SHRS Blog

Professor Catherine Palmer is the new chair of the Communication Science and Disorders (CSD) Department at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS), effective February 1, 2024. Palmer, currently serving as interim chair, is also professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology and director of Audiology for the UPMC Integrated Health System. Palmer joined the university in 1990 and expanded her role as director of Audiology at UPMC in 1998. Since then, she has been a critical contributor to tremendous growth in both the CSD Department at Pitt and the Audiology service line at UPMC.

One day I was looking through the bachelor’s degrees offered at Pitt when one stuck out to me – the Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics (HI). The more I learned about the program in the Department of Health Information Management, the more excited I got! The combination of health care and technology just seemed so interesting to me, and made me feel hopeful about my studies and future career again.

The Catherine Worthingham Fellow Award (FAPTA) is the highest award that one can achieve in the physical therapy profession. It is bestowed on a physical therapist whose leadership, influence and achievements demonstrate frequent and sustained efforts to advance the profession. Since 1985, 26 of the named Fellows have been graduates or faculty from Pitt PT!

Third-year University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Hybrid student Amanda Klein from Spokane, WA, completed her third of four clinical education experiences over the summer. Klein, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was awarded a special clinical education placement at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in Bethesda, MD, and has been sharing her insight with current and prospective students by writing this short blog series. In her final installment, Klein reflects on this invaluable experience and how it broadened her skillsets and influenced her career goals. 

You’re ready to apply to the Pitt Dietitian Nutritionist (DN) program – great! We’re here to help! Assistant Professor and Program Director Trisha Cousins is on the DN program admissions team and reviews each application. She has provided the tips here so you can submit a strong application.  

The Pitt Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Hybrid program is now headquartered in the newly renovated Box Office building on Pittsburgh’s Southside, right across the river from the Department of Physical Therapy’s offices and classrooms at Bridgeside Point.

University of Pittsburgh Health Informatics (HI) students Zoe Menezes (BSHI ‘25) and Avani Chhabra (MSHI ‘23) presented their paper “Learning Unbiased Image Segmentation: A Case Study on Plain Knee Radiographs” at the IEEE-EMBS (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers- Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society) International Conference on Biomedical and Health Informatics 2023 (BHI 2023) in Pittsburgh in October.

Are you interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)? Pitt’s Dietitian Nutrition Program will prepare you for the future of dietetics and set you up for success no matter the direction you take in your nutrition career.

The Center for Interprofessional Studies (CIP) at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Studies (SHRS) supports students’ interprofessional education opportunities through collaborative and team-based care activities.

The Department of Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) is excited to announce the first Physician Assistants Advancing Diversity (PAAD) scholarship—an opportunity for students at any Pitt campus to better understand the PA profession. In May 2024, we will host a weeklong, all-expense paid experience. The program will include PA classroom opportunities at the Murdoch Building on Pitt’s Oakland campus, faculty teaching and discussions, cadaver lab learning, coaching for the PA program application process and hours of PA clinical shadowing in the field.

I chose Pitt's DPAS online program because being a mom of two young boys, wife and full-time professional, I needed a program that was flexible. Pitt's program, being 100% online and completed in one year, affords me the flexibility I need to still achieve my long-term career goals. I also wanted a degree that would have meaning in both the clinical world and academia--this program checks those boxes! I am going to take you through a day in the life of a DPAS student. Learn more about Breanne's day in the life as a DPAS student

After obtaining her Bachelor of Science in public health from Slippery Rock University, Lily Hoffman (OTD ’25) decided to pursue a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) from the University of Pittsburgh. Now in her second year of the program, she has already taken advantage of many experiences.