Health Professions News: Winter/Spring ’19-’20

Shenandoah health professions students held their first baby lab this winter in Winchester and at Scholar Plaza, Loudoun. Students examined gross, fine and oral motor development skills with each baby’s parents. 

Athletic Training

The Division of Athletic Training (AT) kicked off National Athletic Training Month by hosting “A Day in the Life of an Athletic Trainer” on March 3, in the Health & Life Sciences Building. Students from Clarke County High School, Warren County High School, Central High School in Shenandoah County, and Frederick County Public Schools spent the morning with AT students and faculty learning about fracture splinting, oxygen therapy and concussion assessment. Attendees also had the opportunity to spend time in the cadaver lab exploring anatomy.  

Occupational Therapy

Shenandoah University’s Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) was recognized by the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association (VOTA) for its recent diaper drive in support of maternal mental health. The diapers were distributed to a Loudoun County women’s shelter and Sinclair Health Clinic in Winchester. 

The first class of Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) students should begin orientation May 19, with the first class starting May 26.  The class is expected to hold 30 students.

Physical Therapy

Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Lisa McVey, DPT, and Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Aaron Hartstein, DPT, presented at Shenandoah’s recent virtual reality (VR) symposium, which was attended by local and regional members of the community, including representatives from governments and large health care systems. Dr. McVey is currently collecting data assessing the educational value of VR and physical therapy.

At the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting:

• Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Ed Schrank, D.Sc., and Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Lisa McVey, DPT, presented a median nerve injury case study
• Auxiliary Adjunct Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Kate Divine, DPT, presented a “Physical Therapy Management in Recurrent Clogged Milk Ducts in Breastfeeding Case Report” poster
• Auxiliary Adjunct Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Kate Divine, DPT; Dean of the School of Health Professions and Professor of Physical Therapy Karen Abraham, Ph.D.; and Paige DuVall and Lenzie Weicht, both ’19,  presented the poster “Nurses’ Perception of Acute Postpartum PT: A Focus Group” 
• Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Aaron Hartstein, DPT; Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Jill Boissonnault, Ph.D.; and Scholar Plaza, Loudoun, students Kyle Lewis, McKenzie Olving, and Colin Geldart, presented “Effects of Manual Therapy on Cervicogenic Headaches: A Systematic Review” 
• Associate Professor of Physical Therapy AJ Lievre, DPT,  presented the poster, “What do entry-level physical therapy programs do to prepare their students for post-professional residency education?”

Additionally, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Jill Boissonnault, Ph.D., has been reappointed to be an APTA Media Spokesperson and World Confederation for Physical Therapy Focused Symposia Reviewer for the 2021 WCPT Congress. Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Cameron Bolton, DPT, is a founding member of the Virginia Anatomical Advisory Board and member of Best Practices and Policies Committee. And, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Thomas Turner, Ph.D., is a founding member of the Virginia Anatomical Advisory Board.

Physician Assistant Studies

Twenty-five Shenandoah University Physician Assistant Studies students recently “participated in leadership training in aimed at preventing provider burnout, a critical, yet often overlooked, issue among healthcare providers. The training was designed to equip students to foster a positive health care environment, prevent future medical errors, and improve patient outcomes.” Read more about this effort online in the nccPA Foundation spotlight.