School of Health Professions News

EHS faculty is focused on saving lives prehospital with whole blood

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

San Antonio is pioneering whole blood transfusions for trauma patients in prehospital settings, through a collaboration among area institutions, including UT Health San Antonio. 

UT Health San Antonio is one of the institutions collaborating with The Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) to study the impact of using cold stored whole blood and transfusing injured patients in the prehospital setting. 

OT students join Frontera de Salud leadership team

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

Two occupational therapy students are on the 2019 leadership team for the UT Health San Antonio chapter of Frontera de Salud, a student-run volunteer organization that provides health care to underserved populations in Texas.

Janna Roberts is the School of Health Professions liaison and Brianna Reyna is the McAllen service coordinator.

Speech-language pathology students engage in the community

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

Students in the master’s speech-language pathology program have been hard at work establishing a campus chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA). 

The group’s community engagement activities have included participating in fundraising walks for childhood apraxia of speech and autism, playing Bingo with local nursing home residents and teaching them how to use mobile technology, and assembling hygiene kits for Haven for Hope.

EHS instructor publishes book to help save lives

Monday, December 17, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

Years after retiring from the San Antonio Fire Department, Conrad M. Gonzales, Jr. realized he yearned to be back in the classroom, teaching others how to save lives. The realization came during a lunch break one day after he stopped to help a woman who had been hit by a car and all of his paramedic training came rushing back. 

Respiratory Care student wins scholarship to attend AARC meetings

Monday, December 17, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

Second-year Respiratory Care master’s student Calandra Snowden received a scholarship to attend the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) International Respiratory Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas in December. 

PA professor and veteran shares his professional journey at campus Veteran’s Day event

Monday, December 17, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

A career in medicine was not what Paul B. Allen, Sr., DSc, MPAS, PA-C, FAAPA, physician assistant studies assistant professor envisioned when he joined the U.S. Army. 

Allen, PA program director and chair, shared the story of his military service and medical career as the featured speaker at the Veteran’s Day program and reception held Nov. 9 by the Military Health Institute. Also speaking at the event were Byron C. Hepburn, M.D., Maj. Gen. USAF (Ret.), MIH Director and William L. Henrich, M.D., MACP, University President.

OT student is first from UT Health San Antonio to receive TOTA student leader award

Thursday, November 29, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

Like a number of her classmates, third-year occupational therapy master’s student Amy Honeck has accumulated an impressive list of volunteer service and leadership positions during her time in the program. 

However, her recent selection to receive the Texas Occupational Therapy Association Student Leader Award is particularly notable.

“She is the first recipient from our university, so that is very exciting,” said Associate Professor Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, Ph.D., OTR, chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy.

PT faculty member gives presentation on the importance of research in allied health

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

Sandeep Subramanian, Ph.D., MS, BPT, physical therapy assistant professor highlighted the impact of rehabilitation research in the health professions during a presentation during National Allied Health Week.

Subramanian took a creative approach in his Nov. 8 Lunch & Learn presentation by describing the kinds of treatment a soldier injured in a blast would receive. Subramanian used the scenario to show how the soldier’s care would be informed by research from across departments within the School of Health Professions.

Respiratory Care students teach PA students about mechanical ventilators

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

Physician Assistant Studies students recently had a hands-on opportunity to learn about mechanical ventilators. What made the experience especially interesting? Their teachers were second-year respiratory care students.

“We reached out to the experts,” said Leticia Bland, MPAS, PA-C, assistant professor and clinical coordinator for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. “It’s a great opportunity for them to share their knowledge, and it was a great opportunity for our students.”

New OT clinical faculty is working to establish OT services for people with dementia and their caregivers at the Biggs Institute

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

By Kate Hunger 

New Department of Occupational Therapy clinical faculty member Laura Novak, OTR, is developing the new occupational therapy services program at the UT Health San Antonio Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases.