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Forty‑three Duke Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) students marked a defining milestone in their professional journeys during the Duke OTD Commissioning Ceremony, held Friday, May 1. The ceremony formally recognized the Class of 2027 as they transitioned from classroom learning into fieldwork, capstone experiences, and expanded clinical practice grounded in service, dignity, and care.

This past April, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. through my Federal Advocacy course in Duke’s DPT program. This year’s trip coincided with APTA Capitol Hill Day, in which physical therapists from around the country came together to advocate on behalf of the profession and healthcare issues. This included legislation on Medicare payment reform, workforce shortages, and federal student loans.

The Duke Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program celebrated 42 graduates at its commencement on Saturday, May 2, at Duke Chapel. The event marked the completion of their doctoral journeys and honored Duke’s third cohort of OTD graduates. Held in the historic Chapel, the ceremony highlighted academic achievement, and the opportunities graduates now embrace as occupational therapy practitioners within a dynamic and evolving health care environment.

Event recognizes outstanding PhD trainees, mentors, and educators advancing discovery science

One of my favorite pieces of advice I’ve received was one I overheard while teetering atop a model’s pedestal in a sculpture class at the storied New York Studio School. As a seasoned figure model, I had long been aware that much wisdom can be harvested by staying very still and listening, so I was well primed to catch the professor’s comment to the student: “You don’t have to be touching the clay to be working.”

Drs. Catherine Staton and Wayne Feng were selected as a members of the 2026-2027 class of fellows for the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM) Program at Drexel University College of Medicine. 

APTA North Carolina was proud to host its 9th Annual Student Conclave at Duke University this month, welcoming more than 170 students representing nine Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs and four Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) programs from across the state. Held in Duke’s Interprofessional Education (IPE) Building, the one‑day conference brought together future clinicians for professional development, networking, and conversations focused on the evolving future of healthcare.

The pandemic changed the way we work and relate to one another, bringing burnout and stress for many — effects that linger years later. In 2023, a group in the Duke Department of Pediatrics came together to do something about that. They were determined to find better ways to help people feel connected, build relationships, and address conflict, laying the foundation for what has become the Restorative Practice Ambassador Program.