Department of Occupational Therapy |
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Dear OT Alumni and Friends,
Alumni from the class of 1987 gathered for a reunion on September 30, 2022, which included a tour of the Department of Occupational Therapy and the College of Health Professions building. They reminisced with former instructors Jayne Shepherd and Janet Watts about their classes in the VMI building, learning experiences (some may remember the weaving looms, pottery, and leather stamping), their research groups, and their community learning experiences. On that same afternoon, we welcomed the class fo 2025 with their Vesting Ceremony. These experiences allowed me to reflect on how or program is still rooted to its core themes - occupation based, theory driven, client-centered, and community engaged. Yet, we have continued to grow and develop. We welcomed a new faculty member. We have students engaged in meaningful capstone experiences that are making an impact on education, research, and the community.
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We have faculty engaged in research making a meaningful difference in occupational performance.
Thank you for your continued connection with our department - sharing your experience through being a fieldwork educator, joining our admissions team, coming to a reunion (we will be at AOTA in 2023!), or visiting us at our department.
Carole K. Ivey
Associate Professor & Department Chair
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Pictured Above: Class of 1987 L to R: Maggie Kolega, Carol Turner, Jayne Shepherd, Janet Watts, Linda Irwin McDonald, Mary Kupec Adams, Jenny Cox Peterson, Lyn Walker Clark |
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Welcome Dr. Brooke Dexheimer |
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I am Brooke Dexheimer, an occupational therapist and neuroscientist interested in the study of motor control and motor learning. My research lab at VCU, the NERDD Lab (Novel Environments for Reducing Disability and Dysfunction), investigates how sensory feedback informs perception and movement. I'm also passionate about bridging the gap between basic neuroscience research and occupational therapy neurorehabilitation. My long-term research goals are to inform and enhance evidence-based interventions that target movement deficits in individuals with neurological injuries, such as stroke and cerebral palsy.
My favorite occupations outside of research include gardening, cooking, and spending time with my husband and our two dogs.
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Class of 2025 Vesting Ceremony |
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On Friday, September 30, 2022 the Vesting Ceremony for the class of 2025 was held in the College of Health Professions Auditorium. 47 first year students received their vests in front of their friends and families. Dr. Alena Hampton, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Student Success, provided remarks to the class. The 2022 "Jayne T. Shepherd Making a Difference" alumni award recipient, Bobby Johnson, gave the keynote address. Following the ceremony, a reception was held in the CHP Multipurpose room and students were able to give their friends and families a guided tour of the OT floor, the patient simulation rooms and the smart apartment. |
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Pictured Above: Class of 2025 after their Vesting Ceremony in the lobby of the College of Health Professions. |
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Pictured Above: VCU alumni Dr. Kate Barlow ('15) |
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Congratulations to Kate Barlow (MSOT 2015; OTD 2015) for receiving the NBCOT Innovation Award for developing the Interprofessional Mentorship Program. "Dr. Barlow recruits subject matter experts from around the world to conduct virtual presentations on OT Topics that mentees from over 20 countries request. By providing mentorship and increasing the knowledge of occupational therapists in low- and middle-income countries, the program hopes to improve the quality and integrity of OT services. The mentorship program has proved to be a much-needed service, and the goal is that it will continue to be sustainable and increase access to more therapists around the world." |
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Research Highlight
Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Chu Wrap Up Study Funded by the Barth Syndrome Foundation
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This summer VCU faculty members Stacey Reynolds and Virginia Chu wrapped up an 18-month grant funded by the Barth Syndrome Foundation (BSF) to study fatigue in Barth syndrome. Four capstone students (Isabelle Babson, Emma Daw, Mackenzie Hunter, and Samantha Payne) worked on this project, along with two occupational therapy research assistants (Hannah Ikenberry, Marina Nguyen). The researchers used qualitative methods to capture the meaning of fatigue in the daily lives of those with the rare disorder, and then used quantitative methods to capture real-time data on fatigue using a novel phone application. Findings reflect the multidimensional aspects of fatigue that include both physical, mental, and emotional aspects on daily life functioning of individuals with Barth syndrome and their families. Their results were disseminated at the 2022 Barth Syndrome Scientific and Medical Conference and two papers from this research have already been accepted for publication.
- Reynolds, S., Daw, E., Babson, I.C., & Chu, V. (2022). What is Barth Tired? A qualitative approach to understanding fatigue in Barth syndrome from the perspective of family members. Journal of Rare Disorders: Diagnosis & Therapy, 8, (8), 1-8. DOI: 10.36648/2380-7245.8.8.72.
- Babson, I.C., Daw, E., Reynolds, S. (2022) Qualitative Investigation of Fatigue and Its Daily Impacts as Perceived By Individuals with Barth Syndrome. Journal of Rare Disorders: Diagnosis & Therapy, 8(7), 1-9. DOI: 10.36648/2380-7245.8.7.48.
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The VCU Bike Clinic launched this summer in partnership with Spot On Therapy Group. Designed by Dr. Stacey Reynolds and former capstone students, the clinic provides a safe and structured format for children with developmental coordination problems to learn to ride a 2-wheeled bike independently. This summer the clinic was led by Gabby Hobson, a third year capstone student. Seven children consistently attended the ten-week summer program; five of those children achieved their goal of bike riding independence. In addition to running the clinic, Gabby developed a bike maintenance program and a bike safety checklist. |
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Pictured Above: Grad III Student Gabby Hobson guiding bike clinic participants. |
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Voices Together
Voices Together is a day camp for children, kindergarten through 8th grade who have been diagnosed with autism, to experience a safe and engaging summer experience. Voices Together has been used as a level I fieldwork site for VCU OTD students since 2021. As part of her capstone experience, Grad III Noushin Sharmeli worked directly with camp director Andrea Costanzo, to bring in an occupational therapy perspective to support the campers as well as supporting the VCU OTD students during their pediatric level I fieldwork placement. Facilitating the daily activities of camp, including mealtimes, dressing, outdoor/indoor play, art, and swimming was a major role for both the capstone student and the fieldwork students. Throughout the summer, various activities such as obstacle courses, sensory scavenger hunt bags, and musical exploration were planned and led by VCU Students based on the interests and skill level of the campers that week. This was a fun way for the students to apply what they have learned in the curriculum to a natural setting as well as allow the campers the opportunity to engage in an activity outside of their typical routine!
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Pictured Above: Various activities for the Voices Together summer day camp. |
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HOMBRE Global Health Trip |
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This past June, five Grad II students (Nadine Abu-Ghannam, Rachel DeMasters, Bethany Grocock, Lauryn Helstrom, and Caterina LaRocca) and two faculty members (Audrey Kane and Kerry Mader) traveled to Peru, spending two weeks participating in an interdisciplinary global health trip, one of several trips sponsored by VCU Health Outreach Medical Brigade Relief Effort (HOMBRE). HOMBRE is committed to not only providing quality health care for the people in underserved regions of the world, but to also provide education in global health medicine to future healthcare practitioners of the United States. Daily clinics, locally centered, were open for members of the community to visit. Rehabilitative services are not available to individuals living in rural areas of Peru. On this trip OT and PT were accessible to address current needs and concerns of those visiting the clinic. There were various conditions that were seen, but most commonly reported complaints were orthopedic in nature, as individuals living in these rural areas participate in labor intensive occupations, often leading to repetitive injuries and joint pain. Pain management strategies and education on body mechanics were frequently used as interventions. OT and PT worked together to assess mobility and assistive devices for mobility, such as walkers and canes, were issued. At times, OT creativity was challenged in coming up with solutions for unique problems! Overall the trip was a rewarding experience, with students feeling like they grew in their clinical knowledge, therapeutic use of self, apprecation of other healthcare disciplines, and apprecation for the diverse circumstances of clients. |
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Pictured below are the VCU contingent on the HOMBRE global health trip assisting at clinics in Peru. |
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Reynolds, S., Daw, E., Babson, I.C., & Chu, V. (2022). What is Barth Tired? A qualitative approach to understanding fatigue in Barth syndrome from the perspective of family members. Journal of Rare Disorders: Diagnosis & Therapy, 8, (8), 1-8. DOI: 10.36648/2380-7245.8.8.72
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Chu, V., Girolami, G.L., & Grant-Beuttler, M. (2022) Assessing sensory processing differences in children with idiopathic toe walking: A pilot study. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2022.2073929
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Dexheimer, B., Przybyla, A., Murphy,T.E., Akpinar, S. & Sainburg, R.L. (2022). Reaction time asymmetries provide insigh into mechanisms underlying dominate and non-dominate hand selection. Exp Brain Res 240, 2791-2802. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-022-06451-2
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Admissions and Recruitment |
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It's that time of the admissions cycle where we begin reviewing applicants who are interested in being a member of our next cohort. We are recruiting application reviewers and interviewers for the Class of 2026 cohort. If you are interested, please complete the Admissions and Recruitment Committee Google Form. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact otentrylevel@vcu.edu. |
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VCU Occupational Therapy Department
900 E. Leigh St., Box 980008
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0008
Phone: (804) 828-2219
Fax: (804) 828-0782
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