SHRS Blog

When it comes to the reasons why students choose the Pitt Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) hybrid program over the residential offering, many common themes emerge. In this first of a five-part series, we share the top reasons that students have made the decision to go hybrid.

While a bachelor’s degree in CS is a must on the academic checklist for those aiming to be practicing clinicians and scientists in the field of Communication Science and Disorders (CSD) at the master’s or doctoral level, it is often overlooked as a standalone degree. On average, approximately 25% of students who graduate with their Bachelor of Arts in Communication Science at Pitt do not apply for graduate programs. So, what are they doing? The answer is anything and everything!

Jason Thomas is a current Doctor of Physician Assistant Studies (DPAS) student and physician assistant who has been practicing for 18 years. He practices gastroenterology for Excela Health while teaching full-time at Seton Hill University where he’s been since 2019. Here’s why he chose Pitt’s online, post-professional Doctor of PA Studies program and why he’s excited to share his experience with fellow colleagues.  ...

For a PA who is also an educator in Pennsylvania, the change in seasons brings more than just cooler temperatures, it also brings conference season. Having attended two, almost back-to-back, conferences I feel a renewed energy and sense of purpose. Coming together with PA educators from across the country, and later with practicing PAs and PA students from across the state, allowed me to better appreciate the many dimensions of the PA profession. As I reflect on those experiences, I feel grateful and honored. ...

For many decades, the medical community has been wrestling with ways to eliminate health inequities across different segments of our society by diversifying the health care workforce. As far back as the 1960s, in the midst of the community health and civil rights movement, there was a call for responsiveness to cultural differences in health attitudes, beliefs, behavior and language. In 2003, the Institute of Medicine published “Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care.” The study highlights the potential of cross-cultural education to improve provider-patient communication and offers a detailed look at how to integrate cross-cultural learning within the health professions. ...

“Each of the roles Dr. Katie Belardi carries out in her position are vital for the success of many programs and initiatives in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders (CSD),” says Bharath Chandrasekaran, professor and vice chair of Research. Belardi, CSD research administrator in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS), is the recipient of the Chancellor’s 2022 Exceptional Early Career Achievement Award. ...

An important component of the University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Hybrid offering is the integration of immersive laboratory sessions within each of the first five terms of the program. ...

University of Pittsburgh alumni and students share a special bond. Those in the same academic program are connected in an even closer circle. But Florida resident, former SHRS Instructor and Physician Assistant Guy Guimond (BS ’01, MS ’05 and ’13) and Madelyn Czekalski (BS ’20), current student in the Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) program, are forever joined because of one life-saving gift. ...

In her documentary “Pittsburgh’s Lost Chinatown,” Lydia Ott shares the story of her grandmother, also named Lydia Ott, who grew up at 510 Third Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Chinatown in the 1930s. She hopes it will open the eyes and hearts of others to the unique values, character and strengths that immigrant families bring to any community. And also the challenges they faced.

“She is the epitome of what a professor should be…a gifted lecturer who manages the classroom with poise.” 

Every year since 1999, SHRS has awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Teaching Award in recognition of a faculty member’s excellence and dedication to the school’s teaching mission. Lori Cherok, interim director of the Nutrition Science program and assistant professor in the Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, was announced as this year’s winner ...

I graduated with my master’s degree nine years ago. Nine years is a long time to be out of the swing of taking exams, meeting deadlines, writing papers, etc. Having been a preceptor and educator myself, I was nervous about being a student again when I enrolled in the SHRS Doctor of Physician Assistant Studies (DPAS) online program. 6 months into the one-year program, I feel like I am finally adjusting to my new normal and I want to share what I’ve learned. ...

As students on the pre-health track, we all know how important it is to keep our grades up and achieve high scores on the graduate school admissions tests. This alone places a lot of pressure on students looking to go into health care fields and at times it can seem like we’re just keeping our head above water. In my first year of college, I remember being shocked to learn that I had to seek out clinical, volunteer, and research experiences in addition to all the work required to achieve a high GPA. It seemed impossible to balance everything at the time and I remember being completely lost on where to start. I had no idea where to find these experiences or how to start looking.