Idaho State Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy

Welcome to the first issue of our new Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy Newsletter!

So far, 2019 has already been a fantastic year for the Department. In this edition, find out which one of our alumni was chosen for the College of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences Professional Achievement Award, and which faculty member received Idaho State University's Outstanding Service and Distinguished Faculty award for 2019. Our faculty, staff and students are working hard on fall semester activities, and even taking some time to enjoy our beautiful Idaho weather.

We hope you enjoy the information and welcome any comments or suggestions for future newsletters via email to DPOT@isu.edu or phone to 208-282-4095.

Happy Fall!

GRADUATION AWARDS

We celebrated our Master of Occupational Therapy and Doctor of Physical Therapy graduates at a Graduation Celebration on Friday May 2, 2019 at the Shoshone Bannock Hotel and Event Center in Fort Hall, Idaho. It was a great night. While we know that all our graduates, faculty and staff deserve awards for their incredible work, here are the awards that were issued:

College of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences Awards

Clinician Award- Dr. James Ralphs

Clinical Research Award- Dr. Michael Foley

Clinical Research Award- Prof. Kim Lloyd

Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy Awards

Community Volunteer Award- Ms. Robyn Mead

Community Volunteer Award- Mr. Will Treasure

Professional Service Award- Ms. Barbara Peterson

Professional Service Award- Dr. David Hachey

Nelda Wellard Excellence in Customer Service Award- Dr. James Ralphs

Student Scholarships

Alex Urfer Diversity and Enrichment Endowment Scholarship- Ms. Lynze Robison

Alex Urfer Diversity and Enrichment Endowment Scholarship- Ms. Mykaela Robinson

Ballard/Kimberly-Clark Rehabilitation Science Endowment Scholarship- Ms. Savannah Kisling

Cindy Seiger Physical Therapy Scholarship- Ms. Mykaela Robinson

Arthur “AJ” P. Lloyd, Jr., Endowment Scholarship- Ms. Jessica Groll

Arthur “AJ” P. Lloyd, Jr., Endowment Scholarship- Mr. Peter Ngo

Professional Clinical Education Awards

Outstanding Clinical Instructor Award- Dr. Warren Lake

Outstanding Fieldwork Educator Award- Dr. Tonja Brown

Master of Occupational Therapy Student Awards

Arthur “AJ” P. Lloyd, Jr., Outstanding Student Award- Ms. Elizabeth Horsmon

Occupational Therapy Outstanding Research Award- Mr. Justin Yardley

Doctor of Physical Therapy Student Awards

Physical Therapy Outstanding Student Award- Mr. Devin Bean

Academic Achievement Award- Mr. Jake Matern

Clinical Achievement Award- Mr. Conor “Cojo” Smith

MASTER OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (MOT) ADMISSIONS

Eighteen new students started the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program for fall semester, having bettered some very stiff competition to receive offers for admission to the only entry-level program for occupational therapists in Idaho.

“This year’s admissions cycle was especially competitive,” said Dr. Ted Peterson, Chair of the MOT Admissions Committee. “For the first time in our history, we had more applicants in our top admission group than we had seats to offer”. The result of this competition was that the committee had to make some tough choices among applicants, each of whom was fully qualified.

The competitiveness of this year’s applicant pool is shown in the undergraduate academic achievement of this fall’s cohort. Together, the new MOT students averaged a 3.77 grade-point on their most recent college work and scored above the 65 ^th percentile on graduate-entry standardized tests.

Even though the vast majority of the new students are currently Idaho residents, they have geographical diversity that belies the homogeneity that fact might imply, with students in the cohort having completed their undergraduate degrees at colleges and universities in Virginia, Massachusetts, and Utah as well as in Idaho. And those from Idaho universities span the state’s largest academic institutions with students from the University of Idaho, Boise State University, and Brigham Young University—Idaho joining a large contingent from Idaho State.

We enjoyed meeting Class of 2022 students at an orientation in Pocatello on August 14.

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER

Alumni Dan Mills was awarded the Idaho State University College of Rehabilitation &

Communication Sciences’ Professional Achievement Award for 2019. He graduated from ISU in Pocatello with a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy in 1998. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Utah State University in 1996.

Today, Dan holds positions as the Medical Director for Western Rehabilitation Health Network, on the Board of Directors of the American Physical Therapy Association and as a business owner of Performance Rehabilitation Clinics in Cottonwood Heights, Utah.

Read more at https://www.isu.edu/healthsciences/news/2019/danmills_crcs_paa/

MOT STUDENTS ATTEND AOTA IN NEW ORLEANS

Six MOT students were awarded scholarships to attend the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana in April, 2019. We asked the students to tell us about their experiences:

"Attending the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Walking in to a conference center of 12,000 OT students, clinicians, and researchers worldwide was overwhelming, but rewarding at the same time. For me, attending conference was a way for me to enhance my knowledge on OT and the importance of advocating for our profession. Experiencing the culture of New Orleans was an added bonus. Being in "Nawlins" (as the locals would say it) helped me to appreciate the cultural diversity of all individuals. It showed me how each and every one of us can all come together to cherish the wonderful experiences of tasting great food, seeing great scenery, and being able to share our love for occupational therapy."

~ Taylor Raschke, Class of 2020

"Being around a large and diverse group of passionate OTs and OT students never ceases to lift my spirits and inspire me to become more compassionate, more informed, and more invested in my future career. This year's convention didn't let me down. The Welcome Ceremony set the tone for the weekend, with the Bourbon Brass band leading the hall in singing and dancing and Amy Lamb closing her speech with "laissez les bons temps roulet", or 'let the good times roll.’

One of the most amazing things about conference is the opportunity to rub shoulders with some giants in our field. While I am so grateful for the amazing workshops I went to regarding chronic pain, vision, shoulder treatment, and cognition, the highlights are always meeting OTs from around the nation - whether it was a short bit of advice from a recent grad or an in depth discussion about OT's role in primary care.

After conference, I managed to sneak in exploration of the city, my first crawfish boil, plenty of travel on the streetcars, and my favorite - a kayak swamp tour complete with multiple gator sightings. NOLA and AOTA 2019 were a shot of energy for this FW-worn student. I cherish this opportunity to learn and grow one step closer to the clinician I hope to be and will carry the memories of this culture with me moving forward into my practice!"

~ Liz Horsman, Class of 2019

DISTINGUISHED FACULTY

Dr. Cindy Seiger was awarded the Idaho State University Distinguished Faculty award for Outstanding Service! Read more about this distinction in the link below .

Three Idaho State University faculty members - Schoen,...

"These are the highest honors bestowed on at Idaho State University and it is a distinction to receive one of these three awards," said Laura Woodworth-Ney, ISU executive vice president and provost for academic affairs. "These are among our...

Read more
www.isu.edu

CONGRATULATIONS 2019 GRADUATES!

Master of Occupational Therapy

Class of 2019

Kayla Bohman

Hannah Call

Elizabeth David Bowman

Jacob Earl

Elizabeth Horsmon

Allen Hunt

Lacey Huntington

Amanda Nielsen

Laura Ogg

Leslimar Partida

Jared Ricks

Rachelle Simonsen

Justin Yardley

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Class of 2019

William Arnell

Devin Bean

Daniel Bisner

Romana Blissard

Jacob Bratton

Sarah Cairns

Shelby Gordon

Alvin Haskell

Brock Hulsey

Katy Kelly

Ashley Kenney

Kevin Kula

Dallin Larson

Bryan Lawson

Zachary Maas

Jake Matern

Hannah Maus

Stanley “Ryan” Peck

Natalie Price

Joel Rardin

Conor “Cojo” Smith

Tyce Stewart

John “Toshi” Sugiyama

David Chase Telford

Lacey White

Connect with us online at isu.edu/healthsciences