Since 2010, the faculty members of the Master's of Rehabilitation Counseling program have been working with investigators from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Stout, and Michigan State University on a project funded by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The Rehabilitation Research & Training Center: Evidence-Based Practice in Vocational Rehabilitation (RRTC-EBP-VR) is designed to generate knowledge and evidenced based vocational rehabilitation practices that improve employment rates, and quality of employment for persons with disabilities.

Through collaboration with key stakeholders (VR, community partners, rehabilitation researchers, families and individuals with disabilities), the RRTC engages in a comprehensive research process to identify, study and exchange essential elements that contribute to successful outcomes. The RRTC recently completed data collection aimed at answering two questions: 1) "What are the best models of effective practice, policy and procedures among state VR agencies that result in the effective delivery of services to assist individuals with disabilities to achieve employment outcomes?" and 2) "What are the specific best practices approaches that appear to be evidence-based and transportable to other state VR agencies? Intensive case studies were conducted with four state vocational rehabilitation agencies during which interviews were conducted with administration, managers, supervisors and rehabilitation counselors. The RRTC research team is in the process of reviewing documentation provided by the state vocational rehabilitation agencies and analyzing the transcripts from the interviews. Over the next six months, the findings from the four agencies will be developed into a single report intended provide agencies across the country with practices that can be integrated into existing practices toward improving employment rates and the quality of employment for persons with disabilities.

Three Physical Therapy Professors Present at National Conference

Three members of the Physical Therapy program's faculty presented posters at the annual American Physical Therapy Association's Combined Sections Meeting in San Diego, CA, January 21-24.  

Dr. Conny White presented her poster, Assessment of the Acromiohumeral Distance during Isometric Shoulder External Rotation with and without Adduction in Healthy Participants.

Dr. Loretta Dillon presented her poster, Creating an Innovative Interprofessional Environment during a Simulated Hospital Day.

Dr. Celia Pechak presented her poster Capacity Building in Guatemala: Lessons Learned from an Early Partnership Between Universidad Mariano Galvez and Health Volunteers Overseas.

Congratulations to all three professors for representing UTEP well!

Physical Therapy Students Attend National Conference 

PT students from the Class of 2013 were afforded the option to attend this year's American Physical Therapy Association's Combined Sections Meeting in San Diego, CA from January 21st to the 24th. Six students took advantage of this opportunity to network with Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy Assistants, and fellow students from throughout the country and beyond.

Students from Class of 2013 meet World Confederation for Physical Therapy President Dr. Marilyn Moffat while attending the Global Health Reception at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in January 2013.

The annual Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) focuses on programming designed by all 18 of APTA's specialty sections. CSM 2013 brought together more than 9,000 physical therapy professionals from around the nation for several stimulating days of exceptional programming, networking opportunities, and an exhibit hall filled with products and services in San Diego.

Students from Class of 2013 and Texas PT Association President & UTEP Adjunct Faculty Dr. Cynthia Fisher at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting in January 2013.

Congratulations to Dr. Daniel Ferraro

Dr. Ferraro was selected as a mentee for the Texas Physical Therapy Association's (TPTA) inaugural Tom Waugh Leadership Development Program (TWLDP). The TWLDP Program is named after longtime member (40 years), Tom Waugh. Tom was active in the association during his many years of practice as a physical therapist in the El Paso area. He was known across the United States due to his many years as a Delegate for the Texas Chapter at the American Physical Therapy Association's House of Delegates. Everyone who knew him felt his passion for the profession and Leadership Development. He mentored many students and professionals throughout the years. Tom passed away in April, 2012 after battling cancer.      

Fourteen of the sixteen selected mentees were represented at the TPTA's Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX. 

The goal of the TWLD program is to provide a structured mechanism by which members become more familiar with both leadership opportunities and operations of the TPTA and become encouraged to increase participation.  Completion of Phase I of the program means that a member has received personalized mentorship to facilitate a higher level of  involvement with TPTA at both the local and state levels. Completion of Phase II means that a person is recognized as having leadership capacity and is ready to assume any of a number of leadership roles in the TPTA. It will take two years to complete both phases.

Congratulations to Dr. Melissa Carroll

Dr. Carroll was accepted to and participated in the Assessment Residency of the American Society of Microbiology (ASM)/National Science Foundation (NSF) Biology Scholars Program. The Biology Scholars Program was developed with the support of the National Science Foundation under grant number DUE-1022542 and is sponsored by ASM with support from the NSF, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and American Association for the Advancement of Science BioSciEdNet Collaborative.

The Kinesiology (KIN) Club is off to a great start this semester. They communicated with school children and parents about UTEP and the Kinesiology Club at Harmony School of Innovation Spirit Night on January 31, 2013. Students in their booth handed out posters, jump ropes, and informational coloring books with stickers.  

Next, the KIN Club, AKA the Ballers, got active and joined the UTEP Recreation Center Intramural Coed Basketball league. The Ballers played their first game on February 14 and won! The next game will be on February 21st. Go KIN!

The Department of Public Health Sciences was represented at the Young Achievers Forum on Saturday, February 16. The event, organized by Communidad en Accion that brought more than 1,100 6th-grade students from different school districts in El Paso to learn about careers in STEM, Medical Sciences, Business & Finances, Education & Liberal Arts, Health and Fitness. Dr. Maria Duarte, Professor and Department Chair, and Cynthia Chavez, Senior in the Health Promotion Program, presented the topic My Healthy Plate at the event in where more than 150 students participated in 20 minutes sessions. The concept of balanced meals was introduced using My Plate, a model that illustrates the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet. Students worked in groups and each group used a variety of food replicas from the different food groups to build a healthy plate that represented breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The importance of consuming daily balanced meals and engaging in a physical activity program to prevent obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases was addressed throughout the session. Health Promotion student Cynthia Chavez demonstrated the sugar, fat, and salt content of common foods and emphasized on the importance of reducing the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, high fat and high sodium foods so all younger and adult populations can increase their chances to live longer and healthier lives.