NewsLink Winter 2015

Occupational TherapyNewslink

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 WINTER 2015

Pitt MOT Program Scores a “Perfect” 10

SPECIAL In December 2014, the Universi- 2. Development of faculty in Areas for Continued Growth:
POINTS OF ty of Pittsburgh Department of research and changing
INTEREST: Occupational Therapy received healthcare practice 1. Additional clerical and
notification from the support staff
 ACOTE Accreditation Council for 3. Faculty modeling of the roles
Accreditation Occupational Therapy Education of practitioner, manager, and 2. Expanded use of innovative
Results (ACOTE) that the Master of contributor teaching opportunities
Occupational Therapy (MOT) (e.g. simulation lab)
 Joan C. Rogers Program has been granted 10 4. Leadership in education;
Award Recipient years of continued collaboration in generation of 3. Expanded Level II field-
accreditation status - the evidence work opportunities for
 Pitt Alumnus maximum years possible - community-based
Founder of Canoe following ACOTE’s assessment 5. Innovative teaching practices psychosocial and emerging
Creek Products of the MOT program and onsite practice areas
visit this past fall. 6. Community recognition for
strength and leadership in ACOTE is recognized as the
Results of the assessment academic fieldwork accrediting agency for occupa-
indicated no areas of deficiency. tional therapy education by the
The final report included a list of 7. Enthusiastic support by alumni United States Department of
program strengths as well as and fieldwork educators Education and the Council on
suggestions for continued Higher Education
improvement. These include: 8. Student professional develop- Accreditation .
ment beyond the classroom
INSIDE Strengths:
THIS ISSUE: 9. Curriculum design aligned
1. Strong administrative with the mission of the uni-
From the 2 leadership versity
Chair...
10. Use of technology to monitor
and study outcomes

Faculty 2 It Takes a Village...
Highlights

Student 3
Spotlight
Malinda Pastor, Marlene Seeger,
Student 3 Preparing for accreditation takes Institutional Faculty: Deb Opacic, Minmei Shih, Maria Shoemaker.
Successes a lot of time, energy, and effort. EdD, PA-C
The OT faculty would like to MOT Students: Julie Banyas, Abi
Alumni 3 thank our colleague, Denise Alumni & Recent Graduates: Darin, Hadley Dean, Kaitlyn
Spotlight Chisholm, for organizing and Amber Bass, Jill Cummings, Goerl, Kelsey Laubham, Jess
leading us through the process, Danielle Copeland, Katlyn Golias, Leslie, Kristen McClelland, Cara
Chisholm for 4 and would like to recognize and Joy Holte, Angela Huebner, Poli, Kathryn Sinn, Joelle Ur-
thank those outside of our Becky Olack, Ruthie Plasterer, quhart, Devra Alper, Jennifer
AOTA BOD department who contributed to Jeff Sholtis, Kristin Tornabene, Bennis, Kelly Dickson, Elizabeth
our success: Laura Waterstram Duggan, Kaitlin Krysevig, Tracy
Maschoff, Jaclyn Mazza, Carolyn
Administration: Clifford Level 1 & 11 Fieldwork Educa- Mayer, Abby Moul, Abby Tuttle,
Brubaker, PhD, Dean of SHRS tors and Employers: Sharon Sarah Werle.
and Alberta Sbragia, PhD, Vice Gwinn, Traci Herc, Lynne Huber,
Provost for Graduate Studies Carrie Isasky, Jennifer Lantz,
Cara Lekovitch, Melody Ovitsky,

PAGE 2 From the Chair...

 

As the ball drops in New York strengths, and a few from student to practitioner,
City each New Year’s Eve, we suggestions for continued im- and we continue to initiate and
are all drawn to thinking about provement. While it would be strengthen community collabo-
the past momentarily before easy to simply maintain the ration in emerging practice
we naturally transition to “status quo”, the program and areas such as primary care.
thinking about the new year the occupational therapy
and the future. faculty now look to the future Without change, there is no
and the next steps for growth. growth. We anticipate new
Through its recent faces, new teaching strategies,
accreditation review, the As we’ve highlighted in past new research, and new oppor-
University of Pittsburgh Master issues, our clinical doctoral tunities as we work to
of Occupational Therapy program (CScD) will begin in produce a program that meets
Program has been granted, July 2015. We have initiated the needs of occupational
essentially, a 10 year stamp of several projects to enhance therapy practitioners, both
approval. The final report cited students’ opportunity to now and in the future.
no deficiencies, a number of engage in occupation-based
Dr. Joan C. Rogers, practice in their transition
Chair, Department
of Occupational   Faculty Achievements
Therapy
 

PASS TRAINING Elizabeth Ketki Raina, PhD, OTR/L and
Skidmore, Joan Rogers, PhD, OTR/L,
Institute # 013 PhD, OTR/L FAOTA published the paper
was the “Activities and Adaptation in Late
Pitt faculty are inaugural Life Depression: A Qualitative
presenting a half recipient of Study” in the American Journal of
day institute on the 2014 Occupational Therapy.
Wednesday, April Pennsylvania Occupational
15, 2015 at the Therapy Association Research Roxanna Bendixen, PhD,
Annual AOTA Award at its annual OTR/L was invited to present
Conference in “Clinical and Scientific Aspects of
Nashville, TN. conference in Valley Forge, PA.   Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy”
Learn how to to rehabilitation science doctoral
administer the Juleen Rodakowski, OTD, students at Georgia Institute of
Performance MS, OTR/L, and Pamela Technology.
Assessment of Toto, PhD, OTR/L, BCG,
Self-Care Skills FAOTA were speakers for Lauren Terhorst, PhD, was
(PASS) the symposium Performance and elected as the incoming chairper-
Participation in Medically Com- son of the faculty of the School
plex-Older Adults at the 2014 of Health and Rehabilitation Congratulations go out to
Gerontological Society of Sciences. Associate Professor Nancy
America Annual Scientific Baker, ScD, MPH, OTR/L
Meeting, Washington, DC. The Center for Medical Innova- who was recently awarded the
tion at University of Pittsburgh Ann Kunkel Advocacy Award, an
Authors Mary Lou Leibold, awarded Amit Sethi, PhD, Award of Merit, from the
PhD, OTR/L, Margo Holm, OTR/L a grant for his study Association of Rheumatology
PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, titled, "IHITS: Individualized hand Health Professionals at its 2014
improvement and tracking Annual Meeting in Boston.
system for stroke."

Joanne Baird, PhD, OTR/L
has been elected Vice Chair of
the Pennsylvania Occupational
Therapy Education and Licensure
Board.

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 PAGE 3

Student Spotlight: Abigail Darin

Abigail (Abi) Darin is the 2015 OT through her work as a clinical level Anatomy course.
recipient of the Joan C. Rogers research coordinator at the Parkin- Additionally, Abi participated
Occupational Therapy Award, a son’s Disease and Movement Dis- in a number of community
scholarship given to a student in the orders Center at the University of outreach opportunities while
Master of Occupational Therapy Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. serving as the secretary of the
program who demonstrates the program’s student association
combined qualities of high level Since entering the MOT program at (UPSOTA).
scholastics, exemplary Pitt, Abi has maximized her oppor-
professionalism, and commitment tunities for learning. She worked as After graduation, Abi plans to
to advancing the profession. a research staff member on an OT seek a position working with
intervention study, participated in neurological patients in acute
Hailing from Chicago, IL, Abi the Patient Safety Fellowship with care or inpatient rehab. Long
completed her undergraduate the Jewish Healthcare Foundation term goals include advanced educa-
education at Pitzer College in and the Pittsburgh Regional tion in order to engage in interven-
Claremont, CA where she majored Healthcare Initiative, and was a tion-based research.
in Neuroscience. She “discovered” teaching assistant for a graduate Congratulations Abi!

Students Making News

The 2015 recipient of the Award of therapy awareness at the local, Analysis Based In-
Scholarly EXCELLENCE for schol- state, and national levels and
arly contributions to occupational Rachel Popovich for promotion struction with a
therapy research and practice is of occupational therapy through
Joelle Urquhart. Joelle leadership in promoting community Student with
co-authored a paper, “Guided and service.
directed cues: developing a stand- Autism.”, at the
ardized coding scheme for clinical First year MOT student Jaclyn
practice” in OTJR: Occupation, Mazza was selected for the 2014- POTA Conference,
Participation, and Health. 2015 Jewish Healthcare Foundation
Jonas Salk Fellowship. Valley Forge, PA. (L to R) AOTA President Ginney Stoffel, Pitt ASD
The 2015 recipients of the Award representative Jacyln Mazza, AOTA Vice President
of Professional EXCELLENCE are MOT student Abby Tuttle co- First year MOT Stu- Amy Lamb, and Pitt ASD alternate representative
Kaitlyn Goerl for student leader- authored a poster, “Teaching iPad dent Julie Schubert Ashley Catanzaro at the AOTA Student Conclave
ship and promotion of occupational Operations using Applied Behavior organized and led
the SHRS Hat/

Gloves/Socks/Scarf drive for a domes-

tic violence shelter; Carolyn Mayer

organized and led a toy drive for the

Alliance for Infants and Toddlers.

Alumni Spotlight: “Gus” Gustafson– OT and Entrepeneur

When he graduated from the The Stable Slide was his first comfortable height for cleaning or
University of Pittsburgh’s Occupation- product. It provides a supporting changing cat litter and then lowering
al Therapy Program in 1985, Norman surface, tactile feedback and biome- it back to the floor
“Gus” Gustafson, MS, OTR/L, CHT chanical advantage to individuals who again. This product
knew he would pursue a specializa- have tremor activity during the activity will help individuals
tion in hand therapy but likely did not of self feeding. The Arch Assist was who use a wheelchair
anticipate the other doors that path developed to reduce symptoms of or have back, hip, or
would open. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and the balance problems to
Shoulder Pro is an improved pulley manage a cat litter
Today, Gus works as an outpatient system for shoulder rehabilitation. The box independently.
hand therapist for Centers for Rehab Stable Slide and Shoulder Pro are both The website for the
Services. He is also the owner of in the Patterson Medical catalog. LitterRazR is
Canoe Creek Products - a company
created to develop solutions for Canoe Creek’s newest product is the www.litterrazr.com 
common orthopedic and daily living LitterRazR. The LitterRazR allows a
problems. cat owner to raise a cat litter box to a

Department of Occupational Therapy Mission

 Educate students to practice and to become
leaders in evidence-based occupational
therapy in a variety of settings

 Engage in research to advance the practice
of occupational therapy

 Contribute to the profession and the com-
munity through service, participation, and
research

University of Pittsburgh

Department of Occupational Therapy

5012 Forbes Tower

Pittsburgh, PA 15260

Phone: 412-383-6620 Please contact us with changes to your email or address.

Fax: 412-383-6613

Email: OTPitt@shrs.pitt.edu

Web: http://www.shrs.pitt.edu/OT/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PittOccupationalTherapy

Vote! Vote! Vote! Chisholm for AOTA BOD

With the new year comes the annual Representative, the Agenda Chair and communication, organization and
election for leadership positions the Vice Speaker. Denise has also financial management make her a
within the American Occupational served on a number of ad hoc great candidate and an unbeatable
Therapy Association (AOTA). The committees and was a mentor for the choice. Please support her candidacy
University of Pittsburgh is proud to Emerging Leader Program. with your vote!
support Associate Professor Denise
Chisholm, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA for In her position statement Dr.
the AOTA Board of Directors. Chisholm suggests that “...the Associ-
ation and its members need to focus
Dr. Chisholm has a long and varied on long-term goals and strategic initi-
history of servant leadership in atives that will advance occupational
occupational therapy at both the state therapy toward being an essential and
and national levels. For the fundamental service across current
Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy practice environments, and build the
Association, Denise has served as capacity for participation in innovative
District II Delegate, co-chair of the settings”. Additionally, she notes that
annual state conference and “...developing stronger linkages; and
chairperson of the Commission on support and collaboration between
Conference for 11 years. Within education, research, practice,
AOTA, Denise is recognized by advocacy, and global development;
AOTA members for her many roles are critical in advancing occupational
within the Representative Assembly. therapy well beyond our centennial
She has served as a Pennsylvania year.” Dr. Chisholm’s experience
combined with her skills in