Students

Students with learning and attention disorders face obstacles related to managing occupational and life demands during their transitions to adult roles. Occupational therapists are ideally suited to facilitate the occupational role and performance of high achieving youth with learning and/or attention disorders (L/AD) in preparation for and during the transition to adult roles and contexts through college pathways. However, greater understanding of these young people’s broad-ranging needs and challenges across academic, career development, social, and daily life contexts is necessary. This presentation describes challenges faced by young adult college students with L/AD, a multi-faceted approach for supporting these students used at the University of Florida, and insights learned from academically successful undergraduates with L/AD that can be used to guide both research and practice.

First year OTD student, Jianne Apostol, has been accepted into the Florida Occupational Therapy Association (FOTA) Leadership Development program.

pictured from left: Emily In and Dr. Zheng Wang This summer, Emily In will start her research journey studying postural control deficits in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the Department of Occupational Therapy. Her faculty…

The Florida Occupational Therapy Association (FOTA) annual meeting was held in October. Forty-two faculty members and students from the Department of Occupational Therapy took advantage of this opportunity to present their scientific work via workshops, short courses, and poster presentations.

The University of Florida International Center honored a College of Public Health and Health Professions faculty member and several graduate students during International Education Week, held November 12 to 16. Shabnam Medhizadah, a doctoral student in the rehabilitation science program who hails from Canada, was awarded with a certificate of excellence.

Elaine Keane, a 1985 UF OT graduate, is the executive director of CRECER, a clinic in Ibarra, Ecuador.

The OTD program is the first and only entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy in the Florida State University System. The program was approved by the Board of Governors last year and will graduate the first class in 2021.

On May 14, the Department of Occupational Therapy welcomed the last class of Masters of Occupational Therapy (MOT) students.

Every morning, Morgan Montaudo — a University of Florida health science senior on the pre-occupational therapy track — puts on her backpack, heads toward the door and then turns to her wagging golden retriever to ask, “Do you want to be a service dog today?” Montaudo, 23, and her…

Zachary Pindar, Zari Whittaker, Michael Schwab and Emily Szafranski The University of Florida Department of Occupational Therapy was well represented at the Florida Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference held November 4th and 5th in Orlando. Congratulations to Zachary…