School of Health Professions News

PA Studies Gains New Faculty Member

Friday, August 28, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Associate Professor Owen T. Hill, Ph.D., joined Department of Physician Assistant Studies on Aug. 1 and will retire as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army on Sept. 1 after 32 years of active service.

Hill, MPAS, PA-C, earned his Ph.D. in epidemiology in 2006 and is a board-certified physician assistant specializing in epidemiology and emergency medicine. 

PT student completes inaugural interprofessional student leadership program

Friday, August 28, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

School of Health Professions second-year physical therapy student Kevin Hamilton was one of 10 students from graduate schools across Texas to complete the first Texas Society of Allied Health Professions Student Leadership Development Program.

Designed to train future leaders in health professions, the seven-session, synchronous online program began in February and ran through August. The pandemic didn’t impact the sessions, which had been planned as virtual to allow student participants to remotely attend readings and online discussions.

Respiratory Care professor treated COVID-19 patients in South Texas

Friday, August 28, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Respiratory Care Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education Kristina Ramirez, MPH, RRT, CHES, FCCP, spent two weeks this summer treating COVID-19 patients in South Texas.

Ramirez was deployed to Laredo and Edinburg by a recruiting agency that works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“They send you to areas that are overwhelmed and understaffed and need as much help as they can get,” she said. “It was a great opportunity and very rare, so I was excited to be able to work on the front lines.”

Experiment by MLS faculty demonstrates effectiveness of masks and distancing

Friday, August 28, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Two faculty in the Division of Medical Laboratory Science conducted an experiment to demonstrate the impact of masks and social distancing in reducing the spread of potentially contagious aerosols – including COVID-19.  Aerosols are a suspension of tiny particles or droplets in the air.

Conducted in July, the experiment was a collaboration with WOAI News 4, which reported on the results. 

OT professor and colleagues publish paper on dementia-friendly communities

Friday, August 28, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Occupational Therapy Clinical Assistant Professor Laura Novak, OTD, OTR, BCG, is the lead author of an article on dementia-friendly communities that was published in Current Geriatrics Reports in August.

Pediatric speech-language summer telepractice program was a success

Thursday, July 30, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Speech-language pathology graduate student Caleb Mize admits to being a little anxious about providing quality pediatric speech-language services via an online platform during a pandemic.

Yet the experience of participating in CONNECT, a summer telepractice pediatric program created by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinical Coordinator and Assistant Professor Angela Kennedy, SLP-D, CCC-SLP, turned out to be inspiring, Mize said. 

Students attend virtual summer seminars hosted by Coventry University

Thursday, July 30, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Like many people who enjoy traveling and meeting new people, Caitlin Schwein found her opportunities to do so drastically hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. But a partnership between UT Health San Antonio and Coventry University in England enabled Schwein and other UT Health students to attend online summer seminars with other students from around the world.

Professor to study language skills in bilingual children

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Assistant Professor Casey Taliancich-Klinger, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, received a pilot seed grant from the School of Health Professions to research language skills characteristics in bilingual children with and without developmental language disorder. 

Physical Therapy professor to study impact of blood flow restriction training in patients awaiting total knee replacement

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Physical Therapy Assistant Professor Gustavo Almeida, PT, Ph.D., received a $10,000 grant from the School of Health Professions Pilot Seed Grant Program this spring for a pilot study into the effectiveness of blood flow restriction exercise for patients with knee osteoarthritis before they undergo total knee replacement.

Department of Physical Therapy earns 10-year accreditation

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

The Department of Physical Therapy has received its 10-year accreditation from the Commission of Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).