Forging Ahead in MS/OTD Journey

Briana and Andrea got a strong start to the academic year, as both passed their NBCOT exams to earn their OT certification in late August and then charged ahead to successfully complete and defend their field exams. Passing a field exam qualifies them to design and complete their OTD capstone projects. The OTD program is framed by a mentorship model. Demonstrating their commitment to mentorship, Briana and Andrea have already incorporated committee feedback to strengthen the quality of their written work for the field exam. Needless to say, these two new MS grads have been busy!

While they are still nailing down the specifics of their project designs, both will aim to improve pediatric rehabilitation services and care. Briana's project aims to build organizational capacity for research engagement to support continuous quality improvement in early intervention. Andrea (pictured here with her committee member Christina Sidorowych, UIC BVIS and CPERL alum who is headed to Colorado soon to begin her career as a medical illustrator) will apply knowledge translation strategies to effectively partner with local providers in addressing issues of cognitive load that hinder use of an eHealth tool for participation-focused care planning in early childhood. Stay tuned!