Current third year physical therapy students Sarah Jo Lyons Bouton, Betsy Codington, Larry Pemberton, and Daniel Rogers presented a poster of their research at APTA Combined Sections Meeting in New Orleans recently. Their research project was “Assessment of Satisfaction and Functional Outcomes of Wheelchair/Seating Systems” which was completed in conjunction with Penny Powers, PT, MS, ATP at the Vanderbilt Seating and Mobility Clinic. Renee Brown, PT PhD was the faculty advisor and Barbara Ward in Mathematics and Computer Science also assisted with the project.
In addition, four physical therapy graduates had their student research project presented as a platform presentation at the meeting. Their project entitled “Evidence-based Development and Evaluation of Educational Information for Breast Cancer Survivors and Their Families” was a project in conjunction Dr. Ann Marie Flores of the Vanderbilt Rehabilitation Oncology Department which examined the educational needs of breast cancer survivors and ultimately resulted in the publication of a patient education booklet for breast cancer survivors and their families. Congratulation to Matt Cabbage, PT, Ann Howard, PT, Renee Ohendalski Blalock, PT, and Rachel Rooks, PT. Their research advisor was Renee Brown, PT, PhD.
Monthly Archives: April 2011
Pharmacy Students Host Easter Egg Hunt for Renewal House
On Saturday April 16th, members of the School of Pharmacy Class of 2012 hosted an Easter Egg Hunt and additional activities for children living at Renewal House in Nashville, TN. Renewal House is a community where women diagnosed with the disease of addiction undergo comprehensive treatment. Not only does the professional staff at Renewal House serve women battling this disease, but they foster healing, resiliency and educational enhancement for all members of the patient’s family.
This is one of several service activities in which the Class of 2012 contributed to Renewal House this semester. Earlier in the spring the class collected household and cleaning items to assist families at the facility. In addition members of the Class of 2012 have spent time painting apartments so families could move into the facility and begin their recovery.
Akwaaba!
2011 Mission Trip to Ghana
from Sarahann Callaway
Akwaaba is the phrase we will be greeted with as we step off of a plane into the muggy sweet air that is Accra, Ghana. For most of the people on this journey, this will be a new and exciting moment.
For me, it will be a comfort and joy because I will finally be returning to Ghana. Two years ago before the stress of PT school I lived in Kpando Ghana (the K is silent) for seven weeks doing non-profit global health initiatives. We held community talks on malaria, typhoid, and malnutrition. I also worked in the pharmacy in my town where I met many friends in the health field. This trip changed my life and I came home with a new love (Paulo! He’s 5 now!) and so many new friends.
Even with the stress of PT school, and trust me there is plenty of stress, copious amounts you might say, the memories of Ghana still dance across my mind. Yes I must admit sometimes during a lecture or two I have been known to daydream about my return. Once I got back to the states I wasn’t sure what my next step would be to get back to Ghana but I knew that I needed to go back to continue building relationships and continuing to help in any way that I could. At first, I thought about joining the Peace Corps after PT school. I soon realized the Peace Corps salary, even though it is a worthy cause, wouldn’t be able to cover the debt I have accrued while attending graduate school.
First semester of PT school every student takes the dreaded Histology class by the lovely Dr. Brown. I’m allowed to say dreaded because if anyone knows me they know that Histology was one of my favorite courses. Yes, I am probably the only student to step through the halls of the McWhorter building to believe this. During Histology, Dr. Brown made many announcements about various mission trips that the College of Health Sciences would be participating in. This intrigued me to approach Dr. Brown with the idea of an inter-professional trip of PT/OT/Pharmacy/Nursing to Ghana. I had made many connections because of my work at the hospital. Dr. Brown took the bait!
Pharmacy Students Impact the Lives of Young Tennessee Women
Recently, four Belmont student pharmacists volunteered their time at a hands-on science summit for the Tennessee Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Research (TWISTER). TWISTER is a program to inform and motivate high school girls to pursue science and technology careers, provide positive role models and engage young women with limited opportunities for success in positive math and science experiences.
Pharmacy students Erica Evans, Laci Hendress, Jessica Paullet and Lindsey Smith dedicated a Saturday to mentor young women and promote pharmacy as a career field. These students modeled the professional, career-oriented women who work in pharmacy to 9th through 12th grade girls. “TWISTER seems to be a wonderful opportunity for these highly motivated individuals,” said Hendress.
These four women have demonstrated excellence in academic coursework, the work place and extracurricular activities while at Belmont. “I was excited to have the opportunity to give back, especially to this group of girls because I had so many mentors in my life who inspired me to set my goals higher and to go achieve them,” said Smith.
Voight contributes to new PT Textbook
Professor Mike Voight in the School of Physical Therapy is a contributor to a new textbook, Geriatric Physical Therapy, published by Elsevier Mosby. Voight co-wrote a chapter with Barbara Hoogenboom from Grand Valley State University entitled, “The Senior Athlete”.
Boardroom Dedicated in Honor of Jack Bovender
Noted community and healthcare leader Jack O. Bovender, Jr. was honored last week in a ceremony at Belmont University for his impact on the school’s health sciences facilities and programs. The Jack O. Bovender, Jr. Boardroom, located on the fourth floor of Belmont’s Gordon E. Inman Center, was dedicated at an event attended by Mr. Bovender, his wife Barbara, son Richard and daughter-in-law Sara.
A founding member of the Nashville Healthcare Council, Bovender served as chairman and CEO of HCA until his retirement in 2009. He helped champion the dream of a premier Health Sciences program at Belmont and helped secure the first major gift for the facilities that now support the program. At the Bovender Boardroom dedication ceremony, Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “This is a place where decisions are made to guide the future of Belmont. I can’t think of a better name to have here than one of the greatest visionaries I know.”
Click here to see additional photos from the event.
Dr. Jamie Adam presents her doctoral research at 2 nursing conferences
Dr. Jamie Adam, a faculty member in the School of Nursing, is presenting her doctoral research at two conferences this month. She will present Depressive Symptoms, Self-Efficacy and Adherence in Patients with Type 2 DM at the Western Institute of Nursing Research and again at the 18th Annual National Evidence-Based Practice Conference.
Social Work Club Named Tennessee Social Work Student Organization of the Year
Belmont University’s Social Work Club was recently named the Social Work Student Organization of the Year. This state-wide award is given to the Social Work Student Organization or Club that best demonstrates Social Work’s core values: Service, Social Justice, Dignity and Worth of the Person, Importance of Human Relationships, Integrity, and Competence (NASW Code of Ethics). Organizations exemplify these values through their actions within the school, profession, and/or community at large.
The members of the Belmont student organization have served both the school and community at large. The relationship between community and campus was supported when they took initiative to partner with the Community Connections Fair. They demonstrated exemplary service within the community by preparing and serving dinner to homeless residents of Tent City, reading books to children at Family Literacy Day, taking part in the Vulnerability Index study and sponsoring a series of on-campus events in the fall to raise awareness of domestic violence (among a wide variety of other projects). Additionally, the club continued to serve the community by having a month-long food drive to support a local food pantry.