Quicklinks
School of Health Professions
Results: 519 news stories
MLS professor makes the case for more research on frequency of blood antigens among Hispanics
By Kate Hunger
Assistant Professor Tiffany Roerich Wafford, MSTM, MLS, SBB (ASCP), analyzed 3,455 blood donor records to confirm the prevalence of red blood cell antigens among Hispanic blood donors in South Texas.
Respiratory Care Week Alumni Profile: Luzolo Tapir Dienda
Luzolo Tapir Dienda, MSRC, RRT-ACCS, RCP, had been a practicing respiratory therapist for 15 years when he decided to earn a master’s degree to expand his career options.
“I wanted to be an expert in what I do,” he said. “I wanted to open myself to new opportunities and be the best practitioner I can be.”
PT faculty present their work at annual TPTA conference
Physical therapists can help people with acute decompensated heart failure avoid going back into the hospital, according to one of several presentations delivered by faculty from the at the 2021 Texas Physical Therapy Association annual conference.
PA student glad to be studying in — and giving back to — Laredo, her hometown
When Samantha Gonzalez thinks about her future profession as a physician assistant, she is reminded of her past.
“You are getting advice from your supervising physician, you are working with the nurses, respiratory therapists, with the lab,” Gonzalez said of a typical day as a PA. “I played volleyball — I’ve always been a part of a team. It’s nice that I’m going to have that again.”
PT student excels in second act, earns scholarship
Kevin Hamilton was just 4 years old when he started taking dance classes in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. He accepted his first professional job with the Milwaukee Ballet after high school graduation and went on to dance with the Cincinnati Ballet and the Dayton Ballet. But along the way, injuries prompted him to consider making a career switch that allowed him to focus on movement from an entirely different perspective: physical therapy.
SHP faculty present at American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
Faculty from across the School of Health Professions participated in the 2021 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) conference held virtually Sept. 24–29.
“ACRM is the premier interdisciplinary rehabilitation organization that brings together national and international clinicians, researchers, administrators and policy makers,” said Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Occupational Therapy Timothy Reistetter, PhD, OTR, FAOTA. “ACRM facilitates networking opportunities, scholarly discourse and collaboration to guide the rehabilitation field.”
Interprofessional wellness activity promotes hydration, nutrition and mindfulness
An interprofessional cooking and wellness program offered by the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine and the San Antonio Food Bank inspired Lora George, a physician assistant studies student, to whip up a refreshing change to her daily hydration routine.
New Bachelor of Science in medical sciences to prepare students for health professions graduate programs
The School of Health Professions has opened applications for its new , with the first cohort to begin in Fall 2022.
Committed to the profession, OT students win Ellsworth scholarships
A passion for helping people participate more fully in their daily activities drew third-year occupational therapy (OT) students Nestor Gonzalez and Erin Hobbs to the profession.
The daughter of two nurses, Hobbs discovered OT halfway through her undergraduate study as she sought a health care profession that matched her values.
“It’s a profession that really cares about health and quality of life for our clients and patients,” Hobbs said.
Emergency Health Sciences faculty participate in summer EMS conferences
Faculty from the Department of Emergency Health Sciences participated in several leading EMS conferences this summer.
Respiratory care professor publishes children’s book
Assistant Professor Tabatha Dragonberry has published a book for children of mothers who are respiratory therapists.
“I did this because there was nothing of its kind,” said Dr. Dragonberry, DHSc, MBA, MEd, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS, AE-C, CPFT, C-NPT.
The self-published book features main character Regina Rabbit, a registered respiratory therapist who is also a mom, and aims to demystify the profession by taking the reader through a day in the life of a respiratory therapist.
New PT faculty member discovered the profession while in the military
Associate Professor Bradley Tragord, PT, DPT, DSc, OCS, FAAOMPT, was five years into his military career when he decided to become a physical therapist.
“I had more of an inclination to interact with patients, and when I learned I could still stay in the Army and do that, it was a slam dunk,” said Dr. Tragord, who recently joined the faculty of the Department of Physical Therapy after retiring from the Army with more than 22 years of active-duty service.
Building community: Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders hosts adult education program
High school math teacher Simone Bailey has primary progressive aphasia, a disorder that affects speaking and understanding language, as well as reading and writing.
This summer, Bailey attended an adult education program for improving communication skills that the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders hosted on campus. The program was designed for people whose ability to communicate has been affected by stroke, traumatic brain injury, or neurological conditions, including primary progressive aphasia.
Northern exposure: OT student enjoys fieldwork experience in Alaska
Heading to Alaska for her clinical fieldwork experience was part of Jennifer Sanchez’s plan when she enrolled in the occupational therapy doctoral program in the School of Health Professions.
This summer, Sanchez’s long-awaited trip became a reality as she headed to Anchorage for 12 weeks of fieldwork in an outpatient pediatric clinic.
Students conduct pediatric speech, language, hearing and literacy screenings
Students in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders have been performing pediatric speech, language, hearing and literacy screenings this summer.
Professional milestone: PA students receive white coats and pins
Students in the Physician Assistant Studies Class of 2023 received their white coats and pins in an annual ceremony signifying their entrance into the profession and the responsibility that comes with it.
How PAs discover — and choose— their profession
Physician assistants often do not learn about their future profession until they are already in college — or even afterwards, according to a pilot study led by Steven “Tony” Skaggs, PA-C, assistant professor and associate chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies.
Communication Sciences and Disorders professor named journal junior editor
Assistant Professor Rocío Norman, PhD, CCC-SLP of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has recently been selected as a junior editor for the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science.
Although Dr. Norman has served as a reviewer for several peer-reviewed medical journals, this is her first role as an editor. Her experience as both a clinician and a researcher have prepared her well for the opportunity, she said.
PT students gain experience in on-campus pro bono clinic
Physical therapy students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a new pro bono on-campus clinic.
The School of Health Professions hosts annual meeting of allied health deans
The School of Health Professions hosted the 2021 annual conference of the Southern Association of Allied Health Deans at Academic Health Centers.
Held June 16–18, the meeting had originally been scheduled for April 2020 but was postponed several times because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Subscribe to receive a monthly email newsletter with information on academic programs, events and campus news from the School of Health Professions.
First Name
Last Name
Email
