Occupational Therapy News - 2009

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Faculty Author Recognition Award Luncheon Honors Faculty

Dr. Denise Donica and Dr. Anne Dickerson

Three Occupational Therapy Faculty members received the Laupus Health Sciences Library's Faculty Author Recognition Award.  The award is in recognition of publications completed between January 2008 and June 2009.  Dorothy Spencer, Director of the Library developed the program to honor faculty members that she believes enriches the scholarly culture of the university and reputation of the Division of Health Sciences.  The three members were Dr. Denise Donica, Dr. Anne Dickerson, and Dr. Leonard Trujillo.  Denise and Anne were able to attend the recognition lunch on November 3, 2009.

Denise Donica Achieves Pediatric Board Certification!

Denise Donica, DHS, OTR/L, BCP

The Occupational Therapy Department is delighted to announce that assistant professor Dr. Denise Donica was granted the American Occupational Therapy Association's Board Certification in Pediatrics on October 26, 2009.  This distinction has been accomplished by less than 1% of all occupational therapists nationally and only one other within the state of North Carolina. Through a rigorous peer-reviewed process, Denise Donica was able to demonstrate the capacity to meet established Pediatrics competencies and criteria related to Knowledge, Critical and Ethical Reasoning, and Interpersonal and Performance Skills; as well as communicate meaningful practice changes and client outcomes. Completion of this certification demonstrates scholarly and professional involvement in activities that promote professional growth and contribute to the field of occupational therapy in the area of Pediatrics.  She will now use the initials BCP behind her name for Board Certified in Pediatrics.

Dr. Anne Dickerson receives 2009 Allen Herkimer Award for Outstanding Alumni from Texas State University

Dr. Michael Nowicki, Dr. Allen Herkimer, Dr. Anne Dickerson, and Ms. Karen Pitcher.

On October 23, 2009, Dr. Anne Dickerson was honored by the Faculty members of the Department of Health Administration at Texas State University by being selected Outstanding Alumni for 2009.  This award is in honor of Allen Herkimer, Jr. who was one of Anne's professors when she received her master's degree at the University.  Dr. Michael Nowicki presented both Anne and the other recipient, Karen Pitcher, with a plaque as well as numbered an signed print of the main building of Texas State University during the "Storm of '85".  Anne and her family attended the Recognition banquet in San Marcos, Texas as guests after Anne presented at the College's annual Health Administration Conference.  Anne received her master's degree in 1987 in both Health Administration and Allied Health Education from what use to be called Southwest Texas State University.  More information can be seen at:  http://www.health.txstate.edu/ha/about/ha-conference-and-awards-banquet.html

NCOTA Conference:  Navigating the Future for Occupational Therapy

Greenville hosted the annual NCOTA conference this year.  ECU's Occupational Therapy Faculty was well represented in the program!  Dr. Beth Velde was one of the local co-chairs of the conference.  Drs. Denise Donica, Carol Lust, Jane Painter, Leonard Trujillo, and Anne Dickerson presented sessions on each of the two days.  Please see this link for the specifics on these presentations: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/ot/presentations.cfm  

Occupational Therapy Students Dazzle Myositis Conference Participants!

Jaclyn Wilkerson, Lindsie Webster, Lesley Evans, Beth
Faircloth and Melissa Colcord ready to present at the
Myositis Conference

Five second-year occupational therapy graduate students, under the guidance of Dr. Anne Dickerson and Dr. Mike Bradley dazzled the participants at the annual Myositis Conference in Charlotte, September 10-12, 2009.   Myositis is a rare, chronic disease that causes muscle inflammation and weakness and in some cases, skin rash, pain or difficulty swallowing.  The Myositis Association provides education, support, advocacy, and research into a cure.  The Association invited Dr. Anne Dickerson to their annual conference to present several sessions to present occupational therapy interventions to individuals with myositis and their caregivers.  The students develop and led three of the four sessions to the delight of the participants.  The organizers of the conference reported to Dr. Dickerson that the students and their sessions were the highlight of the conference.  The sessions included:  Energy Conservation:  Devices and Modification by Lindsie Webster and Beth Faircloth; Fall Prevention by Lesley Evans, Melissa Colcord, and Jaclyn Wilkerson;  Practical Strategies for Caregivers by Beth Faircloth and Lindsie Webster; and Driving Safely by Dr. Anne Dickerson.

Students Complete Transportation Project with NCST

Lindsie Webster, Sharon (Beth) Faircloth, Melissa Colcord,
Lesley Evans, and Jaclyn Wilkerson worked with Dr. Anne
Dickerson to complete the project.

The National Center for Senior Transportation awarded Dr. Anne Dickerson $2,000 to support the development of the "Practitioners' Clinical Reasoning Framework for Community Mobility" by student scholars.  Dr. Dickerson worked with five occupational therapy graduate students this summer to complete the project. The purpose of the project was to develop a clinical reasoning framework that will guide the practitioner as to what the best options are for their older adult client in the process of driving modifications and cessation.  The methods included interviewing several stakeholder groups including older drivers, caregivers, practitioners, and service providers.  Based on the interview information, the framework was drafted, revised, and is ready for use with practitioners.  Once pilot tested, feedback will allow finalization of a product for practitioners who work with older adults as they consider their transportation options.

The students prepared a power point and presented the framework to the National Center for Senior Transportation staff members in a webinar that featured all the scholar awardees. The five students selected "Older Adult Drivers" as their area of research for their master's projects, but completed this project in addition to their other research responsibilities.

State Farm Foundation Funds Driving Program

 
Dr. Anne Dickerson met with area State Farm agents to celebrate the awarding of her grant.

Dr. Anne Dickerson has received a $15,000 grant from State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship Project for continued work with ROADI – the Research for Older Adult Driver Initiative. The grant will allow Dr. Dickerson to finish the development of a series of courses for occupational therapists who either 1) want to learn more about driving so they can assist their clients more effectively or 2) want to become trained as specialists in driving rehabilitation. The first course will be ready in September and first course has been developed with expertise from several specialists in driving rehabilitation and uses state of the art animation.   Funding also will be used for a research survey that will be sent to all driver specialists to ensure that course content is state-of-the-art and incorporates progressive thinking of experienced practitioners. It also will support follow-up focus groups that will expand qualitatively on the collected information.

Students Engaged in the Community!

Dale Harris, Annie Slye, Caroline Berry, occupational therapy students selected for the Outreach Academy

The first ECU Student Engagement and Outreach Scholars Academy was held this summer.  The 2009 Academy was developed to increase student's knowledge, motivation, and capacity to work with communities through service learning, partnerships, and outreach.  Each of the ten selected graduate students worked with a faculty member who had been selected and participated in the inaugural ECU Faculty Engagement and Outreach Scholars Academy this past spring semester. Three of the ten graduate students who participated in this summer program were from the College of Allied Health Sciences Occupational Therapy Department:  Caroline Berry, Dale Harris, and Annie Slye. 

Scott Cormier Receives Patriot Scholarship

Scott Cormier with his father received the Patriot Scholarship

The Faculty Members of Department are proud to announce that Scott Cormier, occupational therapy graduate student, was selected as a recipient of the College of Allied Health Sciences Patriot Scholarship and presented the award on May 18, 2009.  This is a new scholarship that was created to enhance opportunities for leadership development.  This scholarship will provide financial support to an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in any department of the College of Allied Health Sciences.   The applicant must be a military member or veteran, or the spouse or child of a military member or veteran.  The award will be based on academic strength, leadership capability and the potential to contribute to a profession in the field of allied health sciences.

May 1 - Research Day for Graduate Students

                           Class of 2009

On Friday, May 1st, the second year graduate occupational therapy students celebrated their last day of class by demonstrated their research skills!  Each of the students completed either a thesis or masters projects and proudly presented the results to their peers, community therapists, faculty members, and honored guests.   Dr. Penelope Moyers Cleveland, President of the American Occupational Therapy Association was the honored keynote and received a pirates plaque from Dr. Leonard Trujillo, chair of the Department.  Dr. Moyers presented on The Extraordinary Journey:  What Should I Pack in my Suitcase for the Centennial Vision? as well as a lecture on The Ethics of Competence.  She met with students and faculty members after the day for a warm reception.

Dr. Penelope Moyers Cleveland and Dr. Leonard Trujillo

Different this year, many of the students presented their projects in poster format which was interactive with the audience and warmly received by the attendees. 

Celebrity Circle at AOTA Conference!

The East Carolina University Occupational Therapy students at the American Occupational Therapy Conference in Houston had a wonderful time!  They had the opportunity to meet many celebrity occupational therapists as well as hear outstanding presentations.  The students:  Karen Wurzinger, Melissa Maxwell, and Alison Grieshop will surely cherish these moments!

 
The 2009 Slagle Award presenter, Dr. Kay Schwatrz posed
with students almost immediately after her keynote address.


AOTA President, Dr. Penelope Moyers Cleveland chatted
with students about her upcoming visit.

Executive Director of the American Occupational Therapy Association,
Fred Somers posed with Dr. Judith Kimball and Susan Haiman and
the students.  Fred's son is an ECU baseball pirate!

Dr. Karen Jacobs, former AOTA President and World Federation of
Occupational Therapy Representative and former AOTA President
Mary Evert were happy to pose with our students.

CarFit Goal is Achieved!

Occupational therapy students become CarFit technicians

Twenty-one occupational therapy graduate students came on a rainy Friday afternoon to become CarFit Technicians on March 27, 2009.  This has achieved a total of 38 of the 40 current students trained in CarFit!  This is awesome, as the activity is totally voluntary and service related to the community. 

CarFit is an educational program developed in collaboration with AAA (American Automobile Association), AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association.

CarFit offers older adults 1) the opportunity to check out how well their personal vehicles "fit" them and 2) information and materials for community-specific resources and activities that could make their personal vehicles "fit" better, enhance their safety as drivers, or increase their mobility in the community.

The students, ready for the Carfit Event with their
coordinators, June Wagner and Anne Dickerson

 
Students enjoyed teaching about CarFit and driving and meeting the older adults from the community.

Hyde County:  What an Experience!

About ten of our occupational therapy graduate students joined Dr. Anne Dickerson and our previous secretary June Wagner in Ponzer, Hyde County for a CarFit Event on March 28, 2009.  The students tried out their new skills learned either last fall or on the previous day.  Although it was not a sunny day, the folks from the Ruritan Club came out to support the event.  Even the gentleman with the "green" car arrived ready to be fit to his tiny vehicle.  The ladies of the Ruritan Club provided the students with a delicious lunch and the students promised to come back for more interaction with this small, but very friendly community.

Kuwait University meets East Carolina University!

Dr. Dickerson with the University of Kuwait's Occupational Therapy faculty
members:  Dr. Fahad Manee, Dr. Mohammed Nadar, Dr. Musaed Al-Naser,
and Dr. Naser Al-Otaibi.

Over ECU's spring break, Dr. Anne Dickerson visited the newly developing Occupational Therapy Program at Kuwait University.  She provided consultation about curriculum development, fieldwork assignments, laboratory set up, and research agenda for both faculty members and students.  It was a fascinating trip that also included a tour of the occupational therapy rehabilitation facilities and presenting to occupational therapy staff and potential students.  The Kuwaiti faculty members, educated in the United States, have worked hard to develop a high quality program so that occupational therapy can grow and flourish in their country.  Currently there are only about 30 therapists, mostly from other nations.  Dr. Dickerson had a wonderful time with the delightful faculty members and plans to continue a relationship through joint professional presentations and research studies.

Dr. Jane Painter Joins the Outreach Scholars Academy

Dr. Ted Morris, Dr. Jane Painter, and Chancellor Steve Ballard

The Occupational Therapy Department is delighted to announce that Dr. Jane Painter was inducted into the first class of East Carolina University’s Engagement and Outreach Scholars Academy on February 2, 2009.  Jane will be one of nine other faculty who will participate in the Outreach Scholars Academy with the goal of increasing faculty knowledge, motivation, and capacity to secure research funding and conduct scholarly engagement within service learning, partnerships and outreach.  Jane was selected from a pool recommended by the Deans of the University based on her fall prevention work within the aging community of North Carolina.  The Academy will allow key external stakeholders to partner with faculty in order to conduct research that will benefit the public, promote a culture of engagement across campus, strengthen ECU’s reputation for community and economic development, and help faculty to approach their outreach in a scholarly way that supports their pursuit of promotion and tenure.  Congratulations to Jane as she participates over the next year.

Archived OT News - 2008

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Archived OT News - 2006