OTD Newsroom

Dr. Tomeico Faison is an assistant professor and director of minority recruitment for the OTD program.  She earned a bachelor's and a master's from UNC-Chapel Hill in radiologic science and occupational therapy respectively. She earned a clinical doctoral degree in occupational therapy with an emphasis on social entrepreneurship from Boston University.

What sparked your interest in serving?

The Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) has had a busy fall connecting students with each other and the OT profession. Earlier this month, SOTA hosted a successful Friendsgiving in partnership with the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD).

Second-year OTD student Peyton Gemmell led a short course, An Occupational Perspective on Navigating Food-Related Occupations for Adults with ADHD, at the North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association’s fall conference held Nov. 3-5. 

We are celebrating Native American Heritage Month and honoring the many ways that individuals and communities have contributed to and uplifted our nation.  We are proud to honor the members of our own OTD family, first-year student Ahriyanna Bullard and third-year student Carnell (Cal)Yazzie. 

Have you seen the Iwama Mamas play?  The team is a group of Duke OTD students who participate in Duke Intramural Sports’ basketball, flag football, soccer, and pickleball games. The Iwama Mamas just wrapped up the flag football and pickleball season but are looking forward to a soccer playoff game at 9:30 a.m., Sunday, Nov. at Cohan Fields. Next semester, basketball and pickleball will resume.

Class of 2024 OTD student Karol Guerrero recently shared an update on her current fieldwork assignment at Colorado State University. What kind of work are you doing?  

Ben Tupper is OTD's Educational Technology Specialist. While his primary role is to administer our Learning Management System, he's a true magician in finding solutions to nearly every challenge that comes his way. 

Where are you placed for this assignment? I am working in the surgical intensive care unit at Duke University Hospital. This unit houses patients who have had recent surgeries and traumas, requiring complex medical needs and more direct nursing management. We often see patients from all surgical specialties- transplants, orthopedics, vascular, general, ENT, etc. We also see patients who have suffered significant traumas requiring surgical intervention and subsequent medical needs requiring intensive care. 

In August, the Duke Occupational Therapy Doctorate program welcomed 45 new students who entered the three-year program. Members of the Class of 2026  bring a wide range of lived experiences contributing to a rich learning environment. They hail from states across the nation and represent a wide range of cultures and backgrounds. Here are just a few: