Launching the Academic Year

| 20 September 2018 | 203 views

Dr. Marcia Finlayson

Vice Dean – Health Sciences

Director – School of Rehabilitation Therapy

It is hard to believe that is has already been two weeks since the incoming Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy students were in orientation, and nearly a month since our new Aging and Health program students were in Kingston for their on-site intensive. Students in our brand new Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation and Health Leadership have already wrapped up their first term in the program. Amazing. Where does the time go?

As everyone settles into the routines of the academic year, it is clear that we have an exciting and busy year ahead of us in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy. The faculty of the Physiotherapy program have launched a major curriculum review and renewal process, and the faculty from the Occupational Therapy program are putting the final touches on their accreditation self-study report. These activities are occurring while faculty prepare classes for our new and returning students, and work to develop recruitment approaches for next fall that will encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply into our programs.

The number of staff in the International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation has increased over the summer in order to support the growing work of the MasterCard Scholars program and our partnership with the University of Gondar in Ethiopia. Nine new students have come to Queen’s from Gondar this fall, and work has started on the needs assessment that will guide the development of the first Occupational Therapy program in Ethiopia. Over at the Canadian Institute of Military and Veteran Health Research, staff are in the final stages of preparing for the annual Forum, which is being co-sponsored with the University of Regina this year. The speakers and sessions show the depth and breadth of the work happening across the country in this field.

Many research collaborations are emerging across faculty in the School, particularly around the theme of transitions in care settings. Over time, we have become increasingly aware that a lot of our individual research programs address the ways in which people affected by or at risk of disability navigate transitions back and forth between settings such as inpatient and outpatient care, hospital and community care, and primary and specialty care. As a group, we are working to learn more about each other’s work and find ways to establish our collective expertise in these areas so that we can build evidence that informs health system changes in our region and beyond. We are gaining momentum, and looking forward to increased collaboration and opportunities to create unique clinical and research experiences for our students and clinical partners.

Here is to a great 2018-19 academic year!

School of Rehabilitation Therapy