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SHRS Blog

January 29, 2024

For this Health Informatics Assistant Professor, Aging in Place is Personal

FACETS Magazine Feature: As Co-Director of the Smart Home Tech Division of Pitt's Healthy Home Lab, Health Informatics Assistant Professor Yong Choi is doing real-world research on how smart technologies can provide health and wellness solutions to older adults.
January 25, 2024

Pitt Doctor of PA Studies: Leading-edge program creates health care leaders of tomorrow

FACETS Magazine Feature: The Doctor of Physician Assistant Studies (DPAS) program is only one year old, but it is already making its mark. This fully online program designed for working professionals helps students develop the skills they need to be at the leading edge of their profession. 

 
January 19, 2024

New on the Menu at Pitt Sports Medicine and Nutrition: A Bounty of Research from Paul Arciero

FACETS Magazine Feature: When Professor Paul Arciero arrived at SHRS’ Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition (SMN) in Aug., he was already a renowned nutrition and applied physiology scientist, keynote speaker and author. His academic credentials include more than 70 peer reviewed journal articles that primarily focus on two distinctive research paths—neuro-cognition and improved health and performance through nutrition and exercise. Arciero is excited about continuing these studies at Pitt, expanding his work even further.
January 19, 2024

Doctor of PA Studies Alumni Who Elevated His Health Care Management and Research Skills

B.J. Vascik is an orthopedic physician assistant with the Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN-4 Western Market V-Consult. He provides care at the Washington and Butler, PA, and Belmont, OH, clinics and also provides telehealth assessments for the Pittsburgh VA. Vascik graduated from Pitt’s online Doctor of PA Studies (DPAS) program in spring 2023. Here, he shares how the program has helped him elevate his health care management and research skills to improve his and his colleagues’ place of practice. 
January 18, 2024

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Experience – Hannah Pulley

Becoming a part of the University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program has given me the support and fellowship of belonging to a group as well as the visibility of being seen as an individual. As a Pitt OTD student, I have discovered many ways to take ownership of and personalize my educational experience.
January 18, 2024

Everyone Has a Story to Tell: the Pitt Communication Science and Disorders Podcast

FACETS Magazine Feature: Students in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders are broadcasting a podcast to bridge the clinical-research divide. There are two series designed to educate clinicians and trainees by unpacking research, and to introduce listeners to the amazing stories of the lived communication experience.
January 17, 2024

Catherine Palmer Named Chair of Pitt SHRS’ Communication Science and Disorders Dept.; Set to Launch New Policy Center

Professor Catherine Palmer is the new chair of the Communication Science and Disorders (CSD) Department at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS), effective February 1, 2024. Palmer, currently serving as interim chair, is also professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology and director of Audiology for the UPMC Integrated Health System. Palmer joined the university in 1990 and expanded her role as director of Audiology at UPMC in 1998. Since then, she has been a critical contributor to tremendous growth in both the CSD Department at Pitt and the Audiology service line at UPMC.
January 5, 2024

Researchers in Pitt School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences will help lead a $5 million training grant on learning health systems research to improve disability and chronic condition care

Janet Freburger, professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh, will serve as the principal investigator of the Research Data and Analysis Core (RDAC) of the Learning Health systems training to improve Disability and chronic condition care (LeaHD) Center. Other SHRS researchers include Assistant Professor Christine McDonough from the Department of Physical Therapy and Professor Elizabeth Skidmore from the Department of Occupational Therapy.
December 19, 2023

One of My Best Decisions at Pitt: Finding My Way to Health Informatics

One day I was looking through the bachelor’s degrees offered at Pitt when one stuck out to me – the Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics (HI). The more I learned about the program in the Department of Health Information Management, the more excited I got! The combination of health care and technology just seemed so interesting to me, and made me feel hopeful about my studies and future career again.
December 14, 2023

Pitt Doctor of Physical Therapy Student Honored with Leadership Award

At the American Physical Therapy Association Pennsylvania chapter (APTA PA) conference in October, Carolina Marrero Rodriguez (DPT ’23) received the Student Leadership Award for her numerous contributions to both the local chapter and the national American Physical Therapy Association. Her tremendous drive to help others by serving in leadership roles has given her invaluable experience and made impactful contributions to colleagues and patients alike.
December 14, 2023

Twenty-Six Catherine Worthingham Fellows from Pitt Physical Therapy: What an Accomplishment!

The Catherine Worthingham Fellow Award (FAPTA) is the highest award that one can achieve in the physical therapy profession. It is bestowed on a physical therapist whose leadership, influence and achievements demonstrate frequent and sustained efforts to advance the profession. Since 1985, 26 of the named Fellows have been graduates or faculty from Pitt PT!
December 12, 2023

Dietitian Nutritionist Program and Physician Assistant Studies Collaborate on Nasogastric Feeding Tube Placement Skills Lab Through Seed Funding

The Center for Interprofessional Studies (CIP) at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) supports students’ interprofessional education opportunities through collaborative and team-based care activities.
December 11, 2023

That’s a Wrap! Summarizing My Incredible DPT Clinical Education Experience at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Third-year University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Hybrid student Amanda Klein from Spokane, WA, completed her third of four clinical education experiences over the summer. Klein, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was awarded a special clinical education placement at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in Bethesda, MD, and has been sharing her insight with current and prospective students by writing this short blog series. In her final installment, Klein reflects on this invaluable experience and how it broadened her skillsets and influenced her career goals. 
December 4, 2023

Pitt OTD Alumna Receives Young Alumni Leadership Award

The Ivan and Mary Novick Award for Young Alumni Leadership recognizes leaders who are recent graduates. Pitt Doctor of Occupational Therapy alumna Julia Lam (A&S '20, SHRS '20, '23G) received this distinguished award by making her mark as a leader in the community through Street Medicine at Pitt, an organization that brings health care and social support to those in need. 
December 1, 2023

How Can I Make Myself a Competitive Applicant for the Dietitian Nutritionist Program?

You’re ready to apply to the Pitt Dietitian Nutritionist (DN) program – great! We’re here to help! Assistant Professor and Program Director Trisha Cousins is on the DN program admissions team and reviews each application. She has provided the tips here so you can submit a strong application.  
November 30, 2023

Why Our Sports Medicine Students Chose Pitt

Meet some of our current Master of Science in Sports Medicine (SM) students and discover what made them choose Pitt for their degree and how their decision has impacted their professional development.
November 16, 2023

The Box: From Steel Mill and Art Deco Cinema to the new Home of Pitt Hybrid DPT

The Pitt Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Hybrid program is now headquartered in the newly renovated Box Office building on Pittsburgh’s Southside, right across the river from the Department of Physical Therapy’s offices and classrooms at Bridgeside Point.
November 16, 2023

The New Pitt DPT Hybrid Immersion Space is a Box Office Smash

This fall, the DPT Hybrid program was excited to finally christen its permanent home at the Box Office building in the SouthSide Works complex on Pittsburgh’s South Side. With one orientation and its first full week of immersion completed, early reviews of “the Box,” as it’s known, are that it is a smashing success.
November 15, 2023

Health Informatics Students Present Paper at IEEE-EMBS International Conference

University of Pittsburgh Health Informatics (HI) students Zoe Menezes (BSHI ‘25) and Avani Chhabra (MSHI ‘23) presented their paper “Learning Unbiased Image Segmentation: A Case Study on Plain Knee Radiographs” at the IEEE-EMBS (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers- Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society) International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics 2023 (BHI 2023) in Pittsburgh in October.
November 10, 2023

Get to Know Doctor of Occupational Therapy Student Dani Cake

My name is Dani Cake and I am a current Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS). I obtained my undergraduate degree in Rehabilitation Science at SHRS in December of 2021 with a certificate in Psycho-Social Issues in Rehabilitation and Personal Care.
November 3, 2023

Pitt Dietitian Nutritionist Program: Which Entry-Point is Right for Me?

Are you interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)? Pitt’s Dietitian Nutrition Program will prepare you for the future of dietetics and set you up for success no matter the direction you take in your nutrition career.
October 24, 2023

Rory Cooper Awarded National Medal of Technology and Innovation at the White House

The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) is proud to announce that distinguished professor and founder and director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), Rory Cooper, has been awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by U.S. President Joe Biden during the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation ceremony at the White House. The medal is the nation’s highest honor for technological achievement.
October 20, 2023

Street Medicine Expands with the Help of the Center for Interprofessional Studies

The Center for Interprofessional Studies (CIP) at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Studies (SHRS) supports students’ interprofessional education opportunities through collaborative and team-based care activities.
October 20, 2023

Pitt Athletic Training Program Honors John Panos as Inaugural Preceptor of the Year

The University of Pittsburgh Athletic Training program is proud to announce that the recipient of the inaugural Preceptor of the Year award is Clinical Instructor John “JP” Panos. This award has been established to recognize clinical preceptors who serve as exceptional mentors and instructors, and exemplify an unwavering commitment to excellence in the clinical education of athletic training (AT) students.
October 19, 2023

New Weeklong Physician Assistant Scholarship Aims to Raise Awareness of Profession to Underrepresented Students

The Department of Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) is excited to announce the first Physician Assistants Advancing Diversity (PAAD) scholarship—an opportunity for students at any Pitt campus to better understand the PA profession. In May 2024, we will host a weeklong, all-expense paid experience. The program will include PA classroom opportunities at the Murdoch Building on Pitt’s Oakland campus, faculty teaching and discussions, cadaver lab learning, coaching for the PA program application process and hours of PA clinical shadowing in the field.