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I t is once again the time of year to enjoy the holiday season - a period
that allows us to spend
some quality time with
family and friends, and to
reflect upon and celebrate
our achievements. We have
a lot to celebrate at this
time.
The department is
extremely proud of the
achievements of our faculty
members. Dr. Liisa Holsti
has been awarded a Canada
Research Chair. Liisa is now
placed among an elite group
of researchers who have
received this highly
competitive and prestigious
award. We also
congratulate Dr. Catherine
Backman, Ms. Heather Best,
and the whole rheumatology
teaching team, recipients of
the 2010 Excellence in
Interprofessional Education
Teaching Award from
the UBC College of Health
Disciplines.
The department is delighted
to announce the promotions
of Michael Lee and Donna
Drynan into the tenure
stream roles of Instructor I.
Mike and Donna, who have
long been integral members
of the department, retain
their administrative roles of
Curriculum Coordinator and
Academic Fieldwork
Coordinator, respectively.
On a personal note, I am
happy to share with you my
own promotion to the rank
of Professor.
As 2010 draws to a close we
have another reason for
celebration. This is a good
time to begin to advertise
that 2011 marks our 50th
year as British Columbia‟s
primary deliverer of
rehabilitation science
programs. We are actively
planning many events
throughout the year, but we
ask our readers –
particularly our alumni and
members of the OT
community – to save
Saturday, May 28, 2011 as
the date to re-connect with
the department and 50
years‟-worth of graduates
during our gala event.
Please join us on that day
and in many other events
throughout the year to
celebrate the achievements
of the rehabilitation science
community in British
Columbia.
Beyond celebrations, the
department was busy as
usual in contributing to the
education of OT in BC. Two
such activities are worth
mentioning here. The first is
our proposal for
international seats
expansion. Dedicated to
relieving the shortage of
OTs in the province, and in
Notes from Tal
Volume 2, Issue 2
OT Lens Winter 2010/2011
Newsletter of The Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy
MOT Student Perspectives
2,68
Movember Movement
3
Michael Lee visits China
4
New Face at OSOT
7
Reunion 12
Graduates 9-11
Capstone Update 13
Inside this issue:
Special points of
interest:
Mental Health
Awareness Club
Awards and
Honours for OS&OT
Faculty
Seasonal greetings
New Website
50th Anniversary!
light of the UBC
international strategic plan,
the Department developed
a proposal for adding
international seats to the
MOT program, seats that
will be on top of the current
48 domestic seats. While
the Board of Governors in
their February meeting will
review the proposal, we
have received permission to
begin recruiting for these
seats as long as we
acknowledge that they are
“subject to Board
approval”. Our intention
this year is to admit no
more than 3 depending on
our applicant pool. I would
welcome you to take part in
the admission process to the
MOT program, which will
take place in the beginning
of March.
Second, during the past
(Continued on page 15)
Tal Jarus, Professor and Head
OT Lens Page 2
B iannually over the course of my time in the OT program at UBC I have been asked to
elicit the contemporary
perspective of our class for the
OT Lens publication. In the past I
sought out perspectives from the
entire class in order
to capture an all
encompassing
ongoing view of the
program. When I was
asked to gather
perspectives for this
issue of the OT Lens I
thought, why not
write about my
personal journey. So in true OT
fashion here is the lived
experience of my meditation
practice.
Coming from an academic
background firmly rooted in
sport, health and physical
education I would read about the
idealized mind-body connection
and I have been a subscriber to
the Brain Science Podcast (http://
www.brainsciencepodcast.com/) for
years but it wasn‟t until a month
ago that I actively pursued
literature on mindfulness
meditation.
In an effort to overcome daily
stressors, continually seek a
comfortable level of self and
become more connected to a
lifelong reflexive learning of OT,
I planned that when starting my
third fieldwork placement I
would start my practice of
mindfulness meditation. Every
morning at 6:00 a.m. I am
awoken by my clock-radio
reporting the
CBC local news.
After listening
to the report for
5 minutes I
climb out of
bed, throw on
my bathrobe and
slippers and
prop myself up
at my computer. On my desktop I
have a lecture and guided
meditation by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn
presenting at Google
Headquarters in San Francisco,
California (http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=3nwwKbM_vJc). Kabat-Zinn is
the founder and former director
of the Stress Reduction Clinic and
Professor of Medicine emeritus,
both at the University of
Massachusetts Medical School.
Kabat-Zinn compares the mind to
an orchestra and points out how
important it is to “tune your
instrument before you use it”
every day to effectively bring
about mindful synchronicity over
a lifetime. Over the last month,
every morning I have sat for 20
minutes listening to Kabat-Zinn‟s
gentle exploration of attention
and awareness, then attempted
to carry the attunement I
achieved in the mornings
throughout my day. I found that
by centering my awareness
around my breath and „checking
in‟ on my breath when tension
arises that I am able to
successfully manage work-life
stressors. By practicing
mindfulness I have noticed that I
have more energy and I am more
attentive to all that life brings
my way.
My morning routine: An appeal to my awareness
The mind is an orchestra. It
is important to tune your
instrument before you use it.
- Dr. John Kabat-Zinn
Sean Lloyd, Class of 2011
M ovember is an annual month-long event featuring the growing of moustaches during the month of November. The event was conceived in 1999 by a group of Australian men from Adelaide. Since
2004, the Movember Foundation charity has run Movember events in
Australia and New Zealand to raise awareness and funds for men's
health issues, such as prostate cancer and depression. In 2007, events
were launched in Ireland, Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the
United States.
The OT MO Team, made up of members from the department of
OS&OT: MOT1 students Brian Condon, Brian O'Rourke and Jason
Thorne, MOT2 student Sean Lloyd, Ph.D student Ed Giesbrecht,
Associate Professor Dr. Bill Miller and OT Andrew Neale of Vancouver
Coastal Health, Community Mental Health Housing, joined the growing
frenzy and have raised a total of $2,010.00 to benefit men‟s health.
Volume 2, Issue 2 Page 3
Sean Lloyd Mo’ Money for Men’s Health Research
Some of
the moust
achioed O
T MO Te
am: Top
Left: Bill
Miller an
d Jason T
horne
Bottom L
eft: Brian
Condon a
nd Brian
O’Rourke
. Not sho
wn: Ed G
iesbrecht,
MOT Student Sean Lloyd shows his mo’ with his Field-
work Supervisor, Andrew Neale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide,_South_Australiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charitable_organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_healthhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_healthhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate_cancerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_depressionhttp://ca.movember.com/mospace/467059/http://ca.movember.com/mospace/635750/http://ca.movember.com/mospace/656134/http://ca.movember.com/mospace/656134/http://ca.movember.com/mospace/1248168/
OT Lens Page 4
W hile we were soaking wet in Vancouver this early November, our Curriculum
Coordinator, Michael Lee, spent three
weeks of warm sunny days in China.
His interest in supporting mental
health service development in China
has taken Michael to China three times
in as many years. Together with an
interprofessional team of
psychiatrists, social workers,
psychiatric nurses, and family
therapists, all from
Canada, Michael
offered intensive
training programs to
staff from psychiatric
hospitals in Suzhou and
Xiamen, helping local
mental health
practitioners to
develop community
psychiatry services.
On his last week in
China, Michael visited
the Southwest University for
Nationalities in Sichuan,
where he offered a keynote
speech to more than 200
university senior
administrators and faculty on
promoting campus mental
health. He also offered a two
-day workshop on cognitive
behavioural technique (CBT)
and its clinical implications to
hundreds of undergraduate
and post graduate students.
He then visited the Mental
Health Center of the West
China Hospital, which is the
world‟s largest hospital.
During his visit to the West
China Hospital, Michael
offered a one-day training
workshop to practitioners who
are working hard to
incorporate new technologies
in psychosocial rehabilitation
to their practice.
When asked about mental health care
in China, Michael expressed high
admiration for the level of family
involvement in Chinese mental health
care. Family members are closely
involved in treatment planning as well
as in discharge preparation. Family
education is also highly valued as a
way to enable family members to care
for their loved ones who are living
with mental illness. Psychosocial
rehabilitation is a hot topic that
practitioners in China strive
to bring to their practice.
One common challenge
faced in China as well as in
Canada is the stigma that
comes with mental illness.
Michael commented that
both China and Canada are
creative in addressing stigma
issues, and there are things
that both countries can learn
from each other. Speaking
about his experience of
teaching in China, Michael noted the
keenness of Chinese students in
learning. When he was teaching CBT,
there were a good number of students
standing or sitting on the floor for 6
hours in order to attend his class.
After the class, many of them lined up
wanting to ask further questions and
seeking further reading materials.
Though it was very tiring, Michael
commented that it was equally
rewarding to share knowledge with
such keen learners.
It was obvious to Michael that there
are many things that both countries
can learn from each other. He
emphasized that as we all live in this
global village, we should continue to
build capacity with international
partners to advance better mental
health and create communities of
people who all have equal access.
Michael looks forward to opportunities
to further partnership with China in
advancing mental health.
Three Weeks in China
Family members are
closely involved in
treatment planning as
well as in discharge
preparation...for loved
ones living with
mental illness.
Michael Lee
Michael Lee gives the keynote speech at Southwest University for Nationalities in Chengdu, capital
city of Sichuan province, China.
health and well-being.
UBC MHAC is committed to hosting
events that help eliminate stigma
towards mental health and break
down misconceptions regarding mental
illness. The club members, whose
interests in the club are as varied as
their academic backgrounds, have the
common goal of helping the public
learn more about mental illness and
health. In September, the club had a
membership drive to share information
about their vision and activities to the
entire UBC student body. At one of
these events the members were
surprised with a visit from former New
Democratic Party Leader, Carole
James. The members discussed and
questioned her about her knowledge
and awareness regarding mental
health and mental illness.
UBC MHAC members recently held a
U BC Mental Health Awareness Club (MHAC) is an AMS club and was founded by a few occupational
therapy students. The vision of the
club is to provide information and
education to the UBC community
about mental health and mental
illness. A group of professors from the
various health and human services
programs, i.e. occupational therapy,
pharmacy, medicine and nursing,
advises and mentors executive MHAC
members. Currently, the MHAC
consists of over 100 student members
from different disciplines and
backgrounds, such as Psychology,
Commerce, Pharmacy, Economics and
Social Work. UBC MHAC envisions the
UBC campus as a stigma-free
community when it comes to mental
illness, and its goal is to create and
sustain a healthy and inclusive
environment that addresses mental
series of events during Mental
Illness Awareness Week in
October. On the second day, the
club hosted an interprofessional
Lunch and Learn with
professionals from mental health
teams. The event was
largely targeted for students
from the College of Health
Disciplines; the speakers (a
physician‟s pharmacist,
occupational therapist) were
challenged with a case study
concerning a teen-age student
with mood disorder who was
using recreational drugs. The
interprofessional team
was prompted to discuss the
different steps each professional
would take when working with
this client. Another event the MHAC hosted was "Recovery with
Mental Illness." The
audience was exposed to a
unique auditory hallucination
simulation with the aim of
learning how hallucination
impacts one‟s ability to
function; learned about recovery
journey from mental health consumers
who shared their stories; and
participated in a discussion of the
recovery model, led by an
occupational therapist. During Mental
Illness Awareness week, MHAC also
joined forces with the UBC Wellness
Centre to provide a workshop on how
to handle stress just in time for
midterms.
UBC MHAC looks forward to exploring
new programs for their members and
the student body. Various mental
health promotion programs will
continue to fulfill the goals of de-
stigmatizing mental illness and
increasing awareness about mental
health. Stay up-to-date by visiting the
MHAC website at http://
ubcmhac.sites.olt.ubc.ca
Mental Health Awareness Club Takes Off Kevin Ly, with Michael Lee, Erin Brown, Thao Dao
Volume 2, Issue 2 Page 5
MHAC members photo-op: From left to right: Michael Lee, Thao Dao, Laura Lush, former NDP
leader Carole James, Dawn Black, MLA from New Westminster, and Erin Brown
http://ubcmhac.sites.olt.ubc.ca/
OT Lens Page 6
W hen someone asks the typical small talk question at a party or event, „what do you do?‟, OTs and
OT students are overly familiar with
the blank nods, the „yah yahs‟ and the
laboured guesses they receive after
answering this question. This is
generally the opportunity to advertise
what OT encompasses and how
awesome it is; however, its definition
may seem a little abstract to the
average partygoer and he or she may
decide to consider OT
to be „kinda like PT.‟
This is true, OT is
„kinda like PT‟, OTs
help individuals with
rehabilitation and do
relevant assessments,
but that means they
are „kinda like‟ doctors
and nurses too. A
significant portion of
the general population
seems to be unaware of
what OTs do (granted the name of the
profession does not exactly give it
away, and can be misleading to many
as occupation equates to paid work to
the majority of people), but those who
know are very knowledgeable and
thankful for OTs‟ existence. Why is
such a client-oriented and well
received field of work and study so
misunderstood and/or unknown to the
general population? It is not like OT is
a new addition to the health care
system.
I am not much of a television watcher,
unless there is a Canucks game on the
tube. I watch House from time to
time and I have seen one or two
episodes of Grey‟s Anatomy. That
being said, I am often in an
environment where most of the people
around me follow these shows on a
regular basis and enjoy gossiping
about what happens and who
is seeing who, so I get a good
idea of what goes on. I can
tell you that OT, or for that
matter, pretty much any
allied health team member,
are not represented on these
mainstream television
shows. Actually, I would like
to know if anyone has seen
an OT or has even heard of
occupational therapy being
mentioned on any primetime
television series. The focus is always
on nurses and doctors, and there are
these dramatic power struggles and
everyone dates each other and/or
cheats on one another with other
nurses and/or doctors. Where are the
OTs when all this is happening? Are
they considered to be not dramatic or
cool enough? What is wrong with the
idea of including an OT for at least an
episode or two?
These television shows give a false
impression as to what goes on in the
medical world. Doctors and nurses are
not the only workers in hospitals,
though those who grow up watching
these shows may seem to think so.
Considering this, in addition to a title
with a tricky meaning, it is difficult for
people to develop an impression as to
what OT is. I definitely did not have a
clue what the OT role was until I
volunteered with a population of
individuals who used their services on
a regular basis. I realize now, that
experience only gave me a miniscule
idea regarding the OT role, but it was
enough to interest me to look into it
deeper. The media seems to hone in
on particular subjects, which creates a
public interest in those areas;
unfortunately OT never receives this
attention. It is my hope that OT will
receive its fair share of recognition
and public awareness someday in my
lifetime. Television programming is a
very powerful source. Just imagine
how much more drama could occur on
these hospital-based television
programs if there were OTs, as well as
PTs, dieticians, pharmacists and social
workers!
OT on TV
Where are the OTs
when all the drama is
happening on
primetime television
series?
Jerica Ditson, Class of 2012
Volume 2, Issue 2 Page 7
D r. Setareh Ghahari joined the Department in October to begin a 3-year post-doctoral fellowship under supervision of Dr. Susan Forwell. Her fellowship is funded, in part, by a grant obtained from the National MS Society. Dr. Ghahari completed her Bachelor's and Master's degree in occupational therapy in Iran and has 12 years of clinical and
teaching experience with a focus on physical disabilities. She completed her PhD at
Curtin University in Western Australia in 2009. She is an academic staff member in the
Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation
Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Her research area is understanding self-management for
people with multiple sclerosis.
Dr Ghahari has had a very productive first 2 months in this fellowship including
observing the various professionals in the UBC MS Clinic, networking with scholars
working on epidemiolgical issues in MS, attending numerous MS education and
research exchanges, is preparing a grant to determine the factors and characteristics
for optimal self-management in MS, is drafting a paper related to activity and
participation in MS and is co-supervising a team of MOT students in a MS research
study. We are very pleased to have Dr. Ghahari working with us.
Welcoming A New Post-Doctoral Fellow Susan Forwell
Setareh Ghahari
S o much great news to report on! For starters, this Fall, Paula Rushton defended her PhD dissertation and Alanna
Simms and Meghan Lindsell successfully
defended their Master’s thesis. Meghan
continues to help out with ongoing studies in
the lab. Rochelle Stokes also graduated with an
MSc. degree. We wish all students well as they
move on from their journey in graduate studies
towards to the next stages of their careers.
Getting closer to the finish line: Karen Sauve is
just wrapping up her MSc thesis and preparing
to defend in late January 2011. Then her life
will completely shift over to family mode as she
and her partner anticipate the arrival of their
first baby at the beginning of February!
Meanwhile, other students are just about to
embark on the PhD journey. A warm welcome
to the following PhD students who will be
joining us in January 2011: Alison Gerlach,
Megan MacGillivray, and Elise Huisman.
Jeanie Zabukovec successfully defended her
Master’s proposal and has just started
recruiting and testing this week.
Students in the program have been busy
presenting and attending various conferences.
Krista Best just got back from the Canadian
Aging and Gerontological conference. Shalini
Lal and Mineko Wada presented at the
Advances in Qualitative Methods and
Qualitative Health Research conference
respectively. Students have also been quite
successful in disseminating the results of
their research; for example, Paula Rushton
and Ed Giesbrecht recently won the best
PhD poster competition at the Canadian
Aging and Gerontological conference.
Back in the Margaret Hood Lab, we have
been bustling about sharing adventures
related to recruitment, data collection and
analysis processes. Shalini Lal is recruiting
for her study as we speak and is happy to
be ‘out and about’ in the ‘real’ world...that
is, not buried under a pile of articles or in
front of a computer...although, at times,
she wouldn’t mind just sitting for a while.
Meanwhile, Mineko Wada is exploring every
day what would increase momentum to
stay with her computer as she engages in
qualitative data analysis - coffee, chocolate,
jog, novels, aroma, socials.... and
welcomes any suggestions from peers in
this regard.
Other students are immersed into all kinds
of scholarly activities. Lois Lochhead had
her first taste of teaching at the University
of Northern BC this fall! Teaching Research
Design and Statistics to M.Ed. and M.Sc.
Community Health Students was indeed a
challenge. This endeavour proved to be
very time consuming as well as
exhausting!! The upside is, if you want to
know how to partition the variance, Lois is your
girl! She is also the board director on PABC for
the Central Interior/North East District and this
has also kept her busy - investigating the
measurement issues surrounding the CPTBC
proposed Quality Assurance
Program. Revamping rejected publications is
her current hobby during any free time from
the other commitments.
Debbie Field has just finished her statistics
course, and is feeling much relief. Now on to
Measurement in Healthcare next term, before
starting to prepare for her comprehensive
exams. She is wrapping up her clinical work,
and hopes to be finished well before April to be
able to devote to studying full time. She has
been working on several paper and conference
submissions related to her research work
completed prior to entering the PhD program.
Her manuscript "Responsiveness of the Seated
Postural Control Measure (SPCM) and Level of
Sitting Scale (LSS) for children with neuromotor
disorders", written with Lori Roxborough,
another clinical faculty member with OSOT, has
just been published (early on-line) by Disability
and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology
journal. Debbie was also a recipient for the
CIHR Fellowship Award this year- for a 5 year
scholarship.
Wowsers. Stay tuned…
Best wishes for the New Year!
Updates from Research Graduate Trainees Shalini Lal
OT Lens Page 8
I had the opportunity to complete a Role Emerging Fieldwork
Placement, which is unique
since it provided me with
the chance to delineate a role for
Occupational Therapy in a facility that
does not have an on-site OT. The
placement was at Alderwood Family
Development Centre, a day program
and school for children with severe
behavioural and emotional
disturbances. Some of the common
diagnoses included Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder, and
Attachment Disorders, and all children
have had difficulty
in the traditional
school system. It
was wonderful to
share an
understanding of our
profession with both
students and staff,
whether it was
through a picture
book (Paulette
Bourgeois‟s You, Me, and My OT), or
through discussions and collaborations
with other therapists, teachers, and
support staff. I was able to apply OT
coursework in Pediatric Development,
sensory integration strategies, and
motor skill development, as well as
understandings of environment-
occupation fit, to provide
interventions to children and families.
It was very rewarding to see parents
begin to understand the impact of
occupation on healthy development,
or children concentrating for the
very first time on math
worksheets, just because of a sizzle
seat. I was able to practice in a
reflective way, and practically apply
theories and models we learn at
school, that we tend not to “need”
when we‟re surrounded by a team of
OTs (but that are helpful when you‟re
out on your own!). Overall, this was an
amazing experience that has prepared
me to enter new and interesting
practice areas in OT.
I n February and March 2010, I traveled to Inuvik, NWT (a remote community north of the Arctic Circle)
to complete a fieldwork placement. I
was the first student from UBC ever to
complete a Fieldwork Placement this
far north; it was an incredible
adventure in which I was able to
experience Occupational Therapy in a
unique setting, learn about Inuit
Culture, and travel to several remote
communities (only accessible by
plane) to provide OT services to those
in need. Since OT and rehabilitation
services are not easily or often
accessible in these areas, I felt that
the work my supervisor and I were
doing was greatly needed and
meaningful.
OT services provided in the north vary
widely; some of the most memorable
opportunities and experiences I had
during this placement include making
a knee flexion splint for a 1-day old
baby who was born with Genu
Recurvatum (knee in 60 degrees of
hyperextension), working with
diabetic clients and educating them on
the importance of diet and how to
control their blood sugar levels,
developing a
rehab treatment
plan for a teenage
client with
osteosarcoma in
the shoulder,
learning about
clients' cultural
activities, hearing
elders' stories
including
residential school
experiences, working with several
inpatient clients who had severe
frostbite injuries, doing an ergonomic
assessment for an office worker who
had her cervical spine permanently
fused in a few degrees of flexion,
working towards positive outcomes for
children with FASD, and using
Telehealth (videoconferencing) to
access remote communities and
participate in client conferences.
Some non-OT experiences included the
northern lights, watching the creation
of an igloo, visiting communities on
the Arctic Ocean, snowmobiling
adventures on the Mackenzie Delta,
cross country skiing, visiting the
second largest pingos in the world,
watching dogsled racing, and
attending the Muskrat Jamboree (a
weekend-long traditional celebration
of spring) including drum dancing,
Inuit games, muskrat skinning, and a
traditional Inuit feast.
This was an amazing and chance-of-a-
lifetime experience that I hope will
MOT Fieldwork Experiences
“It was an incredible adventure in which I was able to experience
occupational therapy in a unique setting [and] learn about Inuit
culture.”
Marietta Tang, Robin Frandsen and Shannon Rolph
Three members of the MOT graduating class of 2010 offer three tales of learning on the fly, taken from the
Graduate Student Spotlight.
Robin Frandsen, MOT
Marietta Tang, MOT
Volume 2, Issue 2
Page 9
inspire other OT students to experience
Occupational Therapy in Canada‟s far
north in the future.
F rom February to April of 2010 I was lucky enough to have the chance to travel to Uganda for a
placement opportunity. Here, a
classmate and I worked with children
aged 6 to 25 who had physical or
cognitive disabilities. The setting was
really unique as it was the only day-
school in all of Uganda for children
with disabilities. It was a place where
and made every day a pleasure. In
the 6 weeks that we were there we
were able to see some real progress
in some of the kids. We also
established detailed programs and
trained the teachers in executing
these so that the kids‟ progress
would continue after we left.
Uganda was an amazing country full
of people who touched my heart. It
was an incredibly rewarding
experience – not only because I feel
that I was able to make a small
impact in the lives of these
children, but also because these
beautiful kids made a large impact
in my life.
these children could come to learn
skills that were both academic
(reading and
writing) and
practical (farming
and weaving).
From an
occupational
therapy
perspective, we
worked with
children on a
wide range of
skills; from
handwriting and colouring to
behaviour management techniques
and alternative communication
methods. The children were fantastic
Shannon Rolph, MOT
Congratulations Graduates—Class of 2010!
Graduates of the Class of 2010
O n November 26, 2010, the enthusiastic group shown below received their masters‟ degrees in Occupational Therapy. Ricardo Nuno, BSc OT (Class of 1999) was the alumni representative, and our own Catherine Backman was granted the honour of carrying the mace in front of the procession.
Alphabetically: Sarah Atkinson, Jennifer Bennett, Chelsea Bennie, Jennifer Burke, Bailey Davies, Laine Dawes, Matthew
Derouin, Tracy Dietrich, Shereen Ens, Wayne Felder, Robin Frandsen, Maeve Frost, Mary Glasgow Brown, Kelsey Green,
Douglas Herasymuik, Saudia Jabar, Tiffany Jones, Adi Keidar, Karina Koczapski, Kristen Krebs, Maren Kristensen, Laura
Laidlaw, Yee Lok (Jeanette) Lee, Tracy Lermitte, Jessica Leung, Marsha Matheson, Kelsey McCloy, Heather McDonald,
Rebecca McDonald, Kathryn McKall, Nicole Nadeau, Kathryn Naus, Sharon Neil, Sara Patenaude, Roberta Pelletier, Meaghan
Proctor, Shannon Rolph, Erin Slack, Kristina Smith, Christopher Steller, Marietta Tang, Ross Taylor, Tristan Thomas,
Jacqueline Van den Dolder, Elizabeth Van Lierop, Brittany Waters, Natalie Wuitchik, and Alyson Young.
OT Lens Page 10
T he evening before convocation on November 26, instructors, faculty, family, friends, fellow
students and alumni joined the
graduates to celebrate their
accomplishments. Sue Stanton
welcomed everyone and began the
formal presentations by suggesting to
the graduates that their convocation
become another anniversary, “to
reflect on, to celebrate, and to recall
upon in the future.” Dr. Ross
MacGillivray the Vice-Dean, Academic
Affairs, Faculty of Medicine brought
greetings from the Dean of Medicine
Dr. Gavin Stuart, and recalled his
various graduations of the past while
congratulating those who would cross
the stage on Friday.
Dr. Lyn Jongbloed recognized both the
Doctors of Philosophy Allan Kozlowski
and Marc Roig, and presented flowers
to Master of Science graduate Rochelle
Stokes who was able to attend.
The Winter 2010 graduates in the
Master of Rehabilitation Science
(MRSc) program include: Maureen
Duggan, Clare Faulkner, Claudia
Hernández Riaño, Caroline Jones, Meg
O'Brien, Peter Rowe and Jennifer
Stephenson. Listen to their joint
valedictorian speech on the MRSc blog
at: http://blogs.ubc.ca/mrsc/.
The Urban Poling Activator Award was
presented by occupational therapist
Mandy Shintani and Graham Watts to
Sarah Neil. This new award recognizes
students who are researching
rehabilitation and cancer research.
Graduates’ Research Abstracts
Allan John Kozlowski, PhD
Knowledge Translation of Outcome
Evaluation in Physical Therapy
Dr. Kozlowski examined aspects of
promoting change in the practice of
evaluating outcomes in physical
therapy. He identified gaps in
regulation and practice, and proposed
a framework for practice. This
research demonstrates the complexity
of promoting change in healthcare and
the importance of understanding
stakeholders and environmental
contexts.
Marc Roig, PhD
Falls in people with chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease: risk factors, incidence
and impact on health related quality of
life.
Dr. Roig investigated risk factors,
incidence and impact of falls on
quality of life in people with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
He found that risk factors and
incidence of falls increased in people
with COPD. More importantly falls
appear to have a negative impact on
some domains of quality of life. The
results of this study emphasize the
importance of preventing falls in
COPD.
Rochelle Stokes, MSc
Mothers’ Experiences of an
Interdisciplinary Team Process for their
Child with a Feeding Disorder
Ms. Stokes investigated mothers‟
experiences of an interdisciplinary
feeding process for their children with
a feeding disorder. Her methods were
descriptive phenomenology and five
themes emerged from the analysis.
The implication of her findings is that
knowledge gained from the feeding
team facilitates the mothers‟
acceptance of their children‟s feeding
difficulties and helps them look
forward towards the future with
renewed hope.
Maureen Duggan, MRSc
Outcome Measurement in the Total Joint
Arthroplasty Patient: Identifying Barriers
and Facilitators of Use
Findings from a focus group with eight
physiotherapists revealed that
administration of the „right measure
at the right time with the right
patient‟ facilitated use of measures
for decision-making, patient feedback
and interprofessional communication.
Barriers included limited time, the
variety of measures used by
professions and imposed use of
measures. Supervisor: Dr. Chris
Carpenter
Clare Faulkner, MRSc
Comparison of the Norwich Regime to
the Static Splinting Protocol for Extensor
Tendon Injuries
In this quantitative, comparative,
prospective pilot study two protocols
used in Victoria for extensor tendon
repairs were investigated across the
three domains of the International
Classification of Functioning, Disability
and Health, the biological, individual,
and social levels. Results suggest
support for the early active motion
protocol. Further study is indicated.
Supervisor: Dr. Cheryl Beach
Claudia Hernández Riaño, MRSc
Clinicians' experiences and lessons learned
implementing S.A.F.E. - A patient safety
initiative in rehabilitation.
Thematic analysis of interviews of ten
clinicians in a geriatric inpatient
rehabilitation service revealed that
the Stop Adverse Fall Events initiative
was widely implemented and
supported despite additional workload
requirements. Recommendations were
made to increase the effectiveness
Mary Clark
Congratulations to the Fall 2010 Rehabilitation Science Grads
http://blogs.ubc.ca/mrsc/
Volume 2, Issue 2 Page 11
and reach of S.A.F.E. and ensure
patient safety.
Caroline Jones, MRSc
The Clinical Utility of Using Both the
WOMAC and the MDHAQ Questionnaires
in an Outpatient Osteoarthritis Clinic
A retrospective chart review and
correlation of WOMAC and MDHAQ
scores of seventy-three patients who
attended an outpatient osteoarthritis
clinic was completed. While only the
stiffness score showed no correlation,
findings demonstrated that it is
beneficial to utilize both questionnaires
in this clinical population. Supervisor:
Dr. Lesley Bainbridge.
Margaret O’Brien, MRSc
Understanding the Experience of
Physiotherapists Job Rotations
This qualitative action research project
with semi-structured interviews of six
all participants described their
experiences as highly career-
satisfying. Supervisor: Dr. Chris
Carpenter
Jennifer Stephenson
Characteristics of Successful
Intraprofessional Relationships
between Occupational Therapists /
Physical Therapists and Therapists
Assistants
Thematic analysis of eight
interviews by therapists and
assistants revealed that effective
communication, understanding of
roles and responsibilities and
informal social interactions were
perceived to contribute positively
to intraprofessional relationships,
job satisfaction and health
outcomes. Collaborative learning
activities at work may help to build
and maintain intraprofessional
relationships. Supervisor: Dr. Lesley
Bainbridge.
physiotherapists in an acute care
hospital setting enhanced
understanding of the meaning of job
rotation experiences and the
relationship of job rotations to job
satisfaction and role behaviours.
Hospital, physiotherapy department
and therapists‟ perspectives need
consideration in rotation decisions.
Supervisor: Dr. Darene Toal-Sullivan
Peter Rowe, MRSc
The Recent Experiences and Challenges of
Military Physiotherapists Deployed to
Afghanistan: A Qualitative Study
Thematic analysis was used to analyze
the interviews of six military
physiotherapists deployed to
Afghanistan in support of military
troops. Results suggested that main
challenges revolved around heavy
caseloads, working as sole-charge
practitioners and psychological tolls of
difficult situations. Although stressful,
MRSc Winter 2010 Grads (left to right): Clare Faulkner, Claudia Hernández Riaño, Jen-
nifer Stephenson and Maureen Duggan. Unable to attend reception: Caroline Jones,
Margaret (Meg) O'Brien and Peter Rowe.
Graham Watts and occupational therapist
Mandy Shintani present the Urban Poling
Activator Award to Sarah Neil (centre), a
Master of Science graduate learner.
OT Lens Page 12
Irving K. Barber Learning Centre,
and then went and saw the new
student athletic facilities known
fondly as the Bird Cage. The
walking tour ended with visits to
the new PT space in the
Friedman Building and to the OT
space in the Koerner Pavilion.
Much has changed on campus
since our graduation! We then
met for a festive evening at the
home of Dr. Janis Eng where we
were served a beautiful buffet.
Phyllis Williams compiled a
survey of facts from our
classmates, photos were shared,
and lots of conversations kept
the evening lively. It was
wonderful hearing how
everyone‟s lives had evolved
and we hope to see each other
again at the upcoming 50th
anniversary of the Departments
of Occupational Science and
Occupational Therapy and of
Physical Therapy in 2011.
Reunion of the Rehabilitation Sciences Class of 1985 Liisa Holsti
O n October 23, 2010, members of the last class of the combined program (PT/
OT) in Rehabilitation Sciences
gathered to celebrate their 25
year reunion. Members of the
class travelled from far and
wide to attend the day‟s
events, some coming from as
far away as Ottawa. The day
began out on the UBC campus
with a walking tour. We
travelled to see the new Beaty
Biodiversity Museum, walked
along Main Mall to see the
changes in the libraries, and the
Much has changed on campus
since our graduation!
The class of 1985 at the home of Dr. Janice Eng in October.
Are you planning a reunion in 2011?
Please keep us in mind—we’ll be celebrating our 50th Anniversary all year long
and invite you to approach us with ideas for dovetailing your event with ours!
OT Lens Page 13
T he year 2010 marked the fifth year of UBC‟s Capstone Conference. Hosted by the graduating
class of the Masters Occupational
Therapy program, Capstone is used to
disseminate their major project
research findings to the OT
community in British
Columbia. This year‟s theme,
„Transcending Borders,
Overcoming Barriers’,
represents the passion that
our class has for enabling
independence not only in
Canada but across the world.
Occupational therapy‟s client-
centred focus considers not
only the person, but the
environment and the occupation,
which places us in the unique position
of assisting clients to overcome their
personal barriers in any situation.
This privileged position from which we
impact the lives of others has inspired
our class and it was important to us
that we represent this inspiration
through our conference.
As a result we invited Dr. Rachel
Thibeault to be a keynote speaker.
Dr. Thibeault has done phenomenal
work here at home and overseas –
working in dozens of communities
from Northern Canada to Laos and
Nicaragua. Her focus on community-
based rehabilitation has revolutionized
the life of people with disabilities
literally across the globe, and we were
lucky that Dr. Thibeault shared
insights from these experiences during
her keynote address. Her final words
continue to resonate: “Go where you
can learn and grow the
most – then go where you
can give back the most.”
The afternoon keynote
was given by Dr. Sharon
Smith. Our class had been
lucky enough to attend
lectures from Dr. Smith on
a number of occasions,
and each time we walked
away with our heads
spinning, full of new knowledge and
looking at complex issues with a fresh
perspective. To her address,
Dr. Smith brought the same passion
that had made our class fall in love
with her, stimulating discussion
around the idea of spirituality in
mental health.
Poster and podium presentations by
the graduating class represented the
diversity of our profession, from
“Examining the support needs of NICU
Fathers: a pilot study” through
“Satisfaction with Ride Cushions” to
“Is Nintendo Wii Feasible and Usable
for Paediatric ABI Rehabilitation”. A
full list of presentations can be found
at www.capstonceconference.ca.
Students presented their research
findings in pairs through interactive
poster presentations and podium
presentations.
Capstone 2010 was an opportunity for
the graduating class to show off all of
our hard work by sharing the results of
our research. But more than this, it
was a chance for us to give back to the
OT community – all those people who
have supported our growth and
development throughout the past two
years of our education. Capstone
marks the last day of our education
and ushers in the beginning of our
professional careers, and we can‟t
think of a more appropriate way to
mark this occasion than this day where
students, researchers, clinicians and
faculty gather to look to the future of
our profession.
Our sincerest thanks to all those who
supported Capstone 2010 – we were
happy to share such a successful day
with a community that we are proud
to be a part of.
Re-Cap[stone] 2010
“Dr. Thibeault’s
focus on
community-based
rehabilitation has
revolutionized the
life of people …
across the globe.”
Shannon Rolph, B.Sc., MOT
on behalf of the 2010 graduating class of UBC‟s Occupational Therapy
Save the Date
Capstone 2011
August 31, 2011
www.capstoneconference.ca
Sara Patenaude, class of 2010, with
poster and prototype cushion
http://www.capstonceconference.ca
Volume 2, Issue 2 Page 14
T he Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy is pleased to announce Assistant Professor
Liisa Holsti’s award of Canada Research
Chair in Neonatal Health and
Development. From the press release:
TORONTO, Ontario, November 24,
2010 | The Honourable Tony
Clement, Minister of Industry,
announced that the Government of
Canada has made a major
investment in the Canada Research
Chairs Program, enabling Canada to
strengthen its position as a world
leader in university research and
development. During a speech to
kick off a two-day conference to
celebrate the 10th anniversary of
the program, the Minister announced
an investment of $275.6 million to
fund 310 new or renewed Canada
Research Chairs at 53 Canadian
universities.
“The funding provided through the
Canada Research Chairs Program
allows Canadian universities to
attract and retain the best and the
brightest minds from around the
world,” said Professor Paul Young,
Chair of the Ontario Council of
University Research and Vice-
President, Research, at the
University of Toronto. “This program
is vital for Canada, since it
contributes to the development of
first-class training and competitive
research in Canada and abroad.”
The 310 chairholders included in
today‟s announcement will conduct
research across a range of important
fields, including water security,
molecular neuroscience and
globalization. The results of their
research will hold the potential to
benefit all sectors of Canadian
society.
Check our website for more information: http://osot.ubc.ca/
Well done Liisa!!!
Liisa Holsti Awarded Canada Research Chair Press Release
Liisa Holsti, holder of CRC in Neonatal
Health and Development
Catherine Backman Recipient of College of
Health Disciplines Teaching Award
We congratulate Dr. Catherine Backman and the whole rheumatology
teaching team, recipients of the 2010 Excellence in Interprofessional
Education Teaching Award from the UBC College of Health Disciplines.
The Interprofessional Rheumatology Teaching Team has been teaching
a rheumatology module for second year Physical Therapy and
Occupational Therapy students since 2004, providing students with
clinical and first-person insight into the multiple dimensions of
arthritis care, and the impact of arthritis on the lives of individuals.
Hats off to the entire team including faculty members Catherine
Backman (OT) Dr. Linda Li (PT), as well as Iris Davidson (Clinical PT),
Danielle Eccles (Social Worker), Jenny Tekano (RN), Logan Graham
(Client Speaker), Heather Best (Clinical OT), Dr. Lori Tucker
(Paediatric Rheumatologist), Garry Oleman (Aboriginal Speaker) and
Pam Sherwin (Client Family Speaker).
Kathryn Luttin & Chelsea Bennie
http://osot.ubc.ca
Volume 2, Issue 2 Page 15
year, the faculty and the department
have been working to simplify
processes and the contract related to
the appointment, reappointment and
promotion of Clinical Faculty. The
OS&OT department will serve as the
pilot to the streamlined process for
applying for a Clinical Faculty
appointment, as we value the time of
busy clinicians and appreciate your
willingness to teach. We hope that
the new process will remove what
may have been a barrier for some and
we invite you to apply for a clinical
faculty appointment if you believe
you contribute to our Department.
(Notes from Tal Continued from page 1) July of this coming year will mark the
end of my term as a department
head. I would like to take this
opportunity to inform you that I have
decided not to renew my term at that
time. It was an extremely rewarding
role and I particularly enjoyed the
interaction with our learners and
clinical community. I am looking
forward to continue to work with you
all as a faculty member in the OS&OT
department.
As part of the process, in February
2011 the department of OS&OT will
undergo its first review as a
department. The Faculty of Medicine
will invite three external reviewers to
examine everything about OS&OT
including our program, our space,
our structure, and our relationships
with the clinical community. The
review committee will seek
feedback from students, staff,
faculty members, clinical faculty
and other various stakeholders. We
are looking forward to the
opportunity to showcase our
achievements and challenges.
As you can see, we have lots to
celebrate in terms of past
achievements and we have even
more to anticipate in the future. As
always, I look forward to hearing
from you - stay involved, stay
connected.
A lumni mingled with students, faculty, practitioners, and friends of occupational therapy as the
department hosted an evening to
celebrate our alumni and the OT
community at UBC‟s Museum of
Anthropology on October 21. The event
started off with a mix and mingle around
drinks and finger foods, and then guests
were encouraged to join a tour of the
facility, using their OT “lens” to bring
new perspectives to the ethnographic
objects on display.
The lively discussion and
general success of the
event encourages us to
look forward to presenting
many more events in 2011
as we celebrate our 50th
year as BC‟s primary
educator in rehabilitation medicine.
A Night at the Museum
We have a Brand New Website!
Thanks to Colin Lochhead, Kathryn Lewis, and input
from many others on the OS&OT Team, our new website
is up and running. Please visit often and surf around
our pages to see what‟s new.
Health and participation for all
Phone: 604.822.7392
Fax: 604.822-7624
E-mail: [email protected]
Editor: Heather Swallow
T325, 2211 Wesbrook Mall
UBC Hospital, Koerner Pavilion
Newsletter of The Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy
www.osot.ubc.ca