Author Archives: Graduate Health Sciences

Dr. Sells shares about his faculty research project

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Dr. Pat Sells, professor of physical therapy, answers questions about his recent research project.

What is your research topic? Why did you choose it?
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR). Muscle mass and aerobic capacity may increase with BFR training, and this suggests that reduced exercise intensity may achieve gains similar to more intense exercise.

What are some of your most interesting results?
BFR compared to non-BFR in patient’s treadmill walking at 3 miles per hour creates a physiological response similar to exercising at much higher intensity, e.g., 6 miles per hour.

What is the importance/application of your research?
BFR could allow improvements at much lower, safer levels of activity. This could mean better outcomes for elderly, cardiac and pulmonary patients, or among any patients who could benefit from increased functional capacity.

Where have you presented your research?
American College of Sports Medicine and the research symposium for the School of Physical Therapy.

Blash Invited to Publish Primer on Pharmacy Informatics

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Dr. Anthony Blash Head ShotDr. Anthony Blash, associate professor in the Belmont University College of Pharmacy, was invited to publish a foundational article on Pharmacy Informatics by the Healthcare Management Information Systems Society (HIMSS), North America.

The article, entitled Pharmacy Informatics and Its Cross-Functional Role in Healthcare, was written to help others understand the role of Pharmacy Informatics in organizational success. This article and other informative publications on Healthcare Informatics may be found in the HIMSS Resource Center, where visitors are invited to “get actionable insights into health information and technology topics” from subject matter experts.

White Coats for Black Lives: College of Pharmacy Takes a Knee to Speak Out Against Racial Injustice

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Belmont Pharmacy hosts an event

On June 18, Belmont University College of Pharmacy invited faculty, staff, students and administrators to participate in a demonstration of “White Coats for Black Lives.”

Participants joined together to listen, take a knee and observe a moment of silence for racial equality.  The event drew a wide array of people from across the organization; in addition to family members and university staff.

Nigel Heard, president of the Student National Pharmacy Association chapter at Belmont University, organized the demonstration and was one of the speakers. “The purpose of this event today is to not only bring awareness to police brutality but also, and more importantly, systemic racism, especially in the healthcare setting,” said Heard. “The purpose is to give insight on the pain carried by a community that influences reactions. To help you understand the weight on our shoulders as we maneuver through our everyday lives. To shine light on police brutality, the unnecessary deaths of people who look like me, and the lack of accountability for those that murder them. It is not good enough to not be a racist. You must be actively anti-racism.”

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Inaugural Belmont Pharmacy, HealthTrust Clinical Management Fellow Dr. Emily Singleton Completes Program, Accepts Job at Belmont

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Dr. Emily Singleton, the inaugural fellow of the Belmont University College of Pharmacy and HealthTrust Clinical Management Fellowship in Drug Information, has successfully completed the 2-year program and has accepted a position at Belmont University within the Christy Houston Foundation Drug Information Center.

Singleton’s new position will include providing an on-demand drug information service for Health-Trust members and providing drug information support to the clinical pharmacy team at HealthTrust.

Dr. Genevieve Lynn (Ness) Engle, associate professor and director of the Christy Houston Foundation Drug Information Center, said Singleton has become a vital part of the HealthTrust clinical pharmacy team. “Dr. Singleton’s contributions to the fellowship and the Drug Information Center have been remarkable. Within the first few months of her program, she published an article in Annals of Pharmacotherapy, based on one of the drug information questions she answered in the center,” she said. “I am so proud of her accomplishments and am grateful we were able to keep her as the HealthTrust Senior Manager of Clinical Information.”

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Belmont University Joins Governor Bill Lee’s TN Strong Mask Movement

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Belmont-Branded Face Mask

Belmont University is partnering with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s Economic Recovery Group (ERG) on the new TN Strong Mask Movement, a plan to distribute more than 300,000 free or low-cost cloth face coverings across the state through partnerships with 31 flagship brands at a projected value of more than $3 million.

While Belmont will use a portion of the masks for its campus, many will be distributed to members of neighboring communities in partnership with The Store. The Store, which opened earlier this year, is a free, referral-based grocery store started by Belmont alumnus Brad Paisley and his wife Kimberly Williams Paisley, which provides groceries to people working toward self-sufficiency. Through this movement, patrons of The Store will leave not only with important food resources, but also a resource to help manage the risk of COVID-19. Continue reading →

Dr. Plummer Selected for ISWP Educators Training Package Consortium

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Dr. Teresa Plummer, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, CEAS, CAPS was nominated and selected among more than 70 therapists across the globe to be a member of the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals Educators Training Package Consortium.

As a mandate from the World Health Organization, occupational therapy and physical therapy programs are encouraged to increase the learning opportunities for knowledge related to wheelchair service and delivery. Few resources exist in low income and middle income countries. The outcome of the ISWP project will create learning resources for all socioeconomic levels.

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College of Pharmacy Celebrates Key Placements in Healthcare Informatics

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group of pharmacy students

3rd Cohort of Students create Artificial Intelligence Software for Amazon Alexa at Belmont University

Tears of joy, hugs and lots of high-fives were abundant at Belmont University as pharmacy students revealed where they were accepted into residency this spring.

Belmont’s College of Pharmacy fourth-year students joined thousands of students nationwide on match day, where each individual learned where they will continue their pharmacy training after graduation in May. Students within the Healthcare Informatics track that participated in the residency match will continue their careers as residents at institutions across the country this summer.

Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy is becoming a nationally-recognized center for practice and leadership in pharmacy education with an innovative clinical doctorate. Building on the traditional Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum, the college offers students the opportunity to specialize in one of four areas: pharmacy management, healthcare informatics, missions and pharmacotherapy. Each of these areas educate students for life-long professional improvement and service as competent and compassionate practitioners. Continue reading →

Alumna Offered Occupational Therapy Fellowship at Johns Hopkins

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Katy SchmidtKaty (Coffer) Schmidt was recently offered a mental health occupational therapy fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Schmidt received her Bachelor’s degrees in Psychological Science and Music Performance from Belmont in 2016 and a doctoral degree in occupational therapy from Belmont in 2019.

For 12 months beginning in August, Schmidt will gain mentored advanced clinical practice and didactic experiences in eight psychiatric settings. She will also have opportunities for research, advocacy, program development and teaching.Although many occupational therapists across the country apply for this position, only one fellowship is awarded each year.

This fellowship will contribute to Schmidt’s eligibility for an American Occupational Therapy Association Board Certification in Mental Health.

School of Nursing Receives Grant to Address Shortage of Nurse Educators

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Belmont University’s School of Nursing received a $285,000 Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to address the national shortage of nurse educators who are committed to educating the next generation of nurses and family nurse practitioners.

Dr. Cathy Taylor, dean of the College of Health Sciences and Nursing, stated, “Congratulations to the School of Nursing and primary authors, Dr. Martha Buckner and Dr. Linda Wofford, for securing funding to initiate an exciting new chapter for graduate nursing at Belmont. This award will enable us to support talented students and directly impact the growing national shortage of nurse educators in a meaningful way. It’s a win-win.”

In addition to the traditional Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) education in the family nurse practitioner (FNP) role, students will obtain coursework specific to the role of a nursing educator. Students in the Belmont NFLP will benefit from mentor-ship, strong nurse educator preparation, as well as monetary support to pursue doctoral education and loan forgiveness. Easing the financial barrier to doctoral education will improve the supply of nurse educators and nurse practitioner preceptors.

The program will provide loan forgiveness of up to 85 percent of Belmont tuition, fees and associated costs if graduates are employed full time as family nurse practitioner preceptors or faculty in any school of nursing in the United States for four years following graduation. Students will have one year after graduation to secure appropriate employment. Continue reading →

Dean Gregory contributes to new textbook on Sports Pharmacy

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Dr. David GregoryDean of Belmont’s College of Pharmacy Dr. David Gregory offered his knowledge and writing skills to two chapters in the latest title published by the American Pharmacists Association called “Sports Pharmacy: Performance Enhancing Drugs, and the Athlete.”

Gregory joined other authors from the University of Mississippi: Pharmacologist Dr. Marvin Wilson, Athletic Director and Physical Therapist Dr. Shannon R. Singletary, and Pharmacy Law Professor Dr. Erin R. Holmes. Gregory wrote Chapter 7: Therapeutic Uses of Performance Enhancing Drugs and co-authored Chapter 3: Prohibited Substances and Their Actions with Wilson.

The book provides a comprehensive compilation of information in a single location on performance-enhancing substances by United States collegiate, amateur and professional athletes. The pharmacology of all classes of performance-enhancing drugs is discussed, as well as any data that support their use, covering a wide range of laws, policies and regulations concerning the use of substances by athletes.

With the breadth of topics covered, Sports Pharmacy is the most complete text available on performance-enhancing drugs. No other title comes close to the comprehensive nature of the topics discussed in this groundbreaking resource.

MSOT Program Receives 10-Year Accreditation

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Students work with Skeleton in Belmont's Occupational Therapy Program

Belmont University’s Occupational Therapy Master’s Program recently received full accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The status was granted for a period of 10 years. The program’s Interim Report will be due in spring 2024, and the next on-site evaluation will be scheduled within the 2029 academic year.

Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Nursing Dr. Cathy Taylor said, “We are so proud of this extraordinary achievement. While we see the dedication and hard work of program faculty, staff and students every day, such recognition for excellence is especially meaningful when it comes from respected peers.”

As one of the first in the country to gain professional accreditation at the doctoral level and with a unique master’s program providing advancement opportunities for occupational therapy assistants and physical therapist assistants throughout the U.S., the Belmont University School of Occupational Therapy leads the way in educating future occupational therapists. Students receive a comprehensive education from experienced practitioners, utilizing the latest methods and technologies in an environment that encourages life-long learning, service and advocacy.

The ACOTE onsite team is comprised of expert reviewers who evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program relative to its mission and success with respect to student achievement. Chair and professor of the School of Occupational Therapy Dr. Lorry LiottaKleinfeld explained programs can be granted a five, seven or ten-year period for re-accreditation based on the recommendations of the team. Continue reading →

Nursing Alumna Jennifer Scanlon Conducts Study on Barriers to Clinical Research Participation

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Jenn ScanlonJennifer Scanlon, DNP, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital (VCH) nurse and graduate of Belmont University’s Doctor of Nursing Program (May ’20), sought to determine how stakeholder race, trust and education influence participation barriers in clinical research through her scholarly project, “Predictors of Barriers to Participation in Clinical Research in Adults Living in the Southeastern United States.”

The project – which was the first collaboration between Belmont’s School of Nursing and the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance (MVA) – utilized secondary, cross sectional survey data collected between 2014 and 2016 through the former Mid-South Clinical Data Research Network (CDRN), currently known as the STAR-CRN.

“We have underrepresentation in minority races,” Scanlon said. “In those races, there are the greatest health disparities. If we don’t have adequate representation in minorities, we won’t be able to treat them effectively, which will worsen disparities that already exist.”

Scanlon connected with MVA Research Assistant Professor of Medicine Alecia Fair, DrPH and Belmont University Adjunct Instructor of Mathematics David Phillippi, PhD, who served as Scholarly Project Team Managers. Belmont University Director of Graduate Nursing Studies Linda Wofford, DNP served as the Scholarly Project Advisor.

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Healthcare Informatics Program Receives Visitor from Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy

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Joshua Page, Julie Nguyen and Grant Harder

From left to right: 2020 Healthcare Informatics Senior Team members Joshua Page, Julie Nguyen & Grant Harder

As a leader in Healthcare Informatics among colleges of pharmacy in the United States, the Belmont University College of Pharmacy’s program frequently entertains visitors interested in learning more about the curriculum and activities of the teams. The spring 2020 semester was no exception.

On Wednesday, February 25, P4 students in the Doctor of Pharmacy program received Dr. Hilary Campbell, PharmD, JD. for a visit and class session. Dr. Campbell is a research associate at the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, where she provides guidance on a wide variety of clinical, legal, regulatory, policy and technology issues. Dr. Campbell has developed curriculum for UCSF and Duke, worked at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, and recently spent a one-year term as the special assistant to the chief data officer of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Campbell is currently researching innovative informatics programs in colleges of pharmacy in the U.S. Continue reading →

John Williams Heart of Belmont Award Honors Foster Child Advocate, Nursing Graduate Hailey Brooks

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Hailey Brooks HeadshotA Nursing major and May 2020 graduate, Hailey Brooks is this year’s recipient of the John Williams Heart of Belmont Award.

“I am a foster care child. I say that with pride because I am proud of who I am despite the trauma and adversities I had to climb over to be here today,” Brooks said. “I am among the one percent of foster children who graduate college and help break the stereotypes around foster youth. Today, that’s my biggest accomplishment.” Brooks is committed to spreading light on both the good and the bad areas of foster care and making positive changes in the foster care system, particularly by increasing foster youth college attendance.

The Heart of Belmont Award recognizes a third or fourth year student who possesses an intrinsic commitment to voluntary service, initiative and innovation in problem solving, persistence in overcoming obstacles, advocacy for change that enhances the lives of those in the community, mature understanding of community needs and systemic problems, sensitivity in developing a partnering relationship with community and habits of reflection that derive from service and lead to service.

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Nursing Alumna Lara Stahl Battles COVID-19 on Two Fronts

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Group photo of the Air Force Reserve unit

Group photo of the Air Force Reserve unit at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx

Alumna Lara Stahl, nursing class of 2004, is battling COVID-19 on two fronts: as a regional clinical operations director and family nurse practitioner for Premise Health in Fort Worth, Texas and as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, serving as a clinical nurse.

Both Stahl’s civilian and military roles have been wrapped around fighting COVID-19 for the past couple of months. In late February, Stahl was asked to join the corporate COVID-19 clinical response team for Premise Health. Her team had the enormous task of virtually providing care through their many wellness centers across the United States. Stahl was hard at work on that project before she was deployed with the Air Force Reserves on April 5 to support the COVID-19 response in New York City, as the pandemic was overwhelming the community and city hospital system.

Stahl’s role has been to act as a clinical nurse at the Jacobi Medical Center, a city hospital in the Bronx. “Since coming here, I have been with the people of my reserve unit 24/7, and I have realized how noble a cause our reserve forces are taking on with this COVID-19 response. We all left our families and jobs to come here to serve our country in a way that has never been done by the Air Force Reserve,” Stahl explained. Continue reading →

Dr. Crews Supports Metro Students in tnAchieves Webinar

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Dr. Douglas Crews, assistant professor of social work

Dr. Douglas Crews, assistant professors of social work, eagerly worked with tnAchieves in a webinar held at the beginning of April to support local metro schools during this time of virtual learning. tnAchieves is the partnering organization to the Tennessee Promise Scholarship, aiming to increase higher education opportunities for Tennessee high school students by providing last-dollar scholarships with mentor guidance.

Dr. Crews has served as a mentor for tnAchieves since 2017. “I have loved every minute of it,” he shared. “Being a mentor with tnAchieves allows me to combine my passion for being a university professor and a social worker together with high school seniors as they plan for the next step in their life’s journey. I feel privileged to be able to connect with students and help them process the questions they have about what the future may hold. Being a mentor during their time of transition from high school to life beyond is a very rewarding experience. I believe all of us would benefit from being a mentor with tnAchieves.”

Dr. Greenwalt Creates Course on Geriatric Considerations for COVID-19

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Geriatric Considerations CourseDr. Suzanne Greenwalt, assistant professor of physical therapy, recently released a continuing education course through the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Section (CVP) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) which is part of a larger project called the PACER project, Post-Acute COVID-19 Exercise & Rehabilitation.

There are approximately 15 courses that have been or are being created as a part of this project. The courses are all free and continuing education units (CEU) will be awarded accordingly. The courses are available on the APTA Learning Center website, the CVP section Facebook page, and on YouTube.

Dr. Greenwalt created a one-hour course, titled “Geriatric Considerations for COVID-19.” It was released on YouTube and Facebook last week, as well as on the APTA Learning Center site. Since it’s release, the video has been viewed more than 6,000 times on Facebook and more than 1,800 times on YouTube.

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New Belmont Programs Allow Health Care Students to Achieve Bachelors AND Doctoral Degree in 6 Years

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Exercise Science classroom

Belmont University’s College of Health Sciences & Nursing recently unveiled two exciting new options for high-achieving students interested in pursuing health care doctorate degrees in physical therapy or occupational therapy. Through new 3 + 3 programs, students successfully majoring at Belmont in exercise science who have met entry requirements will be granted guaranteed early admission to Belmont’s nationally recognized DPT or OTD programs. Courses taken in the student’s fourth year will complete the bachelor’s program and serve as the first year of the doctoral program, thus achieving the full doctorate in six rather than the traditional seven years required for such programs.

College of Health Sciences & Nursing Dean Dr. Cathy Taylor said, “Students who take on these 3+3 programs will receive distinct advantages academically, financially and professionally. The challenging and thorough curriculum is designed to provide students intense focus in their chosen field and move these future healthcare leaders into their professions quickly, saving a full year of time and tuition costs.” Continue reading →

Alumnae Soccer Players/Nursing Majors Now Serving as Healthcare Workers

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Thank You Belmont Nurses

Balancing life as a Belmont Women’s Soccer player and a nursing major presents challenges. Overcoming those obstacles, however, has helped Belmont alumnae grow stronger as nurses.

Lauren Paynter, Heather Ferrari, Meg Howard, Ali Alcott, Patience Whitten, Emily Jones, Lauren Trappey and many others are Belmont Women’s Soccer alumnae currently working in the healthcare field and helping the United States fight COVID-19.

“Learning things like teamwork and leadership, I’ve used those types of skills every day that I’ve worked as a nurse,” Paynter said. “Especially now during this virus outbreak, we’ve really had to come together within the hospital setting. Using those learning aspects (at Belmont) has been very valuable.” Continue reading →

Dr. Voight Presents at Nashville Golf Fitness Summit

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Voight Presents at Golf Summit

Dr. Mike Voight was recently an invited presenter, along with Lance Gill from Titleist, at the second annual Nashville Golf Fitness Summit. The topic was “Modern Day Observations of Golf Injury Etiology and Physical Performance.”

With spring right around the corner, this was a timely talk to help golfers prepare for the upcoming golf season and to avoid injury.

Occupational Therapy Faculty Develops, Tests Mobility Device for Infants

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Dr. Teresa Plummer, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, CEAS, CAPS and associate professor of occupational therapy

Dr. Teresa Plummer, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, CEAS, CAPS and associate professor of occupational therapy

Dr. Teresa Plummer, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, CEAS, CAPS and associate professor of occupational therapy, has spent the past 10 years modifying ride-on toys for children who have limited access to their environment, as no such device yet existed for children under six years of age. Plummer involved students, alumni and faculty of the Occupational Therapy Department with opportunities to join this endeavor and has been instrumental in the teaching and conducting modifications for more than 260 families at no cost to them.

Dr. Plummer consulted with Permobil, Inc., a global leader in advanced medical technology, to develop and test a device for infants called the Explorer Mini. Permobil develops, manufactures and markets wheelchairs, seating, positioning and communication systems for people with disabilities. The company issued an expression of gratitude that stated, “The contribution by Dr. Plummer into the validation of the Explorer Mini was significant and highly appreciated by us, but ever more by all generations of children to come.”

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School of Nursing Alumna Presents Research with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Research Fellowship

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Nursing alumna Kelsey Maguire, Class of 2014

Nursing alumna Kelsey Maguire, Class of 2014

Kelsey Maguire, alumna of the School of Nursing’s Class of 2014, presented research with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) Nursing Research Fellowship in January 2020. Maguire works as a registered nurse in the MSKCC Urgent Care Center (UCC), a specialized 24-hour unit dedicated to the treatment of emergent medical issues in patients undergoing treatment for cancer at MSKCC in New York, New York.

Maguire’s study, titled “Frequency of Oncologic Emergency Visits to a Comprehensive Cancer Center Urgent Care Center: A Descriptive Cohort Study,” aims to describe the number and frequency of patient visits to the UCC and identify groups of oncologic patients reporting for emergency care multiple times within a year.

The study was conducted through a Retrospective Chart Review of all patients visiting the unit in 2018 in hopes of filling a gap in the literature describing the utilization of the oncologic Emergency Department. The results of this study hope to inform future work to proactively identify and improve outcomes for patients at high risk for unplanned care.

Next steps for the project include follow-up studies at the institution, as well as applications to present a poster at the Oncology Nursing Society Congress in San Antonio, Texas, and publish the results.

Dr. Voight Participates in 2020 Interventional Orthobiologics Foundation Congress

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Dr. Voight at IOF CongressDr. Mike Voight, professor of physical therapy, was recently an invited participant at the Interventional Orthobiologics Foundation 2020 Congress on Regenerative Medicine.

As a member of the IOF, Dr. Voight has participated in the past four congresses and has an active interaction with other members. The latest in regenerative biological research is presented and discussed.

Dr. Voight has routinely brought this “cutting edge” information back to the classroom with integration into the physical therapy coursework.

Dr. Hallmark Hosts National Conversation on Virtual Learning

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Hallmark's headshotDr. Beth Hallmark, director of simulation for the College of Health Sciences and Nursing and National League for Nursing (NLN) fellow, recently assisted in facilitating a virtual NLN Town Hall.

This online meeting of NLN experts and nurse educators focused on strategies for online teaching and learning with the recent transition to online courses due to the challenges of COVID-19. Through this virtual meeting, nurse educators were able to engage in discussion regarding how to best continue a sufficient learning experience virtually by asking questions, sharing ideas and offering solutions that have seen results thus far.

The conversation centered on various ways to ensure requirements for graduation were met for students nearing graduation, as well as ways to offer secure testing methods virtually. A large emphasis of the meeting was on creative online teaching and learning strategies. Ideas for teaching students in this ever-evolving situation ranged from tactics to enhance critical thinking to teaching in community to solutions for remote simulation.

With the cancellation of clinical rotations for students, Hallmark has dedicated her time to developing innovative simulation events to continue to meet student’s education needs. Like many, Hallmark is adapting to a dynamic situation to continue preparing the next generation of professional nurses.

Dr. Voight Delivers Lecture at Big Sky Sports Medicine Conference

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Dr. Voight at Sports Medicine ConferenceDr. Mike Voight from the School of Physical Therapy was an invited guest lecturer at the 2020 Big Sky Sports Medicine Conference. This conference was attended by more than 350 physicians, physical therapists and athletic trainers who work in sports medicine.

Dr. Voight’s topic was “Integrating Technology into Rehabilitation” and described an analytical approach to both evaluating and integrating new technology into clinical practice.