OTD Newsroom

Students in OTD 515 - Innovation and Everyday Leadership took a field trip to Durham Tech Community College to visit with a class of OT assistant students.

"We are confident in our admissions process to select students who will succeed and contribute to our aim and be outstanding occupational therapists. Everyone is here based on their merits, achievements, and promise."

The US Supreme Court decision lands hard for many in academia because learning through diversity has become an established best practice in education. And in health professions education, learning through diversity has become a means for addressing health disparities.    

Produced annually by Duke OTD and Duke DPT, the impACT program hosted 10 area high school students on campus June 28-30.  Through interactive sessions and fun challenges, attendees are exposed to healthy eating and behaviors, and the OT and PT professions.  

Faculty members Tomeico Faison, OTD, OTR/L, and Cambey Mikush, OTD, ORT/L, worked with Tiffany Adams, PT, DPT, MBA, PhD on the program. OTD Class of 2025 student April Burch served as co-lead, along with DPT student Krissia Pocosangre.

"I enjoy facilitating the transition from theoretical knowledge to practical application by organizing meaningful and enriching fieldwork opportunities. Witnessing the growth and development of students as they navigate their clinical placements brings a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment."

What interested you in applying for this job with Duke? 

OTD Notes checked in with OTD student Karol Guerrero (CO 2024) who is completing her first Level II fieldwork experience, mentored by Barb Hooper, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, founding director and division chief. The purpose is to provide an academic occupational therapy experience.

Did you know there are over 50 student groups in the School of Medicine - besides the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) and Coalition for Occupational Diversity (COTAD) - that would love more OTD student participants? 
 

Duke OTD students have been exposed to how sexual identities shape and are shaped by occupation. That connection has been the focus of research in Occupational Science for several decades. Here is a sample of research illustrating how the research has developed over time. As with all research, there is much room for expansion. All the articles are available through Duke Libraries.

David practiced cooking for himself and learned about making healthier food choices.  Noelle worked on her morning “get ready by myself” routine by eating, brushing her teeth, and doing her hair. Derrick used a slide board to transfer from his wheelchair to a bed. 

Denise Nepveux, Ph.D. has been named one of 12 Climate and Sustainability Teaching Fellows. Led by the Nicholas School of the Environment and Duke Learning Innovation, the program supports a peer learning community for faculty and other instructors who are interested in redesigning an existing course to substantively engage with issues of climate and sustainability, to be taught in fall 2023 or spring 2024.

On May 5, the OTD 2024 inaugural class was commissioned into service as fieldwork and capstone students. Thirty-eight OTD 2024 students were joined by family, friends, faculty, and staff at the Grand Hall of the Trent Semans Center. Students will spend the next year completing two 12-week fieldwork assignments and 14 weeks executing capstone projects.