Health Professions News: Fall 2021 Faculty and students receive recognitions and opportunities, publish and present research, and give back to the community

Physician Assistant Studies

The Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) hosts an elite fellowship annually, for which it selects only 20 physician assistant (PA) studies students from across the United States. Students begin with a three-day conference culminating in an opportunity to advocate for PA education and the profession to political leaders in their respective districts. A Shenandoah second-year PA student, Allie Conroy, (pictured above) has received a spot for the 2021-2022 fellowship year. After working as a Capitol Hill staffer for a U.S. senator in the past, Conroy has renewed her passion for advocacy in the political sphere while continuing to finish out her didactic year. Conroy has also been invited to serve on a PAEA Doctoral Summit national steering committee. 

Physician Assistant Studies students Kristin Salter and Jamie Kennedy (Class of 2022), were both selected to join a two-year Area Health Education Centers educational program where they complete 40 hours of didactic work and 40 hours of clinical work per year. Some of the didactic topics include behavioral health, cultural competency, social determinants of health, substance use disorders, and interprofessional education. The program is designed to increase the number of skilled and culturally competent health professions students prepared to practice in rural and underserved areas.

Occupational Therapy

Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Morghen Sikes, Ph.D., and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy students’ summer intervention research study was presented at the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine’s virtual conference at the end of September. Dr. Sikes’ research lab, ActivO.T., provided a week-long activity intervention among adult survivors of brain injury. The program resulted in significant changes in depression, anxiety, and self-efficacy among participants. Reach out to her at esikes@su.edu for more information, or to request information about the  ActivO.T. Intervention Study at Scholar Plaza, Loudoun. 

Occupational Therapy Instructor Allison Shearer, M.O.T., had a paper, “Ethical and Methodological Considerations for the Clinician-Scientist: A Call for Reflexivity,” accepted by the journal Clinical Ethics (https://journals.sagepub.com/home/cet). This paper details ethical and methodological concerns for the clinician-scientist that commonly arise when developing, implementing, and analyzing research in practice, and offers practical suggestions to address these issues. Namely, it outlines the role that reflexivity can play throughout the research process to assist in maintaining ethical and methodological rigor, as well as upholding the moral obligations of both practitioner and researcher.

Shenandoah University’s chapter of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity held a backpack drive that collected more than 60 backpacks and school supplies that were distributed to children at Garland R. Quarles Elementary School, the Evans Home for Children and The Kids Clubs of Northern Shenandoah Valley, all of which are in Winchester, Virginia. 

Physical Therapy

One of the Shenandoah University Division of Physical Therapy’s newest faculty members, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Joe Signorino, DPT, attended the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists’ (AAOMPT) annual conference in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Signorino participated in an oral presentation discussing his research titled, “Identifying Conservative Interventions for Individuals with Subacromial Pain Syndrome Prior to Undergoing a Subacromial Decompression: A Scoping Review.”

Dr. Aaron Hartstein, Dr. Kate Divine, Dr. Megan Bureau, and Dr. Thomas Turner

Shenandoah’s Division of Physical Therapy was heavily represented at the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy’s 2021 Educational Leadership Conference (ELC) in Atlanta, Georgia, which took place Oct. 22-24. Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Thomas Turner, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Kate Divine, DPT, presented “Individualized Remediation: A Pilot Course.” Dean of the School of Health Professions and Professor of Physical Therapy Karen Abraham, Ph.D.; Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Lisa McVey, DPT; and Dr. Divine presented, with others, “Perceptions of Student Physical Therapist Clinical Instructors’ Behaviors and Beliefs Toward Blood Pressure Assessment.” Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Aaron Hartstein, DPT, Ph.D., presented, with others, “Virtual Reality in Physical Therapy Education: A RCT Comparing Virtual Reality and Standardized Patient Experiences.”

Assistant Professor & Associate Director of Performing Arts Medicine Program Michele Pye, Ph.D. and Daphne Batista (SU Doctor of Physical Therapy – DPT – & PAM alumni – Class of 2020) presented “Ankle Function Following High Velocity Low Amplitude Thrust Manipulation in Collegiate Dancers and Non-Dancers with Chronic Ankle Instability.”

Dr. Pye and Adjunct Professor Jacob Manley – SU DPT/Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) (2017), PAM (2018) – presented “Ballet is Backwards: An Interactive Forum Where Tradition and Science Clash.” 

Dr. Katie van den Heuvel (PAM 2019) presented “Vestibular system for dancers: utilizing practical strategies.” 

Associate Professor of Athletic Training & Director of the Performing Arts Medicine Program Rose Schmieg, D.H.Sc., and Dr. Manley presented “BFRT: What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, hypertrophy or DVT.”

Bridgette Saba Whitermore (PAM  2019) presented “Hallux Valgus Surgical Considerations for Dancers.”