School of Health Professions News

New “3+2” program enables students to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in respiratory care in 5 years

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

The School of Health Professions and the University of Texas at San Antonio in October launched a new program for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a master’s in respiratory care.

The Respiratory Care Early Acceptance Program (RCEAP) allows undergraduate UTSA students majoring in biology or kinesiology to receive conditional acceptance to UT Health San Antonio. Upon completing the program, students will have earned a bachelor of science in biology or kinesiology and a master’s in respiratory care.

Professor elected president of Texas Physical Therapy Association

Monday, October 28, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

Michael Geelhoed, PT, DPT, Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Education was elected President of the Texas Physical Therapy Association (TPTA) in October.

Geelhoed previously has served TPTA as vice president, delegate-at-large and chief delegate, and he is president of the Texas PT Foundation. The election coincided with National PT Month. 

“I chose to become a PT because I have always believed in healing the body through exercise,” he said.

First speech-language pathology cohort hit 100% rates for graduation, passing national exam and landing jobs

Monday, October 28, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

All 15 students in the first cohort of the speech-language pathology master’s program graduated on time, passed their national exam on the first try and landed jobs within two months of graduation.

Two-thirds of the class had lined up jobs before graduation, said Associate Professor Fang-Ling Lu, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, speech-language pathology program director and interim chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Respiratory care students train PA studies students on mechanical ventilation

Monday, October 28, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

Second-year respiratory care students showed Physician Assistant Studies students how to use five different types of mechanical ventilators in training sessions held Oct. 21.

Mariana Castillo is one of five respiratory care students who provided the training to 46 first-year Physician Assistant Studies students. She trained students on the Servo-U ventilator, explained how to customize settings for different patients and provided patient scenarios.

PT professor chosen for selective grant-writing workshop

Monday, October 28, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Gustavo Almeida, PT, Ph.D., has been selected to be a mentee of the Training in Grantsmanship for Rehabilitation Research (TIGGRR) 2020. 

The four-day intensive grant-writing workshop and mentorship program will be held at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C., from Jan. 7–11. 

OT students simulate telehealth therapy sessions

Friday, September 27, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

Occupational Therapy doctoral students this summer learned how to use telehealth to deliver therapy services.

Occupational Therapy Associate Professor Karin Barnes, Ph.D., OTR, FAOTA, created the telehealth assignment as part of the Pediatric Service Delivery course she teaches for second-year OTD students. Forty-two students participated in the assignment.

Telehealth can help address challenges to providing occupational therapy services, such as transportation, work schedules and remote home or school locations.

Inspired to help others, SLP student receives immunology scholarship

Friday, September 27, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

Second-year Speech-Language Pathology graduate student Joy-Alexandra Sabattus was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis at the age of 17. 

“I wanted nothing to do with this disease,” she said of her initial response to her diagnosis. “I was very hard-headed and would push myself harder in a lot of ways.”

Surgical resident found passion for patient care in the EHS program

Friday, September 27, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

Raised in a military family, Michael Sippel moved frequently growing up. When he graduated high school, he wasn’t enthused about jumping into a four-year college setting. 

So he took his dad’s advice and enrolled in an emergency medical technician program at UT Health San Antonio. When he realized he was interested in studying medicine, he enrolled in the paramedic program. That training led him to apply to the Emergency Health Sciences bachelor’s program, which he attended while working full-time as a paramedic.

Speech-language pathology program gains new faculty member

Friday, September 27, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

The Speech-Language Pathology master’s program welcomed a new faculty member in June.

Assistant Professor Casey Taliancich-Klinger, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, grew up bilingual in South Texas.

“I’ve always had an interest in language and communication, so I felt this was the right field for me,” she said.

Taliancich-Klinger earned a Ph.D. and master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology, as well as bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Communication Sciences & Disorders, all from The University of Texas at Austin.

PT faculty and alumnae publish article in national journal

Friday, September 27, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

Two UT Health San Antonio physical therapy professors and two alumnae of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program have published an article in a national journal on the attitudes of students toward the homeless.

The article, “Attitudes of Physical Therapy Students Toward the
Population Currently Experiencing Homelessness,” appeared in the fall issue of the Journal of Allied Health.