UF Occupational Therapy

Healing while keeping harmony, Adventhealth expands music program for stroke patients Adventhealth Central Florida is starting a new musical program for stroke patients. England's "Strokestra" comes to Orlando.

The Class of 2024 spent time with Ms. Rachel Boeche, learning the leadership practice of "Enabling Others to Act". Rachel is a UF OT alum who is the Clinical Resource Manager for US Continence Care for Hollister Incorporated. Rachel is the first occupational therapy practitioner to serve in this role! UF OT is grateful for alumni who continue to give back! 🐊😄

The 2024 Occupational Therapy Research Summit starts today, Thursday June 6, and continues through Saturday June 8. The summit will Unleash Creative Possibilities in occupational therapy and occupational science research.

Attendees will explore how impactful research communications, strategic partnerships, and feedback from their colleagues will help them achieve new creative heights to advance science and practice. Learn more:

www.otsummit.org The University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions Department of Occupational Therapy June 6-8, 2024 HPNP Complex, UF Campus Gainesville, Florida

First year students have immersed themselves in all the things! Precautions, braces, positioning devices, and adaptive equipment! A big thank you to our teaching assistant, David Dominguez, MOT, OTR/L from UF Health Rehab Hospital and 3rd year student assistants Shahid Adam and Miranda Greene! 🐊😄

Help researchers in the Sensory Development Lab at the University of Florida learn more about connections between the brain and balance reactions in adults 18-59 years old. Participation involves a one-time study visit at the University of Florida. Compensation is provided. For more information, please call 352-273-6480, email [email protected], or click here to answer a few questions to find out if you might be eligible! Research Study # IRB202200163 https://redcap.ctsi.ufl.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=K3R3CJC8TA7XJT9F

UF OT is grateful for clinical partners and sites that host our clinician scholars for their level I psychosocial fieldwork rotations each summer. Members of the class of 2026 received orientation at The Village this week that included training in the Botes Memory Method with Sira Botes. These clinician scholars are ready to translate their learning from the classroom to the clinical environment to invest in life enrichment, health and wellness! 🐊

Our first year OTD students started their third semester strong by building emotional intelligence with their learning lab communities of peer colleagues! The Class of 2026 is ready for a successful summer filled with their first Level I Fieldwork and coursework including: Psychosocial Evaluation and Intervention, Participation and Health, Research: Methods and Design, and Clinical Skills 1! Go Gator OTs! 🐊

Celebrating the OT Equal Access Clinic! 🐊😄

You're invited to the Driver Rehabilitation Certificate Webinar on May 23rd! Join our Department Chair and Driving Expert, Dr. Sherrilene Classen, and our Driver Rehabilitation team for an incredible opportunity to hear all about our Driver Rehabilitation Professional Certificate Program. We are currently accepting applications for our Fall 2024 cohort and will go over all of the exciting changes that have been made to this program: Thursday, May 23rd, at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Link to register: https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUrdeCprT0qHNSvwjabfTqfkJOtMB5FON5k
DRT website: https://drt.ot.phhp.ufl.edu/

Congratulations to our BHS-OTD students who graduated with their bachelor of health science degrees and will now be full-time OTD students in the Class of 2026! 😄🐊

Congratulations to our Spring OTD graduates who shined during their capstone project presentations! 🐊

Danielle Ballew completed her capstone at the Resource Center for Disability Solutions. Her capstone project focused on transition skills for youth with disabilities into the workforce. Danielle created a life skills program that taught resume building and letter skills, mock interviews, job searching and websites, social interactions and de-escalation techniques. Danielle's implementation of these skills culminated into a "Market Day" with the participants to showcase their growth. Pre- to post-survey results demonstrated positive findings and supported the program's goal of workforce preparation.

Tiffany Knudtson recently completed her capstone at the UF Early Childhood Collaboratory at Baby Gator. Tiffany’s project focused on enhancing preschool teachers’ knowledge of strategies to support children with developmental disabilities and delays. She created three easy-to-use resource guides for children aged 10 to 36 months, 3 to 4 years, and 4 to 5 years, covering milestones and activities that can be incorporated into the classroom to support development. Tiffany provided screenings, evaluations, and interventions for many children onsite while coaching teachers on implementing OT strategies into their daily routines.

The Student Occupational Therapy Association hosted a "Friends and Family" weekend! This student led event allowed our gator OTs to show off all things occupational therapy to their friend and family including meeting the faculty and engaging in various assessments and interventions. A big thank you to our Friends and Family committee! 🐊

You're invited to the Driver Rehabilitation Certificate Webinar on 4/23! Join our Department Chair and Driving Expert, Dr. Sherrilene Classen, and our Driver Rehabilitation team for an incredible opportunity to hear all about our Driver Rehabilitation Professional Certificate Program. We are currently accepting applications for our Fall 2024 cohort and will go over all of the exciting changes that have been made to this program: Tuesday, 4/23, at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Link to register: https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpfu2uqzsqHtV1BTv2zziwGFWpesaOzRtZ
DRT website: https://drt.ot.phhp.ufl.edu/

Our OT students benefit from the OTD Program's many community partnerships! 😄🐊

UF occupational therapy students impact the community » College of Public Health & Health Professions » College of Public Health and Health Professions » University of Florida Fieldwork in retirement communities to residential addiction facilities, outpatient care programs and more.

Do you have a son 6-8 years old with autism? Help researchers in the Sensory Development Lab at the University of Florida study how a sensory intervention might improve brain function among children with ASD. The intervention is delivered through 16-weeks of sensory-based Occupational Therapy and may improve your child's sensory processing abilities and motor skills. Compensation provided. For more information, please call 352-273-6480, email [email protected] or visit our website. Click here to answer a few questions to find out if your child might be eligible! Research study # IRB202200163 https://redcap.ctsi.ufl.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=X748WLWPYPMDM4RR

Celebrating UF OT Alums during OT month! What an amazing bunch! 🐊

Our OTD students showcasing the coffee cup sleeves that Opus is distributing in celebration of OT month! How cool is that!

UF OT Alum Megan Molyneux was named to the Gator100 list for 2024! Congratulations Megan! 🐊😄

Megan Molyneux named as Gator100 honoree for 2024 » Alumni & Giving » College of Public Health and Health Professions » University of Florida The awards program recognizes the world's fastest growing Gator-owned businesses.

The Student Occupational Therapy Association hosted a crafting social to make goodies for campers attending Hands to Love Camp! Our gator OTs are so creative and are ready to serve our community! 🐊 https://www.handstolove.org/about-our-camps/

UF OT loves our gator OT alumni! And we are especially thankful for alumni who continue to invest in student mentorship and development by sharing their love, wisdom, and professional expertise! A big thank you to Elise Caton of Lamp Post Therapy for sharing about "Medicaid? Who Cares? We Do!" with the class of 2025 as they get ready to start level II fieldwork in less than 40 days! 🐊 https://lampposttherapy.com/

Dr. Joanne Foss was an instrumental part of UF OT education for over a thousand alumni in the bachelor's and master's programs. She leaves her legacy to the OT program by funding the Joanne J. Foss OT Student Scholarship with her husband Robin Foss. As the endowment for this scholarship grows, Dr. Foss is challenging alumni and friends of the Department to donate and she will match your donation! Thank you Dr. Foss!

Joanne J. Foss OT Student Scholarship - University of Florida Advancement When you give through the university, you support more than 50,000 UF students who will become doctors, business owners, artists, engineers, attorneys, nurses and teachers. Every gift, large and small, matters. Your gift to UF adds to the gifts of other donors, empowering you to change the world far...

The INSPIRE Program at UF will have supported 47 OT, PT, and SLP students with training in early intervention and early childhood practice! Congratulations to Dr. Christine Myers (OT), Prof. Kristen Lewandowski (SLHS), and Dr. Claudia Senesac (PT) on this successful interprofessional program! 🐊

For the past five years, UF PHHP has been tackling Florida's early intervention workforce gap with the the Interdisciplinary Related Services Personnel Preparation for Early Childhood (INSPIRE) program. Now, in its final year, INSPIRE welcomes its last cohort of scholars, including aspiring physical therapists, speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists dedicated to supporting young children with disabilities.

Thanks to a $1.24 million grant from the Department of Education, INSPIRE has provided stipends covering a full year of tuition for 47 students across several degree programs. Throughout their graduate studies, INSPIRE scholars engage in specialized curriculum and training tailored to early intervention settings. Upon graduation, they commit to two years of service in early intervention or school settings, fulfilling a vital need in our communities.

Here's to the final cohort of INSPIRE scholars, ready to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and families across Florida. https://phhp.ufl.edu/2024/03/25/inspire-program-welcomes-last-cohort-of-scholars-in-early-childhood-intervention/

Congratulations to Linda Struckmeyer, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA for receiving the AOTA Roster of Fellows Award at ! Dr. Struckmeyer was recognized for her excellence in OT education and mentoring. Way to go, Dr. Struckmeyer! 🐊