, education and…, “have to know the anatomy and physiology of the body, pathophysiology and pharmacology,” she said. “There is a lot of science behind it, but you must also be compassionate and want to work in patient care. Our patients, veterans and community deserve excellence in patient care.” To learn more about the program’s admission requirements, curriculum and clinical experiences, visit the MS in Imaging…