School of Health Professions News

SHP Students selected for Alpha Eta Society

Thursday, May 28, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

School of Health Professions students and faculty were inducted this spring into the Alpha Eta Society, the national honor society for the allied health professions.

Because of COVID-19, the campus chapter has not held its traditional in-person ceremony. A virtual induction ceremony is being discussed as a possible alternative, said campus chapter president, Physical Therapy Associate Professor Martha Acosta, Ph.D., PT, GCS. 

SHP students volunteer at campus COVID screening stations

Thursday, May 28, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

When third-year Physician Assistant Studies student Kaitlyn Corbett learned about the need for volunteers to screen people entering UT Health San Antonio campus buildings for symptoms of COVID-19, she signed up to help. She ended up working about a dozen shifts.
 
“At the time the PA clinical rotations were suspended, so I was seeking opportunities to serve in the community during the COVID crisis,” Corbett said. “It was a way to help support the (University) community. In a three-hour period we would screen more than 250 people.”

SHP students receive awards for leadership, service, research and clinical excellence

Monday, March 30, 2020

By Kate Hunger

Lisa Le never considered herself to be an academically strong student, but she says something clicked when she began clinical rotations. In recognition of her performance during the clinical phase of her program, the third-year physical therapy student recently won the Student Clinical Excellence Award.

PA Studies graduates post 100% first-time pass rate on national exam

Thursday, February 27, 2020

By Kate Hunger

All of the Physician Assistant Studies class of 2019 graduates who took the national certifying exam passed on their first try, making the program’s five-year first-time pass rate average 100%.

Forty-four students took the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) between December and Feb. 1, said PA Studies Program Director, Chair and Assistant Professor Paul B. Allen, Sr., DSc, MPAS, PA-C, FAAPA. 

PA Studies professor named distinguished fellow of AAPA

Thursday, February 27, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Assistant Professor Meredith Quinene, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, was recently named a distinguished fellow of the American Academy of PAs (AAPA).

Quinene is the academic coordinator for the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. She earned her undergraduate degree in education and taught biology before deciding to go to PA school. Her goal always was to return to PA education.

Inaugural TSAHP student leadership development program kicks off

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs David Henzi, Ed.D., is co-directing the first student leadership program offered by the Texas Society of Allied Health Professions (TSAHP).

“The goal is to train future leaders in different health profession programs,” Henzi said, noting that the program is interprofessional by design. 

Henzi’s co-director is fellow TSAHP board member Lynette Watts, Ph.D., RT(R), associate professor at The Shimadzu School of Radiologic Sciences at Midwestern State University. 

School’s new Ph.D. program to launch in Fall 2020

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

By Kate Hunger 

The School of Health Professions is adding a Ph.D. in Health Sciences to help meet the demand for allied health faculty and researchers with doctoral degrees.

The program also will help support evidence-based practice and outcomes research in allied health, said School of Health Professions Dean David C. Shelledy, Ph.D., RRT, FAARC, FASAHP.

“This will be helpful for our school, other schools of allied health in Texas and for colleges and universities around the country,” Shelledy said.

PA and OT departments host graduations

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

By Kate Hunger

The Departments of Occupational Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies held their graduation ceremonies on Dec. 13.

The Occupational Therapy master’s students represented the final class of MOT students to graduate from the Department of Occupational Therapy, which has transitioned from a master’s program to a doctoral program. The ceremony represented a “culmination and a close to our MOT program,” said Associate Professor and Department Chair Bridgette Piernik-Yoder, Ph.D., OTR.

PA students research the impact of a smartphone app on patients’ health insurance literacy

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

Health insurance can be complicated and intimidating, says Ana Diaz, a Physician Assistant Studies student set to graduate in December. 

That’s why Diaz, along with nine Physician Assistant Studies students, two medical students and four pharmacy students, participated in an interdisciplinary, community service-learning project aimed at increasing community health literacy.  Their goal: To test the effectiveness of a smartphone app designed to improve community health insurance literacy in a clinical setting. 

PA students present at international healthcare communication conference

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

By Kate Hunger 

Health insurance can be complicated and intimidating, says Ana Diaz, a Physician Assistant Studies student set to graduate in December.