Category Archives: School of Physical Therapy

63 health science students receive degrees at August Commencement

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Sixty-three students in the health sciences received their respective degrees from Belmont University this past Friday evening.    Sixty of the students graduated from the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing – 30 with the Doctor of Physical Therapy, 27 with the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, two with the Doctor of Occupational Therapy, one with the Bachelor of Social Work.  Three candidates received the Doctor of Pharmacy from the College of Pharmacy.  The August ceremony serves as the primary commencement for Belmont’s doctoral program in physical therapy and master’s program in occupational therapy.

The honor of delivering the student reflection at commencement was given to DPT graduate, Sarahann Callaway, who shared about the opportunity Belmont provided her to fulfill her calling and serve in mission around the world.  Her address is linked below.

Dr. Leslie Folds, Associate Professor of Nursing, who received the Presidential Faculty Achievement Award in May, carried the Presidential Banner during the ceremony.

Earlier Friday, hooding ceremonies were held for health science candidates receiving advanced degrees.   The School of Physical Therapy presented individual awards to several students:  the David G. Greathouse Award from STAR Physical Therapy to Megan Tisdale, the Results Physiotherapy Orthopedic Award to Stephen Graham, the Academic Award to Kathryn Glaws, the Class Leader Award to Laura Moore and recognition for mission work to Hannah Peck and Sarahann Callaway.  The speaker at the hooding ceremony was Dr. John DeWitt who was honored as the School’s 2012 Outstanding Alumnus.  Dr. DeWitt, a 2001 DPT graduate, currently serves as Team Leader for Clinical Development and Director for Physical Therapy residencies at Ohio State University.

 

Belmont PT student selected for sports physical therapy residency at Ohio State

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Kate Glaws, a current doctoral student in the Belmont University School of Physical Therapy, has been selected for the Sports Physical Therapy Residency Program at The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center.  The residency is one of 22 APTA credentialed programs in sports physical therapy in the United States.   Kate was selected from among 30 applicants to the program and will begin the 16-month residency after graduating with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Belmont this August.

“This is a notable accomplishment for Kate as this process is highly competitive due to the limited number of positions available in the United States,” said Dr. Michael Voight, a professor in the School of Physical Therapy at Belmont.   He added, “Kate exemplifies all of the characteristics required to excel in this type of post-graduate education.  The residency at OSU is considered one of the best in the country with a very distinguished faculty.”

The OSU residency provides opportunity to receive clinical training in sports physical therapy from physical therapists and physicians specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine, to participate in research at the University’s biomechanics research laboratory, and to treat sports patients.  Residents gain experience working with OSU’s athletic programs, treating athletes in Division I sports, club sports and at USA National Governing Body of Sports Medicine events.  Residents also instruct orthopedic and cadaveric labs in OSU’s entry-level PT program.

As a PT student at Belmont, Kate co-authored with fellow students Sarahann Callaway, Melissa Mitchell and Heather Scerbo and faculty members Mike Voight and Pat Sells, a research study exploring the relationship between peak pelvis rotation, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus strength on a golfer’s handicap.   The study was published in the June 2012 edition of the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.

Kate entered the DPT program at Belmont after graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Honors College with a degree in accounting.  At IUP, Kate was team captain of the women’s basketball team for two years, and in her senior season led the Crimson Hawks to the PSAC Conference Championship and the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen where she was selected to the All-Tournament team.  She also was named to ESPN the Magazine’s Academic All-District II Women’s Basketball First Team in 2007 following a Second Team selection in 2006.

PT students awarded clinical scholarships

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Since its inaugural class of 2000, either Belmont University School of Physical Therapy’s third year students and/or second year students have been the recipients of PT Clinical Scholarship awards.  These awards have been provided by an anonymous donor with the intent to assist in defraying the additional costs incurred during the final 8-week full time clinical experiences.  With the $5000.00 offered again this year, the total amount to date that has been awarded to PT students is $114,000.00.

At the request of the donor, a committee selected third year students based on their campus and community involvement, high academic achievements and need.  Each applicant provided a one-page resume’ and one-page essay indicating why they chose the physical therapy program at Belmont University and explained their need for financial assistance.

This year’s scholarship recipients are Sarahann Callaway, Brittany Colston, John Hackett, Sarah Herschberger, Lauren LaCourse, Natalie Neufelder, Michelle Perna, Teela Sexton, and Allie Sosebee.

 

Mission to Guatemala – Day 6

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Mission to Guatemala 2012
by Allison Toole

Today we woke up in beautiful Antigua!  Its safe to say we all got an amazing night of sleep after a hard day of work yesterday in Tecpan!  I was part of the team that spent the day at the JT Children’s Foundation and it was such a rewarding experience! We saw 5 patients in the morning and 4 patients in the afternoon.  It was amazing to see the teamwork between us and the clinicians there in Tecpan.  The parents of the patients we saw were so open and wanting to understand how they could help their children out even more at home. We started out by assessing their children and ended each session with educating the parents on exercises and strengthening techniques they needed to do at home.  We stressed to the parents that most of their children will not get better unless they continue doing their exercises at home.  Overall, the teams had a very rewarding experience at the JT Foundation and felt very blessed for the opportunity to work with such beautiful children.

After our team finished at the JT Foundation, we got on the bus and headed over to the where the other team had spent the day building steps and installing a rope.  I was completely in awe when we pulled up and saw the numerous amounts of kids that lived in this part of the village! They were SO loving and immediately hugged and greeted us as we got out of the van.  After talking with the other team for a while, I was told that the kids were very eager to help out with their project and were an integral part in helping build the steps.  It warmed my heart to know and see how hardworking these children are… that isn’t something I am used to seeing every day.   It was a very humbling experience to see how grateful these children were for all the work we did.

I can’t believe how fast this week has gone by! I feel like I have learned and grown so much in such a short amount of time. My heart is completely on fire for this beautiful country and I cannot wait for future opportunities to come back and hopefully continue these projects we have started here this past week.  Today is zip lining and shopping in the market and we are all very excited to explore the market and get some good shopping in (including the delicious coffee!!)

Mission to Guatemala 2012 – Day 5

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Mission to Guatemala 2012

Feliz Dia de Madre!  Today is Mother’s Day in Guatemala.  We all got this message at 4 am with a 5 minute blast of fire crackers in the courtyard!

The team headed to Tecpan – a rural farming village about 2 hours west of the city.  We teamed up with JT Childrens Foundation – an organization that provided physical and occupational therapy for kids. 1/2 of the team stayed at the foundation assisting with therapy and the nurses gave CPR training.

The other half went out into a community in the mountains. We were at Melvin’s home. Melvin is a 14 yr old kid with CP. His home is on top of a steep incline – maybe 200 meters from the main road. Melvin walks down the stairs to the main road to get to therapy.  The stairs have been washed smooth over time. His handrail….barb wire! Yikes.

We spent the day cutting out new stairs and installed a rope for a hand rail.  Pretty good day of manual labor.  We did of course find time to play with all the kids.  Spanish is the 2nd language in this area. the main language is a Mayan dialect of Q’eqchi.  Super nice folks.

After work we headed into Antigua were we will be for the next 2 nights. Friday is our day off – zip lining and shopping.

Mission to Guatemala – Day 4 – More

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Mission to Guatemala 2012
by Rachel Haddock

Today was as busy and fun filled as the previous few days. I was a part of a team who spend the majority of the day at the school meeting classrooms full of children ages kindergarten through the 6th grade. With entry into each classroom we were greeted with songs. We watched as they made gifts for their mothers and had time to play as well. We spent the rest of our time painting a classroom that was built a few years ago and really needed a fresh coat of paint.

The highlight of the day, for me was when we went into the village where we got to see how great the poverty is and what seemed to me was the ‘real Guatemala’ and what daily life is like for people here. We met a wonderful family whose daughter is suffering from chronic renal failure. She was hooked up to a make-shift dialysis device and we heard from her mother that the young girl wanted most was to ride a bike again before she died. This statement was not only incredibly touching and heartbreaking but motivating for our team. As we left them, we made the decision to buy her a bicycle before we left. In the middle of dinner she and her mother and father came to the Nazarene Center to get her gift. We were all overwhelmed by her father’s gratitude and her mother’s tears. The little girl was so excited and was able to practice immediately, her joy was undeniable. It was so humbling and rewarding to know that we made a difference in her life and hopefully made her time before and after surgery a time she can enjoy and have fun like other kids.

I am looking forward to the adventures and challenges that we face tomorrow but I am so encouraged after tonight, seeing the impact we made simply by giving a little girl a bike- something we take for granted everyday back home.

Mission to Guatemala – Day 4

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Mission to Guatemala 2012

Our first visit was to Lucy. The nursing team and I were honored with an invitation inside her home, and witnessed a kind of gratitude for that home (which had been built by The Shalom Foundation) that far outdid what any of could have expected from someone living in such extreme poverty. Our hearts broke in unison when Lucy disclosed that the beautiful baby girl in her womb was past due, and that she completely lacked access to any kind of hospital, clinic, or even midwife to facilitate delivery… Las Conchas simply didn’t have anything to offer her or her baby to be… And Lucy simply didn’t have access to transportation. Her plan, when the time came, was to take to the bumpy dirt road outside her home and walk until she passed someone who could help. Not long after, we ran into Julio, another man Shalom had provided for in the past. With one of his precious daughters wrapped around his legs, Julio lamented that he no longer had a job and that he was struggling to provide food and fulfill basic needs for his family. Heart-wrenching visits like these passed one by one throughout the day until finally, standing outside a small tin home on a hillside of the Las Conchas community while the nursing team examined another helpless baby girl, I stared down the steep dirt road toward the masses of other small tin houses, and thought to myself that there was simply too much.

Luckily, I had someone there to remind me that miracles happen one by one. And the reminder was well-timed. Today was a day of miracles. I even think I may have contributed to one very special miracle at the clinic that we visited in Las Canoas. The nurses were overjoyed at the bags and bags of medical donations that we brought with us. They dug right into everything, and with great care they organized it all between the two small rooms that functioned as their office and exam room. Their gratitude for the donations was unmistakable. still it wasn’t long before I became aware of a rather large deterrent to their actual ability to use many of the supplies that we were leaving them with: They couldn’t read any of it. In fact, they couldn’t read any of the bottles or instruction sheets for any of the drugs that they had so neatly organized in their cabinets from previous rounds of donations. It was therefore with great honor that I was able to translate the function and dosage information for their entire cabinet. The nurses enthusiastically noted and labeled everything, with their minds undoubtedly full of the many local people that they would now be able to treat with the medicines they had received.

The need here is overwhelming. But with the right mixture of generosity and sharing of skills… perhaps these small miracles can be even more so.

Mission to Guatemala – Day 3

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Mission to Guatemala 2012

Click here for photos.

Tuesday May 8th was our third day in Guatemala, and the second day we were out in the community doing work. The team of nurses started the day at the Hospital for the children with infectious diseases and in need of rehabilitation. First we met the nurse director who gave us a tour of the entire hospital, she was amazing and taught us about how they run all of the separate units in the hospital. We were introduced to the pediatricians and the staff nurses and they showed us around each of their respective units and we met some of their patients. The last unit we went to was the intensive care unit. There we were met by the supervising nurse of the ICU where she welcomed us in and we had to wash our hands and get on gowns. We met all of the patients in the ICU and learned their stories. After that we all split up into three groups, one group in the ICU, one in the emergency room and one group taking vital signs in the general admission unit. All of the groups helped take care of patients and worked side by side with the nurses in the hospital. After lunch we left the hospital and went to the university to teach the physical therapy students there CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. Last we went back to the Moore surgery center, to hold a fabulous baby shower for Maria Jose. We had an amazing day and were completely blessed to spend it together helping the children in Guatemala.

OT and PT got to visit the hospital again this morning and worked with the Guatemalan therapists to treat several children.  The therapists seemed happy to see us again this morning and involved us in each treatment session.  My favorite memory from the hospital was working with a little boy named Oscar who is diagnosed with microcephaly and is blind. Oscar doesn’t have proper strength within his trunk in order to sit up straight, so his spine kind of looks like a “c”.  Tamara worked on positioning Oscar to help straighten his spine, but needed a little “something extra” to help involve Oscar in the therapy session. She asked us to start singing and as we did he immediately responded to everything Tamara was doing! It was such a great experience to be involved in something so simple but so monumental for this little boy. Oscar most definitely melted a piece of my heart today.  After the hospital we traveled to the surgery center to see patients. OTs and PTs split into two groups and worked with patients that had previously visited the surgery center. This was a great learning experience and everyone was able to learn more about our disciplines and about how to work together to give the best treatment possible.  We then joined the nursing students for the baby shower and had a fantastic time playing baby shower games and showing love to Maria Jose and her family.  Today was absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait to see what else Guatemala has to teach us!

Mission to Guatemala – Day 2

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Mission to Guatemala 2012
by Constance Taras

Today was both exhausting and exhilarating. We started off the day at the government hospital in the heart of Guatemala City.   The OT and PT students split into our respective gyms to work with a few of the children scheduled for the day. I broke off with a few other PT students to work with 3 babies in the stimulation room where we observed the mothers learning at home stretches for their children as well as visual stimulation activities. We then were able to take the children into a dark room and work with lights to work on visual tracking and postural control. The child I worked with, Cido, started off with a lag as he was following the blinking glow stick and by the end of the 5 minute exercise was successful able to track with his eyes and head in all directions. The progress, even if just small, was extremely rewarding.

We then moved into the main gym and worked with some of the inpatient clients. These children presented with an array of problems from CP to malnutrition. We worked with the Guatemalan PTs to learn what was already being used to help the children as well as suggesting other activities. I loved the hands on opportunities to work directly with the children implementing techniques learned in school as well as learning new ones along the way. After breaking for lunch, a group of us traveled to the local Physical Therapy school to have a collaborative lab with their students. It was extremely challenging to engage with Spanish speaking students and to collectively come up with activities that could benefit both PTs and OTs. We emphasized the importance of communication and collaboration between the disciplines. It was amazing to see that although communication was difficult we were able to complete the task as a bi-cultural group. The visit to the school ended our work day but left me with an amazing feeling of accomplishment and excitement for the days to come.

More pictures – click here.

 

Mission to Guatemala – Day 1

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Mission to Guatemala 2012
by Jennifer Tong and Morgan King

Jennifer:  It was an early start to the morning as we gathered as a team to travel to Guatemala! This has a been a trip that I have been anticipating even before I started PT school at Belmont. The morning was filled with a combination of excitement and exhaustion. We arrived in Guatemala with all of our team members and all of our luggage! We all hopped on a bus and arrived at the pediatrics surgery center to have lunch and tour the facility. Before I talk about the surgery center, I need to mention the streets and the people that I saw. There were people walking everywhere and random booths set up by the locals. The toughest thing to see was the poverty in this country. There were these two children sitting on the sidewalk, holding a cup in their hand, and begging for money. This was just another reminder of how I take everything for granted, especially the things I don’t even think about that like a roof over my head, a bed, food, and water. Now, about the surgery center! This surgery center was built for children who are less fortunate and can’t afford to pay for the necessary surgeries. It was so inspiring to hear about the difference these surgeons were making in lives of so many children in Guatemala. I’m excited to see the difference our team is going to make in the lives of the people in Guatemala this week!

Morgan:  Arrived in Guatemala City around noon to a crowd of individuals waiting behind barriers at the airport (now I know what celebrities feel like). We loaded a school bus and headed to the Surgery Center for lunch and to take a tour of the facility. I was sort of in culture shock at the surgery center because I realized how fortunate we are in the United States to have so many necessities. The surgery center was perfect though for the families in Guatemala. Children’s paintings with bible verses were all over the facility. It was amazing to see the hard work and volunteers that have helped put the center together and make it possible to help families out in Guatemala with surgeries that would never be possible without the help of Shalom. After we left the surgery center, we took a “crazy” bus ride through the city to the Nazarene center. People are walking all over the streets (men, women, children). Let’s just saw I saw my life and other peoples life flash before my eyes with the traffic in Guatemala. Once we arrived at the center we checked in our rooms and all hung out with our team. We got the chance to learn about a lot of our members and talk about the culture shock of the things we saw in Guatemala. Now it’s bed time. Big day tomorrow! Full of exciting events at the Orphanage and local hospital.

Mission to Guatemala – Arrival

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Mission to Guatemala 2012
by Tiffany Campbell

Today was our arrival into Guatemala City. After arriving into the airport our whole team was transported by a yellow school  bus to the pediatric Moore Surgery center for lunch and a tour. Driving to the surgery center was nerve wrecking. Traffic rules are more like suggestions here, which is something I personally have never experienced. We received our itinerary for the week, watched a video about the surgery center, and Claudia gave us some words of encouragement for the week. She made it known to us even though we may not be able to speak Spanish, we can smile and give a hug because love is a universal language. After that we were very worn out from getting up so early and flights so we checked in at the Nazarene Seminary where we are staying for the week.

Team Members include: Tamara Garvey, Kelly Brown, Jennifer Tong, Andrea Wheman, Carly Walls, Allison Toole, Lindley Holder, Rachel Haddock, Darcy King, Alison Martin, Amanda Sisco, Morgan King, Aimee Costa, Mary Beth Long, Jami Graham, Constance Taras, Tessa Irwin, Britt Colston, Ashley Ganus, Sheila Robb, Jenna Briggs, Tyler Servedio, Casea Calvert, Tiffany Campbell, Leslie Simmons, Cassandra Goble, Jamie Adam, Natham Adam and Joe Doughty.

Bursch receives Outstanding Service Award from TPTA

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Gail Bursch, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, recently received the Outstanding Service Award from the Tennessee Physical Therapy Association (TPTA).  The award recognizes dedication and hard work as demonstrated through extraordinary service, a distinctive role in the field of teaching, research or publishing, and outstanding contributions to the profession and health-related community organizations.

Dr. Baron Johnson, a physical therapist from Maryville, Tennessee who nominated Bursch for the award, commented on “the countless hours she has dedicated serving the profession of physical therapy and the Tennessee association.”  He added that, “her leadership example and dedication to the profession has influenced and challenged me to serve for many years.”   “This award recognizes the spirit of service we see each day in working with Gail,” said Dr. John Halle, Associate Dean in the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing and Program Chair of the Belmont University School of Physical Therapy.  “We’re happy for her and celebrate with her in receiving this award.”

Professor Bursch is Director of Clinical Education for the School of Physical Therapy.  She has served at Belmont since the University initiated a graduate program in PT in 1997.  Prior to coming to Belmont, Bursch was Administrative Director of Rehab Services at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville and started her professional career as a physical therapist at University of Kentucky Medical Center.  She earned a Bachelor of Health Science in Physical Therapy and a Master of Science in Education from University of Kentucky.  She is a licensed physical therapist and certified wound specialist and has supplemented her education with nearly two hundred continuing education opportunities.  She has been published with her research on Interrater Reliability of Diastasis Recti Abdominis Measurement, as well as with articles authored or coauthored in Volunteer Voice and Rehab Management.  She has made dozens of professional presentations and is an active member of the PT profession.

Students hear from healthcare professionals from Community Health Systems

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Earlier this week, more than 200  Belmont University health science students and faculty attended a lunchtime panel discussion on “Emerging Issues and Hot Topics in Acute Care”  presented by health professionals from Community Health Systems and sponsored by the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing.  The discussion provided students with information about practice changes and new career paths that are developing because of the changes occurring nationally in acute care.

Community Health Systems is a leading operator of general acute care hospitals in the United States. The organization’s affiliates own, operate or lease 134 hospitals in 29 states, with approximately 19,800 beds. Community Health Systems-affiliated hospitals are the sole provider of healthcare services in more than 60 percent of the markets they serve.

Panelists included Barbara Paul, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Community Health Systems, a board certified internist who spent 12 years in fulltime practice before entering administration; Keri McKamey, RN, BSN, Emergency Room Director at Heritage Medical Center in Shelbyville, TN, who has 16 years experience in surgery and emergency nursing; Nina Jackson, RN, MSN, CCRN, Director of Critical Care, Step-Down and Cardiovascular Nursing at Gateway Medical Center in Clarksville, TN, who has over 23 years of critical care/ICU nursing experience;  Vickie Vaughn, RN, CNOR, Director of Surgical Services at Heritage Medical Center, who has over 30 years experience in the healthcare industry; and Jennifer Brandon, MS-CCP/SLP, Director of Rehabilitation Services at Gateway Medical Center, a practicing speech-language pathologist with over 12 years of experience.

“This was an exceptional opportunity for our students to ask questions and interact with practicing healthcare professionals to learn about the workplace they will soon enter,” said Dr. Cathy Taylor, Dean of the College of Health Sciences.

Ashley Pratt, a senior nursing student from Brentwood, said she learned “that nursing is not how it used to be and being able to adapt to changes locally and nationally is an essential part of nursing care today.”   Leslie Vecchio, a second degree nursing student from Nashville, said of the presenters, “it was inspiring to hear them tell their unique stories about how they got to where they are now and it was interesting to hear how the atmosphere on the clinical floor is changing to include more interdisciplinary interaction between practices, and also with patients and families.”  She added, “This really emphasized what we are learning here, the importance of teamwork. “

The Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing is preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals with clinical doctorates in nursing practice, occupational therapy and physical therapy, master’s level programs in occupational therapy and nursing for family nurse practitioners, and undergraduate programs in nursing and social work.  The College of Health Sciences along with the College of Pharmacy is housed at Belmont University in a state-of-the-art complex featuring advanced laboratories, a health services clinic with a teaching pharmacy, and cutting edge patient simulation technology which has earned the College national recognition as a Laerdal Center of Educational Excellence.

Graduate programs in the College of Health Sciences move up in US News rankings

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The three graduate schools in the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing were recognized this week when U.S. News & World Report released its 2013 rankings of Best Graduate Schools, a tool to help prospective graduate students better understand the graduate school landscape and to identify programs that would be good fits. The rankings highlight the top programs in health, business, law, medicine, engineering and education, among other specialties.

In the 2013 rankings, Belmont’s Occupational Therapy program jumped from No. 90 last year to No. 58 out of more than 150 universities. Meanwhile, the School of Physical Therapy came in 51st out of nearly 200 other programs, and Belmont’s graduate nursing program was ranked at 234 out of 464 schools.

All the health rankings are based solely on the results of peer assessment surveys sent to deans, other administrators, and/or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools in each discipline who were asked to rate the academic quality of programs. Those schools with the highest average scores appear in the rankings.

Mission to Guatemala 2012: Day 1

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From Julie and Cassie, OTD Class 2013

Today was our first full day in Guatemala! This morning we woke up excited to see what this day had in store for us. We woke up and had breakfast around 7:00 then left the Nazarene Center at 8:00 to start our day.  First, we went to Los Conchas to visit the Shalom School. There, we visited with all of the classrooms and meet the children, teachers, and principal. After our school visit, we went out into the community and visited with each family in the community. We split up into three different groups to cover each of the sectors that comprises the neighborhood to invite them to the medical clinic that is occurring later this week. Later, we traveled to a feeding program in Guatemala City, called Under the Bridge and it was literally under a bridge. This program focused on children and integrating Bible study and Christianity into the meal and activity. The program currently serves about 40 children and their goal is to reach up to 50 children in the community. This was a great experience and we all enjoyed observing the children interact with one another and participate in the Bible study activity. The children were very appreciative and respectful to one another and the workers who were assisting with the meal. This gave also gave us an opportunity to use our Spanish skills to interact with the children. After the feeding program, we went to the orphanage to visit the twelve children who live there. There, we gave some occupational therapy and physical therapy assessments to the kids and after analyzing the results, offered treatment and intervention activities to the caregivers to best benefit the children. We also played and sang songs with the kids. At the end of the day, we went back to the Nazarene Center, ate dinner, had a worship service, and reflected on our day.

Overall, it was a WONDERFUL day!

Mission to Guatemala Spring Break 2012: We’ve Arrived

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from Lacy Little

After a couple of bumpy plane rides, we finally made it! We all piled into a school bus and were treated to sandwiches and yummy banana bread. After much debugging, lysol-ing, and even some lice preventative (eh hem, PTA’s) we rested our tired traveled eyes. Waking up early this morning was worth it because of the BEAUTIFUL sunrise over the Guatemalan hills. Cannot wait to see what today has in store!

 

College of Health Sciences & College of Pharmacy part of community health fair at Belmont basketball game

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As a show of gratitude to the University’s friends, Belmont opened its arms Jan. 28 with a Community Health Fair in the Maddox Grand Atrium of the Curb Event Center in conjunction with the men’s and women’s basketball games against Jacksonville. The free fair, co-sponsored by University Health Services, the College of Health Sciences, the College of Pharmacy and Belmont Athletics,  featured 30 booths with blood pressure, body composition and bone density screenings; CPR demonstrations; and information on tobacco cessation, breast cancer awareness, diabetes, healthy eating, self defense and recreation. Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Renfrew Center, Edgehill Community Garden, Edgehill Family Resource Center, YMCA and Real Food Farms had booths.

“Belmont has always been supportive of the community and has done a lot of partnering and programming in the area surrounding campus. This (was) a continuation of those services to share information,” said Director of Health Services Katy Wilson. “Students from all of the health sciences programs, athletics department and fitness and recreation center (were) heavily involved in the fair.” Click here to view photos from the Community Health Fair.

The fair was intended to put wellness and preventive health resources within reach of Belmont’s neighbors and fans with screenings, pamphlets and prizes. Although the event marked the first Community Health Fair at Belmont, it was an extension of the annual Pink Zone through an initiative with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and Susan G. Komen for the Cure to promote breast cancer awareness. The women’s basketball team wore pink uniforms. Fans received free pink T-shirts and pom poms.

“We have been fortunate to have a long-standing relationship with Susan G. Komen’s Nashville office. They set up a table in the hope of interacting with fans on game day,” Director of Athletics Marketing Jimmy Frush said. “We chose this doubleheader to reach a wide variety of people, ages and genders and to feature the many different programs and departments with Belmont’s Health Sciences. Hopefully, it (delivered) a valuable service to the fans coming to the game.”

Healthcare among professions with the lowest unemployment

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The Education, Healthcare, Business and Professional Services industries have been the most stable employers for recent college graduates.  That is according to a new report by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University.

Unemployment rates are relatively low (5.4 percent) for recent college students who majored in Healthcare and Education because these majors are attached to stable or growing industry sectors. Recent graduates in Psychology and Social Work have relatively low unemployment rates (7.3 percent) nearly half work in Healthcare and Education. More than 60 percent of these recent college graduates who are working have landed in the Healthcare, Professional Contracting Businesses or Education sectors.  Students with advanced healthcare degrees fared even better.   Check out the full report for more information.

Dr. Cathy Taylor appointed Dean of College of Health Sciences & Nursing

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Dr. Cathy Taylor, DrPH, MSN, RN, has been named as the new dean of the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing at Belmont University. Taylor currently serves as the assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health’s Bureau of Health Services Administration where she oversees delivery of traditional public health and primary care services in 89 rural counties and contracted services with Tennessee’s six metropolitan health departments. Dr. Taylor will begin her new position at Belmont on Feb. 1, 2012.

“Belmont’s outstanding reputation for excellence and commitment to teaching and service makes this the perfect fit for me and the logical choice for students, faculty and partners dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of our beautiful city and beyond,” said Taylor. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have served Tennesseans and the Department of Health, and I am honored to join the Belmont team at this time of extraordinary growth and potential to produce the next generation of exceptionally talented health care professionals.”

“Dr. Taylor has done excellent work for the Tennessee Department of Health and for the health of the citizens of Tennessee,” said Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH. “We will miss her leadership, but we are excited for Dr. Taylor in her new role at Belmont University where she will stay nearby, grooming students for careers in population health in Tennessee and around the nation.”

As the chief academic and executive officer of Belmont’s College of Health Sciences & Nursing, Taylor will be responsible for the programmatic leadership, financial management, personnel administration and planning and development for the College.

Belmont Provost Dr. Thomas Burns said, “Dr. Taylor brings to this position a perfect combination of high-level healthcare experience, proven leadership ability and eager enthusiasm for educating tomorrow’s healthcare leaders. I am confident that her expertise and commitment will build on the College of Health Sciences and Nursing’s already exceptional quality and reputation.”

In her current position, Taylor has directed development and implementation of successful statewide tobacco cessation and diabetes prevention programs and increased public, private and academic partnerships aimed at improving the health of Tennesseans. As a consultant to China’s Ministry of Health, she contributed to the re-design of China’s rural health care delivery system. Prior to joining the Department of Health, Taylor chaired the board for the Tennessee Center for Diabetes Prevention and Health Improvement and served as an assistant professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and as director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance Disease Management Program. She has held administrative and clinical positions at Alvin C. York VAMC, served in nursing director and supervisor positions at Fentress County Hospital, Middle Tennessee Medical Center and Hendersonville Community Hospital, and as a public health nurse in Fentress and Rutherford Counties. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and is the recipient of a number of grants and awards.

Taylor earned a Doctor of Public Health degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She also holds a Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Tennessee-Memphis, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama-Huntsville and a Bachelor of Science degree from Middle Tennessee State University. In addition, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University in 2005.

2005 PT Alum, Jennifer Walkup, authors story about minimizing injuries in young athletes

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Jennifer Walkup, a 2005 graduate of the Belmont University Doctor of Physical Therapy program, was recently featured in an article she wrote for The Oak Ridger in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  In the article, Walkup provides suggestions on how to minimize injuries in young athletes.

Walkup is a senior physical therapist on the staff of Methodist Therapy, a service of Methodist Medical Center.  Walkup has specialized in pediatrics since 2007 and has experience treating children with Torticollis, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, coordination disorders and various developmental disorders. Her certifications include Clinical Instructor Certification and Interactive Metronome Certification.

The story is linked here.

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Darr awarded grant from APTA

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Dr. Nancy Darr, a professor in Belmont’s School of Physical Therapy, was recently awarded a grant from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Section of Pediatrics for her project titled, “Validation of the Pediatric Balance Scale using Rasch Analysis.”

The selection committee said that the grant was well written and that they will support the use of this “Pediatric Balance Scale” in Darr’s clinical pediatric practice.

PT student volunteers help coordinate two major community events

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During the recent celebration of National Physical Therapy Month, approximately 100 Belmont University Physical Therapy students and faculty volunteered for the sixth annual “Dierks Bentley Miles & Music for Kids” event.   Bentley and more than 1,700 people gathered for his annual charity motorcycle ride to benefit Vanderbilt’s Children Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network. The ride began at the Columbia Springs Harley Davidson and ended at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville.

The event ended with a concert by Bentley and some friends (Eli Young Band, Charles Kelley from Lady Antebellum, Colt Ford and Josh Thompson entertaining thousands of fans at Riverfront Park. Event Coordinator Mandy McClister said, “It was definitely another great year, and again we could not have done it without the students from the Belmont University School of PT! The students worked harder this year than ever before to make this a success. The leadership should be proud of the way they have represented the University.”

Bentley was also impressed with the volunteers. “We could not have taken this event to the level it now is without the help of my friend Mike Voight and his students at Belmont University School of Physical Therapy. The Belmont students have been integral to the success of this event from the inaugural ride six years ago to its current size. I look forward to working with them again in the future,” Bentley said.

Since the inception of this annual event, $2 million has been raised to benefit the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network.

Just one week later, Belmont’s School of Physical Therapy brought more than 100 student volunteers to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Maryland Farms YMCA. With 14,000 racers and more than 10,000 spectators, the volunteers were needed to assist with course setup and takedown, serve as course marshals at the start and finish line, hand out water at course stations and help manage the crowd.

Megan Tisdale, a third-year physical therapy student and student organizer of the volunteer efforts, had a special connection with the event and the people it serves. “Since my mother has breast cancer, I think it’s very important to present people with great opportunities to come together to celebrate life and give to support a cause that is near and dear to millions of hearts… The reward is seeing people come together with passion they have for a loved one.”

The Komen affiliate members, as well as the event management group, were thankful for the dedicated volunteers who participated in the event. “The Belmont team of volunteers from the School of PT made a huge difference to this year’s race,” said Komen Executive Director Patty Harman. “The Race wouldn’t have been so successful without them. We had more people participating this year than ever before, and Belmont jumped in to do whatever was needed to make it a wonderful experience for each person. We can’t thank them enough for all they did.”

Marc Overlock, chairman of the board for the Komen Affiliate, added , “Thank you so much for your every effort, through planning efforts, logistical team packing and mailing and hand-outs, and last but not least Race Village clean up. The Board, Komen Staff and I owe you everything. Please know we today honor your gift of time.”

College of Health Sciences hosts health fair

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Fourth-year pharmacy student Elizabeth Cain spent Wednesday morning using free hand sanitizer to lure passers-by to visit her peers at Belmont’s first Health Fair. The fair offered an unprecedented opportunity for Cain’s classmates to gain hands-on experience while on campus, she said.

“This is a great opportunity for students to test their skills, give flu shots and glucose tests. It is a great way for us to share our knowledge,” said Cain while volunteering at the fair. “It is a free service with informative information, and it showcases the graduate schools that are taking part.”

Students and faculty from the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing joined with University Health Services to host the five-hour Health Fair which put wellness and preventive health resources within reach of employees and students with free health screenings, pamphlets and prizes. The event in the McWhorter Hall and the Inman Center lobbies marked the launch of a year of monthly seminars on health and wellness as well as current events in health care. It also showed people the unique resources we have right here on our campus, said Director of Health Services Katy Wilson.

“We wanted to make people aware of programs we have and wellness opportunities in the Belmont community,” said Christin Murphy, a graduate assistant in the Department of Fitness and Recreation. She took the body mass index of people who stopped at her booth and encouraged them to lower their numbers by signing up for personal training sessions and fitness classes in Beaman.

“It is important to get out to students that health care is important at any age. This fair could persuade undergrads to consider careers in the health sciences field,” said fourth-year pharmacy student Amanda Harris.

“We are developing a drug education program and need to conduct surveys on drug abuse on college campuses,” said third-year pharmacy student Jaime Tausend, also head of Generation Rx, a patient care project through the American Pharmacy Association that educates people about prescription drug abuse prevention. “The fair lets me reach out to college kids I would not see in the community and get the word out to faculty and staff to help us jump start our program”

The Health Fair coincided with lectures on bath salt abuse, building relationships with healthcare providers and total-body wellness for colleges students. During “10 Things Every College Student Needs to Know About Their Health,” physical therapy students discussed healthy eating, gym etiquette and sleep deprivation as well as shared free smart phone applications to help students tract their calorie intake and jogging routes.

Opportunities throughout the day included: blood pressure, glucose, lipids and bone density screenings; backpack awareness and CPR demonstrations; and information on tobacco cessation, breast cancer awareness, counseling, healthy eating, self defense and recreation.

Wilson said Health Services plans to host a similar health fair during a spring basketball game to reach Belmont’s neighbors and sports fans.

PT Professor appointed to national APTA committee

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Dr. Cathy Hinton, School of Physical Therapy Professor, was appointed to the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Finance and Audit Committee.  The APTA is the national organization that represents physical therapists within the United States.  The appointment is for a four year term, and the committee is tasked with providing the Board of Directors of the APTA with advice and counsel regarding financial commitments in light of the association’s strategic plan.  To provide that overview role, the members of this committee are involved with review of the association’s income, expenditures, and investments.

Back Home from Ghana

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2011 Mission to Ghana
from Renee Brown
Renee Brown Small.jpgWe arrived safely back in Nashville about 7:30 this morning after a long flight, a little tired and in need of a shower. Who would have thought that we would have needed to go to West Africa to get out of the Nashville heat! We are looking forward to Doritos, diet cokes, salad, bacon egg and cheese biscuits, bacon cheeseburgers and some sleep, as well as seeing our family and friends.
We want to thank everyone who supported us for this trip to Ghana through your thoughts, prayers, and financial gifts. It was a wonderful experience. We truly were humbled by the hospitality of the Ghanaian people and all they shared with us while we were there. We laid the ground work for continued collaborations in the future and came away with some new friends.