Karen conducted research measuring how WashU's international service learning experience to Guatemala impacts alumni practice up to a decade after the trip. We talk about her experiences in Guatemala, the results of her study, and what they tell us about the importance of service learning in occupational therapy.

Sarah's doctoral research project is titled: Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease and Dementia. She shares how she lead a group intervention for people with PDD and their caregivers, what outcomes she found, and how it can influence daily practice. 

Visit the website below to find more resources related to the topics discussed on this episode:

www.cstdementia.com

Nina's research project is titled: Safe Sex, Contraception, and Fertility Options for People with SCI: What Clients Want and the Role of OT in Ensuring Access to Knowledge and Services

A list of resources mentioned in the episode is below:

SCIRE (Spinal Cord Injury Research Evidence): https://scireproject.com/

Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center: https://msktc.org/sci/factsheets/sexuality

Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation: https://www.christopherreeve.org/living-with-paralysis/health/sexual-health

Paralyzed Veterans of America "Yes, You Can!" Self Management Guide: https://pva-cdnendpoint.azureedge.net/prod/libraries/media/pva/library/publications/yes-you-can_digital.pdf

Sexuality and Occupational Therapy: Strategies for Persons With Disabilities: https://myaota.aota.org/shop_aota/product/1263

Wheel Love Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rB46-sxlAU

We discuss OT's role in working with people experiencing homelessness, the development and implementation of an occupation based program in the St. Louis homeless community and how Ron plans to work in this emerging field moving forward

Maggie studied how participation in a group improvisational dance class called Improvment can bring physical and cognitive benefits to people with Parkinson disease. We discuss her study design, interventions, results, and even hear a sample of how class may go. 

Advocacy is essential in occupational therapy, but most practitioners don't learn how to advocate until they're thrust into an advocacy role late into their career. Allison shares her OTD research including her personal experience serving on the board of a local non-profit organization, and the development of programs to promote diversity and the attainment of advocacy experience and skills early on in an OT's education and career. 

Resources mentioned on this episode are listed below:

Dhillon, S. K., Wilkins, S., Law, M. C., Stewart, D. A., & Tremblay, M. (2010). Advocacy in occupational therapy: exploring clinicians' reasons and experiences of advocacy. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy. Revue Canadienne D'Ergothérapie, 77(4), 241-248. doi:10.2182/cjot.2010.77.4.6

Hannah Brooks is a member of the OTD 2020 cohort at Washington University in St. Louis. As part of her doctoral research she developed an assessment tool to measure the functional cognition of school aged children and youth. We talk about the evidence supporting her work, breakdown how her tool can be used, and highlight the ways this research can impact practice in a way that improves the lives of tiny humans. 

Over the coming months I will be interviewing my classmates in the Washington University in St. Louis program in Occupational Therapy about the research and projects they've completed. Some of the brightest future occupational therapists in the country lost the opportunity to share their amazing work due to Covid-19. Join us as we bring some of the latest and most innovative OT research straight to you. 

Stephanie Stegman boasts years of clinical experience as an occupational therapy practitioner and explains her involvement in providing primary care and community based services. For more information visit: otservices.wustl.edu 

We explore primary care as an emerging area of practice for occupational therapy practioners, discuss how you can break into the field and how to demonstrate your OT skillset to other professions.

Resources:

World Health Organization definition of health: https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/constitution

AJOT Primary Care Articles:https://ajot.aota.org/article.aspx?articleid=2749316&resultClick=3

Open Jounral of OT (OJOT): https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/ojot/vol5/iss3/11/

Sherry Muir Arkansas U person page: https://coehp.uark.edu/directories/index/uid/muir/name/Sherry+L.+Muir/