Occupational Therapy Program News

Program Highlights

The Occupational Therapy Program admitted 27 students into the class of 2008 making it the largest class ever.  Enrollment trends are up nationally, as is the number of vacant job positions. Stony Brook graduates remain well-positioned in the competitive health care job market, with clinical supervisors repeatedly telling us our students are the best prepared out of all the area schools.

Donna Costa just returned from a ten-day trip to Ukraine, providing home health care services to disabled children and their families. Students in the program donated funds and items for Donna to distribute to individuals in need. This trip was part of a course in The International Practice of Occupational Therapy through the University of Indianapolis where Donna is currently working on her doctoral degree in occupational therapy. Next year’s trip has already been scheduled, and the University of Indianapolis is hoping to recruit Stony Brook students as well, so that they can “pair up” with University of Indianapolis students.

The Occupational Therapy Program had a very strong presence at the American Occupational Therapy Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA in May 2005. Two of our alumni (Terry Chu and Alicia Shepherd) from the Class of 2004 were featured in all of the Conference publications, and 7 of the 14 graduates from last year attended the Conference.  All six of this year’s graduating class graduate research posters were accepted, resulting in a 100% participation rate! Congratulations go to Pamela Block and Liz Vanner who guided the student’s research, along with mentors V.J.  Clark-Brown, Donna Costa, Karen DeChello, and Beverly Horowitz. 

Presentations

Donna Costa presented an all-day Institute on Fieldwork Supervision and a workshop on Sensory Defensiveness and Sensory-Based Treatment for Adults with Psychiatric Disorders at the American Occupational Therapy Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA in May 2005.

Beverly Horowitz made two presentations at the American Occupational Therapy Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA in May 2005 at the Gerontology Special Interest Section Annual Program, and on Occupational Therapists as Valued Partners in Geriatric Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Health Promotion.