After listening to a guest speaker during an intro to health professions course in college, Tomeico Faison, OTD, OTR/L, knew right away that occupational therapy was the career for her. She hasn’t looked back, spending much of her career helping future generations of occupational therapists of all backgrounds discover the joys of the profession. In this month’s spotlight, Faison shares about her current role as director of diversity and innovation in professional pathways within the Duke Occupational Therapy Doctorate program and offers insight into how leaders in her field can address barriers to care. We also learn a little about Faison’s passions for writing inspirational poetry, renovating homes, and spending time with family, including her fur family members.
You are currently an assistant professor and director of diversity and innovation in professional pathways within the Duke Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program. What do you enjoy most about your job?
I mostly enjoy the opportunities to collaborate and create innovative educational options and experiences for our students. Under Dr. Barbara Hooper's leadership, I was not only afforded these opportunities but encouraged and supported to innovate based on identified program needs and my skill set. I coordinate the Innovation and Entrepreneurship certificate, teaching courses on social entrepreneurship that satisfy the elective requirements for the certificate in the Fuqua School of Business. I also co-coordinate the vision rehab certificate, which is an advanced certificate option offered in collaboration with Duke Eye Center, and I lead the mentorship program which allows students to obtain a mentor in the occupational therapy (OT) profession who has a preferred shared lived experience. These three innovative offerings have been highlights of my work at Duke and have me energized about the possibilities of what we can create next!
Much of your work focuses on recruiting OTD students and diversifying professional pathways. Can you tell us a little more about this work and what inspired you to focus on these areas?
My intersection of identities as a Black woman with a history of a low socioeconomic status (SES) from a rural area in North Carolina and a first-time college student at UNC-Chapel Hill led me to raise awareness about health professions to people from diverse backgrounds. Under mentorship from Dr. Robert Thorpe and Dr. Brenda Mitchell, I became a student ambassador for Allied Health Programs, speaking to people from all walks of life about health professions as a career option. My recruitment work at Duke has a similar emphasis, sharing information about the occupational therapy profession and Duke OTD's distinctives to as many people as we can, ranging from local universities to health and human service programs around the US. The goal is to ensure we cast a wide net and admit people who resonate with our vision to "ensure that all people flourish through participation in occupations, the activities of daily life."
In addition to recruitment efforts, I have high interest in diverse professional pathways due to noted needs being unmet for underserved populations of people who can benefit from occupational therapy. Educating students on these options, such as through some of our certificates and specialty courses, opens their eyes to the possibilities of career opportunities and increases service provision which may not otherwise exist.
What are some of the current issues relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion within the occupational therapy field, and how can leaders work to address those issues?
Occupational therapy has similar issues as other health professions when it comes to equity, diversity and inclusion, in that we face barriers when it comes to ensuring that all people have access to person-centered high-quality care. These barriers are complex and challenging and range from things like reimbursement cuts, lack of transportation to get to/from appointments in rural areas, language barriers, and a limited number of people from underrepresented groups in the profession (less than 8% of occupational therapy practitioners are people of color). These barriers perpetuate cultural misunderstandings, resulting in less-than-optimal service provision.
Leaders can work to address these issues by being intentional and proactive about barriers in which they have power to address and potentially change. Leaders can take self-inventory to determine where they will focus their energy knowing that they cannot do everything, but they can do something. They can also determine who they will share that energy with as no one can do the work alone. Additionally, leaders can prioritize taking care of themselves because change does not take place overnight and the work can be mentally and physically exhausting. Mentors, communities with shared efforts, as well as prioritizing time for self-care are important for work sustainability. Again, we cannot do everything, but we can do something, and we can do more things when we are healthy and work together!
How did you first become interested in occupational therapy as a career?
I first became interested in occupational therapy when I heard a guest speaker in an Intro to Health Professions course discuss occupational therapy's role in mental health settings. At the time, I was an undergraduate student in UNC's Radiologic Science program, and my professor, Dr. Thorpe, noted that I had not researched all of the available health care career options. Although I had taken classes with occupational therapy students as a radiologic science student, I was unsure about occupational therapy. The speaker gave specific examples of what OTs do in multiple settings, including mental health, and I knew as she was speaking that I wanted to be a part of the profession. Occupational therapy blends my love for both the psychological and physical sciences.
What passions or hobbies do you have outside of work?
I have a passion for writing and reciting inspirational poetry. I enjoy listening to music, going to church, playing games with my family (including fur family members), and friends, watching sporting events. And last but not least, I love renovating distressed homes to offer affordable housing and am an HGTV "wanna be" show host!