Pitt Occupational Therapy

Pitt Occupational Therapy The Official page of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy. Ranked 3rd in the country by U.S. News & World Report

This site has been developed to share the activities and accomplishments of the University of Pittsburgh Occupational Therapy faculty and students. The University of Pittsburgh is committed to the advancement of learning and service to society. This is best accomplished in an atmosphere of mutual respect and civility, self-restraint, concern for others, and integrity. The University believes these principles apply to social media, which encourages active discussion and sharing of information and thoughts. The University is not responsible for comments or postings made by visitors. Comments also do not reflect the opinions or policies of the University of Pittsburgh. Please show respect for your fellow users by keeping the discussion civil. The University will remove comments that are racist, sexist, abusive, profane, violent, obscene, spam, that advocate illegal activity, contain falsehoods or are wildly off-topic, or that libel, incite, threaten or make ad hominem attacks on University students, employees, guests or other individuals, or are otherwise deemed inappropriate. Messages that are religious in nature, or are selling products or promoting commercial, political or other ventures are also not permitted.

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy is excited to kick off the 2026 virtual educational sess...
01/23/2026

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy is excited to kick off the 2026 virtual educational sessions with Fieldwork Preparation: Focus on Social Determinants of Health.

As a valued Pitt OT partner, you play a critical role in student success and the future of occupational therapy. This one-hour virtual session (6–7 p.m. ET on Zoom) will highlight educational content from the Pitt OTD program and provide practical strategies to support students in addressing how social determinants of health impact clients during fieldwork.

✔ Earn 1 professional development contact hour
✔ Designed for fieldwork educators
✔ Practical, student-focused content

More 2026 sessions to come—starting January 27!

https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/academics/ot/

From theory to practice! 😷 Our OTD students suited up to practice donning and doffing PPE in Activity Context Theory and...
01/21/2026

From theory to practice! 😷 Our OTD students suited up to practice donning and doffing PPE in Activity Context Theory and Practice. Mastering infection control procedures is an important step in learning how to keep patients safe across all care environments.

🌍 Exciting news from the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Congress 2026!Our Pitt OT faculty will be pr...
01/20/2026

🌍 Exciting news from the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Congress 2026!
Our Pitt OT faculty will be presenting research that advances occupational therapy worldwide:

✅ Facilitators and barriers to implementing CAPABLE for aging in place: Translating evidence to practice using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research
Presenters: CScD in OT Director and Professor Pam Toto, Kristen Perepezko, Ava Giatras, Megan Blanchflower, Beth Fields, Department Chair and Associate Professor Juleen Rodakowski

✅ The impact of COVID-19 on community participation among older adults: Implications for occupational therapy intervention
Presenters: Juleen Rodakowski, Research Scientist Jennifer Dorris, Professor Lauren Terhorst, Shana Sibblies, Research Coordinator Josh Woolford

✅ The impact of depressive symptoms on social participation in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: Implications for occupational therapy
Presenters: Juleen Rodakowski, Jennifer Dorris, Sarah Stahl

✅ Implementing the use of effective cognitive cueing techniques to optimize client outcomes
Presenters : Kelsey Watters, Juleen Rodakowski

📅 February 10–12, 2026 | Bangkok, Thailand

Join us in celebrating these impressive contributions to global OT practice!


Our first-year OTD students and MS students participated in a powerful Poverty Simulation which is an interactive, exper...
01/18/2026

Our first-year OTD students and MS students participated in a powerful Poverty Simulation which is an interactive, experiential learning activity designed to deepen understanding of the realities and systemic challenges faced by individuals and families living in poverty.

We’re grateful to the 25 third-year OTD students who volunteered to support the experience, and to our facilitators Lynne Williams, MD, PhD, Executive Director of the Southwest Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (AHEC), and Sarah McKendry, OTD, OTR/L (Pitt OTD ’22), Director of Pathway Programming at Southwest PA AHEC.

Experiences like this are essential in preparing future occupational therapy practitioners to advocate for equitable, accessible healthcare especially in rural and medically underserved communities.

Thank you, , for partnering with us to make this impactful learning opportunity possible.

Learn more about the poverty simulation experience here:
https://www.southwestahec.org/povertysim

Meet Katie Mullen — occupational therapist, researcher, mom of three, and now a Doctor of Clinical Science. For more tha...
01/16/2026

Meet Katie Mullen — occupational therapist, researcher, mom of three, and now a Doctor of Clinical Science.

For more than a decade, Katie has dedicated her career to helping stroke survivors reclaim independence. While working full-time, raising her kids, and balancing Zoom calls late into the night, she earned her doctorate with grit, heart, and joy.

Her work in the Vision and Perception Lab — especially on conditions like visuospatial neglect that affect nearly 30% of stroke survivors — bridges the gap between research and real-world care.

Read her full story here: https://www.pittwire.pitt.edu/features-articles/2025/12/09/katie-mullen-ot-stroke-recovery

As we dive into a new semester, we’re celebrating the impact of Pitt Occupational Therapy 🎉❄️From a #3-ranked OTD progr...
01/16/2026

As we dive into a new semester, we’re celebrating the impact of Pitt Occupational Therapy 🎉❄️

From a #3-ranked OTD program and $1.795M in research expenditures, to 50+ publications, 66 graduates, 195 current students, and 640 attendees at department events—our community continues to lead, innovate, and grow. We’re also thankful for all of our 153 fieldwork supervisors and educators who make hands-on learning possible.

We’re grateful for the incredible Pitt Occupational Therapy community—our students, alumni, fieldwork educators, partners and friends 💙

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy is excited to announce the 2026 virtual educational sess...
01/08/2026

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy is excited to announce the 2026 virtual educational sessions! New this year are two Special Feature sessions. These sessions will showcase the educational content provided to students within the Pitt OTD program, specifically highlighting topics that fieldwork educators are likely to encounter or observe during student placements.

As a Pitt OT partner, you are essential to the success of our students and to the future of occupational therapy. Advance your skills and earn one professional development contact hour per session.

Learn more here: https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/academics/ot/

Our CScD student, Dana Aravich, was featured on MedBridge’s Neuro Navigators Podcast in Episode 22:“Spatial Neglect in P...
01/06/2026

Our CScD student, Dana Aravich, was featured on MedBridge’s Neuro Navigators Podcast in Episode 22:
“Spatial Neglect in Practice: What Should Guide Your Approach?”

In this episode, Dana and host J.J. Mowder-Tinney explore:
✅ The complexity of spatial neglect in stroke and brain injury
✅ Evidence-informed strategies for assessment and intervention
✅ Real-world case scenarios and clinical decision-making

📺 Watch or listen now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or Spotify!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQpmZQZmyI0

We’re proud of Dana’s contributions to advancing neurorehabilitation practice and grateful for the mentorship and support within the Pitt CScD program.

One of our favorite parts of the year is hearing updates from our graduates. Alumni Jeffrey Davison, Dan Camp, Paul Tan,...
12/23/2025

One of our favorite parts of the year is hearing updates from our graduates. Alumni Jeffrey Davison, Dan Camp, Paul Tan, Brandon Zangus, James Dalessandro, and Trevor St. Clair, from MOT Class of 2013, host an annual “Bro Row” alumni meetup, which has now been going strong for nearly 12 years.

Since graduating in 2013, this group has stayed connected across cities, careers, and life changes, gathering annually during Homecoming for their signature Chinese buffet reunion. Their commitment to friendship, professional growth, and the Pitt OT spirit is exactly what makes our alumni community so special.

H2P and here’s to many more years of alumni connection and tradition. 💙💛

Congratulations to our 2025 Post-Professional Doctor of Clinical Science in Occupational Therapy (CScD) Graduates 🎓 Kat...
12/22/2025

Congratulations to our 2025 Post-Professional Doctor of Clinical Science in Occupational Therapy (CScD) Graduates 🎓 Katie Mullen, CScD, OTR/L, Melissa Aleksak, CScD, OTR/L, CDRS, and Mattie Book, CScD, OTR/L! We are so excited to see where your journey takes you as changemakers and are very Pitt Proud of all you have accomplished 💙💛

12/19/2025

Can you tell the first year’s were finishing up anatomy?

Comment below what OT term you would use… happy finals season! 💛💙

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15219

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