UIC Department of Occupational Therapy

UIC Department of Occupational Therapy Creating Tomorrow's Practice

Since 1943, the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago has been integrating research, education and clinical practice in service to one vision: Creating Tomorrow’s Practice. We’re shaping the profession though our engagement in our Scholarship of Practice model which generates research and theories that will improve occupational therapy practice; our commitment

to excellent education for the leaders and practitioners of tomorrow; our service in leading the profession; our connection with Disability Studies and involving people with disabilities in our classes and research; our engagement in international initiatives; and our community partnerships through which we enhance the lives of people with disabilities and chronic health conditions. Our faculty, students and alumni are innovative professionals who transform the health and quality of life of individuals from diverse backgrounds and global communities.

Celebrating an extraordinary leader in occupational therapy ✨Congratulations to UIC OT alum Dr. Trudy Mallinson (MS ’94,...
04/25/2026

Celebrating an extraordinary leader in occupational therapy ✨

Congratulations to UIC OT alum Dr. Trudy Mallinson (MS ’94, PhD ’00) on receiving the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship Award—one of the highest and most prestigious honors in our profession. Awarded in 2025, Dr. Mallinson will deliver her Slagle Lecture today at the AOTA Conference in Anaheim, CA. This distinguished recognition honors scholars whose work has made lasting, innovative contributions to occupational therapy and continues to shape the future of our profession.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Gary Kielhofner at UIC, Dr. Mallinson built a remarkable career grounded in occupation-based theory—particularly the Model of Human Occupation—and measurement science. From advancing Rasch analysis to her founding vision of the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Rehab Measures Database, her work has had a profound and lasting impact on both clinical practice and research.

Beyond her scholarship, Dr. Mallinson is a dedicated mentor, collaborator, and trailblazer who continues to uplift others and strengthen our professional community.

We are incredibly proud to celebrate Dr. Mallinson as part of the UIC OT alumni community. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor and on today’s Slagle Lecture! 💙❤️

Calling all UIC alumni, friends, and students: we're so excited to see everyone at AOTA INSPIRE 2026!Make sure to find u...
04/20/2026

Calling all UIC alumni, friends, and students: we're so excited to see everyone at AOTA INSPIRE 2026!

Make sure to find us at booth 428, check out our UIC faculty presentations (link below), and join us for a casual get-together at Finney's Crafthouse on Thursday!

We'll see you in Anaheim 🌤✨

https://uofi.box.com/s/ox1y8exsykiy32r7gd0so37m1f889is9

Announcing the release of a new book, the fifth edition of Kielhofner’s Conceptual Foundations of Occupational Therapy P...
04/16/2026

Announcing the release of a new book, the fifth edition of Kielhofner’s Conceptual Foundations of Occupational Therapy Practice. Co-editors who led the update and expansion of long-serving UICOT department head Dr. Gary Kielhofner’s book were OT alumni Jarrett Wolske, ’17 MSOT, ’22 OTD, and Clinical Professor Emeritus Gail Fisher, ’80 BSOT, ’17 PhD. They were joined by 50 contributors from around the world who served as chapter co-authors. UIC is well represented - about 30% of the co-authors are UIC faculty and/or alumni. The book is available in hard copy and digital format at https://www.fadavis.com/product/kielhofner-conceptual-foundations-occupational-therapy-practice-wolske-5

Gail and Jarrett will be at the F.A. Davis booth at the AOTA conference, Booth 339 near the AOTA Experience. Stop by to congratulate them!

03/20/2026

We are of our Class of 2027! 🎉

All your hard word has led to this moment and we couldn’t be more excited for you. Wishing you the best of luck as you begin Level-II fieldwork.

You’ve got this! ❤️💙

🎉We are proud of how our Children, Youth, and Families Scholarship of Practice Collaborative is growing. We successfully...
03/13/2026

🎉We are proud of how our Children, Youth, and Families Scholarship of Practice Collaborative is growing. We successfully mentored six of our students to complete their doctoral capstone projects. These students have established a strong foundation to benefit the second cohort of students who are completing their projects this Spring.

💡Please scroll down our updated web page to learn about our current members and play a short video describing a growing portfolio of capstone projects here:
https://ahs.uic.edu/academics/occupational-therapy/entry-level-occupational-therapy-doctorate/scholarship-of-practice-collaboratives/children-youth-and-families-sopc/

🤝We appreciate our partners: Child Development Center at Parkland College, UIC Aquatic and Safety Program, Children’s Museum of Oak Lawn, UIH 55th and Pulaski Health Collaborative, UIC OT Faculty Practice for Children, Youth, and Families, Blue Bird Day, and Easterseals Academy Chicago.

Great news--UIC OT is now on Instagram! Follow us at https://www.instagram.com/uic_ot/ to keep up with department events...
03/10/2026

Great news--UIC OT is now on Instagram! Follow us at https://www.instagram.com/uic_ot/ to keep up with department events, research innovation, spotlights, and student life!

🎉Good things are happening in the Community Engagement, Independent Living, and Participation SOPC. Our first cohort of ...
03/10/2026

🎉Good things are happening in the Community Engagement, Independent Living, and Participation SOPC. Our first cohort of students completed their capstone projects at clinical, community, and academic sites across Chicago and established a foundation for the second cohort of student members to follow. We are so proud of our student's creativity, passion, and commitment as they’ve worked hard to create meaningful projects that meet the needs of diverse communities, groups, and individuals.

💡Please scroll down our updated web page to learn about our current members and play a short video describing a growing portfolio of capstone projects here:
https://ahs.uic.edu/academics/occupational-therapy/entry-level-occupational-therapy-doctorate/scholarship-of-practice-collaboratives/community-engagement-independent-living-and-participation-sopc/

🤝Thanks to our partners, including Movement Revolution, Clearbrook , UIH Outpatient Hand Therapy Clinic, Bonaventure House, HB Threads, Association House of Chicago, and University of Chicago Outpatient Hand Therapy Clinic.

🎉 Our first fifteen students in the Health Equity and Social Justice Scholarship of Practice Collaborative (SOPC) comp...
02/28/2026

🎉 Our first fifteen students in the Health Equity and Social Justice Scholarship of Practice Collaborative (SOPC) completed their capstone projects and passed the baton to our second cohort of students.

💡Please scroll down our updated web page to learn about our current members and play a short video describing a growing portfolio of capstone projects here: https://ahs.uic.edu/academics/occupational-therapy/entry-level-occupational-therapy-doctorate/scholarship-of-practice-collaboratives/health-equity-and-social-justice-sopc/

🤝 In true form, these projects continue to be responsive to the needs of clinical and community partnering sites in our locale, including:
Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), El Valor, Rohingya Culture Center of Chicago, UIH Breast Cancer Clinic, Cambodian Association of Illinois, UIH Lifespan Disability Clinic, South Asian American Policy and Research Institute - SAAPRI, Wellness House, Rizal Center, Revive Center for Housing and Healing, and Network of Inclusion and Advocacy Health Hands. These projects illustrate what to expect when choosing to be part of this SOPC at UIC OT, a department steeped in the tradition of advancing a ‘scholarship of practice’ model. We trust that their peers will continue being inspired by how these next set of capstone projects take shape to advance health equity and social justice.

🎉 Our first five students in the Theory and Evidence-Based Practice Related to Human Occupation Scholarship of Practic...
02/23/2026

🎉 Our first five students in the Theory and Evidence-Based Practice Related to Human Occupation Scholarship of Practice Collaborative completed their capstone projects and passed the baton to our second cohort of students who are completing their projects this Spring
💡 Please scroll down our updated web page to learn about our current members and play a short video describing a growing portfolio of capstone projects here: https://ahs.uic.edu/academics/occupational-therapy/entry-level-occupational-therapy-doctorate/scholarship-of-practice-collaboratives/theory-and-evidence-based-practice-related-to-human-occupation-sopc/
🤝 These projects provide a great learning experience. The projects currently underway involve partnership with the UIC Inclusive Care Clinic, Clearbrook, Maryland Hyde Center, Chinese American Service League, & Rise, and Amplify OT - Occupational Therapy & Medicare Policy, Quality, and Advocacy to help to bridge the gap between education and practice by using theory and evidence to improve client outcomes across the lifespan.

Join the UIC OT department for our annual SOP Day, focusing on Taking Care of Each Other: Broadening the Caregiving Para...
02/19/2026

Join the UIC OT department for our annual SOP Day, focusing on Taking Care of Each Other: Broadening the Caregiving Paradigm for OT Education, Research, and Practice.

To register and request accommodations, go to: https://Go.UIC.edu/SOPDay2026Registration

We hope to see you there ❤️💙

Address

1919 W Taylor Street
Chicago, IL
60612

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+13129963051

Website

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