SHRS Blog

The University of Pittsburgh has named Pamela Toto director of its ground-breaking Healthy Home Lab (HHL). Formerly a multi-generational family home, the HHL is now a living laboratory in the University’s Oakland neighborhood where researchers across the University are designing and testing real-world, evidence-based solutions that will support community living among aging adults, people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. 

Varun Patel is a second-year student in the Sports Medicine (SM) program at Pitt’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS). Last year, Patel presented a poster at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Mid-Atlantic Chapter, where he shared his research findings on military injuries.  

Department of Occupational Therapy faculty Ann Marsico, Cara Lekovitch and Ketki Raina have been making strides in refining the Doctor of Occupational Therapy fieldwork program over the last year. Two new components – “Mission Possible” and “Stop, Talk, Roll” – have been added to the fieldwork program to promote students’ understanding of the clinical working environment and ability to navigate difficult situations in fieldwork.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) will begin offering a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program, the first at a research-intensive public university in the United States and the only one in Pennsylvania, Anthony Delitto, dean of SHRS, announced Monday, February 19, 2024.

FACETS Magazine Feature: The ability to change comes naturally to Counseling alumna Katlyn Kohne (MS ’16). Her career has taken her from mental health counseling at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, where she worked with children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder, to rehabilitation counseling at the Hiram G. Andrews Center in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, helping teens and young adults with disabilities pursue their goals of employment and independence.  

My name is Brittany Platt and I have a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Pitt Greensburg. I am from Glenshaw just north of Pittsburgh. I decided to complete Pitt’s Master of Rehabilitation Technology (MRT) program because I’ve had epilepsy since I was 8 years old and multiple surgeries to remove a part of my left temporal lobe. The final surgery resulted in a brain infection that required me to be in rehab for over 20 days during my senior year of college. I enrolled in the MRT program to help other people who have disabilities live their best lives possible.  

As a full-time assistant professor at Slippery Rock University’s PA Program and a physician assistant at Heritage Valley Beaver in Surgery/Wound Care, I knew moving forward and getting my doctoral degree was the appropriate next step in my academic career. I am always looking for ways to improve my knowledge and the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences’ Doctor of PA Studies (DPAS) program is a vital part of this journey. 

Hear from our students on why they chose the one year, online doctoral program in PA Studies at Pitt!

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. 

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.

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.

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.