WHITWORTH SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES
School of Health Sciences
FROM THE DEAN’S DESK We are pleased to share with you the first School of Health Sciences Newsletter! The creation of the School of Health Sciences (SHS), approved at the April 2023 board of trustees meeting, is really the continuation of work that was started more than 15 years ago. That’s when we developed an undergraduate department of health sciences, which quickly grew to one of the university’s largest undergraduate programs. Today the SHS includes undergraduate majors in health science, community health, pre-athletic training, pre-occupational therapy and pre-nursing. Graduate degrees include a master’s degree in athletic training and doctoral degrees in occupational and physical therapy. The SHS is in the heart of campus, housed in the beautiful, brand-new Dana & David Dornsife Health Sciences Building, a 38,000-square-foot building with nine teaching and clinical labs, including a motion-capture lab, human performance lab, activities of daily living lab, musculoskeletal lab, neuro and pediatrics lab, athletic training lab, anatomy and physiology PAGE / 2
cadaver lab, and community clinic. Whitworth also continues our more than 50-year relationship with Washington State University as founding partners, and the only non-WSU university partner, in the College of Nursing. Over the last 15 years, Whitworth has strategically invested in undergraduate and graduate health science programs that have clinical synergies and growing student demand and for which there is a demonstrated community need. We have created programs of excellence that are mission-driven and positioned to serve our communities for years to come. We hope this annual newsletter highlights some of the vibrant and creative projects our wonderful faculty and students are engaged with. If you have any questions about our programs, our work or how you can be involved, please reach out to me. I would love to visit. Mike Ediger, D.H.Sc. Dean, School of Health Sciences | shs@whitworth.edu WHITWORTH SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES
UNDERGRADUATE HEALTH SCIENCES UPDATE My grandfather was a farmer, and during one of his last harvest seasons, I remember his response when asked if the current temperatures were normal: “This is the 65th consecutive year of unusual weather.” Much of my grandfather’s success as a farmer was due to his adaptability and openness to change. These attributes have been hallmarks of the undergraduate health sciences department since it was formed 15 years ago. We are constantly evaluating what works well and where we can improve to best prepare our students to live out Whitworth’s mission and meet the needs of their communities. As healthcare evolves, so do we. So, here are some highlights and new opportunities on the horizon: › We have a new major! Students now have four degree options in health sciences: B.S. in health science; B.S. in health science (pre-athletic training); B.A. in community health; and the new B.A. in health science (preoccupational therapy). Modeled after the 3+2 pre-athletic training option, the pre-OT 3+3 gives students who enter Whitworth as undergraduates an accelerated pathway to completing their OTD at Whitworth. › As the landscape of higher education and health professions evolve, we are taking a deep look at our current major offerings and considering new pathways for students to reach their career and vocational goals. What won’t change is the rigor and relational nature of our programs. We are looking to bolster our current programs and expand our public health offerings as we hire TWO new faculty in these areas to start in fall 2024. If you know anyone who might be interested, let us know! › We will be sending out a survey to alumni this winter exploring ways to better connect them with current students through shadowing, mentoring and internship opportunities. We also want to highlight the amazing things that our alumni are doing in their communities through forums like this and our new Instagram account. If you are an alum, we’d love your feedback. Elizabeth Abbey ’03, Ph.D. Chair, Undergraduate Department of Health Sciences
“WE HAVE CREATED PROGRAMS OF EXCELLENCE THAT ARE MISSION-DRIVEN AND POSITIONED TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES FOR YEARS TO COME.” PAGE / 3
ATHLETIC TRAINING AWARENESS The athletic training program is made up of three core faculty members (Shane Wibel, Smokey Fermin and Cynthia Wright) and multiple amazing affiliated faculty and clinical staff (including Beth Abbey, Matt Silvers, Stacey Nauman, Sarah Cummings, Britt Castilla and Matt Buckner). The last five years have been filled with numerous opportunities and changes for AT. It’s easy to get caught up in the journey and forget how far we’ve come. We first transitioned to the master’s degree in 2018, graduated our first master’s cohort in 2020, and restructured to become our own department and moved into the new Dornsife Health Sciences Building in spring 2022. We added interprofessional courses with the new physical therapy and occupational therapy cohorts in fall 2022, restructured into the School of Health Sciences in 2023, and are prepping for our reaccreditation site visit in 2024. And last year we opened the pirATe clinic, a free AT clinic serving Whitworth employees and students with orthopedic health needs. That’s a lot of change! But through it all, our mission, tradition of excellence and family atmosphere have stayed constant. We’re so grateful for every student, faculty, staff and preceptor (past and present) who has made this program what it is today. Cynthia Wright ’05, Ph.D. Chair, Department of Athletic Training PAGE / 4
WHITWORTH SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES
PHYSICAL THERAPY THOUGHTS The DPT program comprises two diverse cohorts enrolled: the Class of 2025, whose members embarked on their inaugural full-time clinical experiences in October, and the Class of 2026, whose members began their initial part-time integrated clinical experiences (ICE) in September. The integrated clinical experiences take place across various settings: acute care at Providence Holy Family Hospital, general orthopedic cases at Union Gospel Mission’s Women’s Crisis Shelter, sports injuries and neurological conditions at the Whitworth Onsite Teaching Clinic, and CDC STEADI fall screenings at the North YWCA Senior Health & Fitness Day. Besides working with patients, our students are also putting themselves in others’ shoes by participating in a refugee simulation at Thrive International and a poverty simulation at Whitworth University. Each semester, students engage in interprofessional education and experiences as part of their Professional Formation coursework. Faculty supervision guides students through these encounters, bridging classroom knowledge with hands-on patient care, and readying them for comprehensive clinical involvement and a holistic approach to the provision of healthcare. Carrie Clark Hawkins, Ph.D. Chair, Department of Physical Therapy
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SNAPSHOT The Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program has been granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education and is progressing toward anticipated full accreditation in 2025. Our faculty members with diverse areas of clinical expertise are excited to share their passion for the occupational therapy profession in the classroom and in the Spokane community. Faculty set an example of being evidence-based practice scholars and leaders to our two cohorts of students. Faculty teach students the needed skills and knowledge to become successful occupational therapists through a robust curriculum that emphasizes a mind-and-heart education, which is a distinct characteristic of educational experiences at Whitworth University. Highlights from the first year of the program included engaging with the community during coursework through off-campus visits, welcoming community volunteers in the classroom, conducting service opportunities through the student OT association, and completing level I fieldwork at a variety of local and regional community partner sites. The program incorporates a significant level of hands-on learning opportunities to aid students in solidifying their learning of needed skills in a real-world context. We are blessed to have many community partners on this educational journey with our program and its faculty and students. Loriann Helgeson, OTD Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy PAGE / 5
SHS FACULTY AND STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS › Under the guidance of Professor Matt Silvers, our students will launch a new group on campus this fall – the Human Performance Club. This club will encompass more than Wingate tests and breaking boards. Students across majors will come together to learn about exercise testing, corrective exercises, nutrition and more through guest speakers and hands-on testing practice. › An interdisciplinary faculty team led by Vicky Tsang, Ph.D., of the OTD program and Scott Griffith and Peter Tucker, Ph.D., of the mathematics & computer science department has been awarded a $19,700 Hugh Johnston Interdisciplinary Research Grant in 2023. The team will guide undergraduate students to explore the possibility of using virtual reality (VR) technology to capture digital data of real-life social interaction scenarios. If their collaborative effort proves to be useful, the innovative VR architecture that the team eventually builds will expand the assistive technology service scope in occupational therapy to help enhance the daily social interaction experience for many neurodiverse clients.
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› Sharon Yurs, DPT, became an APTA Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist in June 2023. › Dawn Fitzgerald, DPT, is becoming a Super User of the Bioness Vector, which will allow her to train others in the School of Health Sciences to use the Bioness Vector. › Kevin Helgeson, D.H.Sc., had his scholarship, “ACAPT Education Research Committee Study Implications: Examining Barriers and Solutions to Promote Education Research,” accepted at the education session at the 18th annual Physical Therapy Education Leadership Conference in Philadelphia in October 2023. › Carrie Clark Hawkins, Ph.D., had her scholarship, “The Impact of a Holistic Admissions Process on NPTE Outcomes,” accepted at the poster session at the 18th annual Physical Therapy Education Leadership Conference in Philadelphia in October 2023.
WHITWORTH SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES
STUDENT PROFILES Joshua C. Mendoza DPT ’26 Joshua C. Mendoza is a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant who is pursuing his doctor of physical therapy because he wants to gain more confidence and knowledge to treat patients. While working as a PTA and improving his skills and abilities, he learned from his physical therapist co-workers and saw the evidence-based care they provided. This sparked in him the desire to increase his knowledge to treat all those who need help and entrust him with their care. He chose Whitworth’s DPT program because the sense of family and camaraderie were evident. All those involved in Whitworth’s DPT program show through their speech and actions just how much they want to see all students succeed and not only become outstanding future physical therapists but also grow as people.
Katelyn Pounds ’23, MSAT ’24 Master of Science in Athletic Training student Katelyn Pounds completed a full-time clinical rotation at the University of Arizona during summer 2023 where she got to work with the school’s Division I football team as a student athletic trainer. The athletic training team managed emergency care and rehabilitation of all athletes and collaborated with strength and conditioning staff, nutritionists, and team psychologists to help the team achieve peak performance. While challenging at times, it was a fantastic learning experience that encouraged Pounds to work at a university in the future.
NOW ENROLLING FOR 2024-25 Applications for the MSAT, OTD and DPT programs for the 2024-25 academic year are open! The priority deadline for OTD is Jan. 1, 2024, and the priority deadline for DPT is Jan. 2, 2024. We will be holding the first round of interviews for both OTD and DPT in early December, so make sure to apply this fall if you would like to be considered for the December interview date. The priority deadline for MSAT is Dec. 1, 2023. Application links are available on each program’s webpage, or you can reach out to Elise Migliazzo, associate director of graduate health sciences admissions, at emigliazzo@whitworth.edu. PAGE / 7
CLINICAL PARTNERSHIPS If you are interested in being a clinical partner or preceptor, please contact the clinical education coordinator for your desired program.
› Athletic Training: Shane Wibel, swibel@whitworth.edu › Occupational Therapy: Bonnie Kirkpatrick, bkirkpatrick@whitworth.edu › Physical Therapy: Jonathan Hook, jonathanhook@whitworth.edu
A FINAL “THANK YOU!” On behalf of all SHS faculty, staff and students, thank you for partnering with us in our mission to deliver programs of academic and clinical excellence, helping students receive an education of the mind and heart so they can serve humanity through the work of their hands. We know that we can’t do this without you, so thank you for the many ways you have supported all that we do.
CONNECT WITH US ON INSTAGRAM! Undergraduate: wu_healthsciences MSAT: whitworth_msat OTD: whitworth_otd DPT: whitworthdpt
Mike
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WHITWORTH SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES