School of Allied Health Sciences Forms Practice Group

The Medical College of Georgia School of Allied Health Sciences has formed the Allied Health Practice Group, Inc. to provide a convenient pathway for faculty to provide clinical service.

The non-profit organization, recently approved by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, allows School of Allied Health Sciences faculty members to create practices and contracts with health-related organizations to provide clinical service.

“The creation of this practice plan will greatly enhance our school on a number of fronts,” according to Dr. Shelley Mishoe, dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences. “It will enable our faculty to maintain cutting-edge knowledge and skills; it will enhance education as the faculty bring those skills back to the classroom and train students at their practice sites; it will complement MCG’s mission of improving wellness and reducing the burden of illness in society; and it will provide sources of revenue to enhance salaries, making them more competitive to recruit and retain the highest-quality faculty.”

The School of Allied Health Sciences has departments of Biomedical and Radiological Technologies, Dental Hygiene, Health Informatics, Medical Illustration, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant and Respiratory Therapy.

“Many of these disciplines have employee shortages throughout the state, so the program can also bolster the workforce in vital areas of health care,” said Dr. Carol Campbell, associate dean of business operations in the School of Allied Health Sciences and chair of the school’s Department of Health Informatics.

The practice plan will begin July 1, overseen by a board including Dr. Mishoe, Dr. Campbell and MCG President Daniel W. Rahn. Elizabeth Wark, assistant professor of physical therapy, will serve as president of the Allied Health Practice Group.

For more information, contact Dr. Campbell at    706-721-3436 or visit www.mcg.edu/sah.

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Occupational Therapy Faculty Named to Posts

Two Medical College of Georgia faculty members have been named to the editorial board of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Dr. Kathy Bradley, chair of the MCG Department of Occupational Therapy, and Dr. Mariana D’Amico, an assistant professor in the department, have been named to three-year terms on the board.

Dr. Bradley, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MCG and a doctorate in education from the University of Georgia, conducts research in fields including cognitive rehabilitation, distance education, balance and vestibular impairments and occupational therapy issues with older adults.

Dr. D’Amico earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in occupational therapy at New York University and Eastern Kentucky University respectively, and a doctorate in education from Spalding University in Louisville, Ky.

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, published by the American Occupational Therapy Association, features advancements in occupational therapy, a health care discipline that helps people achieve independence in all facets of their lives.

Also, Dr. Ricky Joseph, assistant professor of occupational therapy, has been named an interdisciplinary educator for teams working with clients with Parkinson’s disease for the National Parkinson Foundation, and Dr. Bradley has been named a consultant to help facilitate the success of interdisciplinary health care teams working with Parkinson’s clients.

Occupational therapy services include treatments to improve daily activities; comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation recommendations; performance skills assessments and treatment; and guidance to family members and caregivers. MCG’s Department of Occupational Therapy is housed in the School of Allied Health Sciences.

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MCG Hosts Sensory Integration Courses

The Medical College of Georgia Department of Occupational Therapy and Los Angeles-based Western Psychological Services are sponsoring four courses leading to certification in sensory integration evaluation and treatment.

The first course, “The Sensory Integration Perspective,” was coordinated by Dr. Susan Stallings-Sahler, an MCG professor of occupational therapy, and drew professionals worldwide.

The second course, “Assessment of Sensory Integration Dysfunction,” will be held at MCG April 14-18. “Interpretation of Sensory Integration Assessment Data,” will be held July 7-11 and “Treatment of Sensory Integration Disorders” will be held Aug. 11-14.

“Certification in sensory integration has been around for more than 30 years, but this is the first time the course series has been held in Augusta,” said Dr. Stallings-Sahler. “The offering is part of an ongoing initiative to enhance the level of practice among occupational therapy practitioners in Georgia.”

For more information, contact Dr. Stallings-Sahler at 706-721-3641.

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Law School is Next Step for Health Informatics Student

When Christine Shaffer started pondering career choices a few years ago, she had no idea there was a field almost tailor-made for her unlikely combination of interests.

“I love law, health care and computers,” says Ms. Shaffer, a senior in the Medical College of Georgia Department of Health Informatics.

She assumed she would have to narrow her choice to a single discipline. But when working as a receptionist for an anesthesia billing company while completing undergraduate coursework at Augusta State University, she learned differently.

“I found out that in health informatics, I could stay involved in all three areas,” she said of the discipline that optimizes information technology to improve health care.

“There is a great demand for health information administrators throughout the country,” said Dr. Carol Campbell, chair of the MCG Department of Health Informatics, housed in the School of Allied Health Sciences. “This is one of the most versatile, challenging and exciting career paths available to people who want to improve health care on a large scale.”

Health information administrators interact with medical, financial and administrative staff to interpret data for patient care, research, statistical reporting and planning. They also protect the privacy of health information.

Ms. Shaffer, a native of Appling, Ga., enrolled in the MCG program in 2004. Her excellent grades and extensive community service earned her an American Health Information Management Association Scholarship.

“The program has truly exceeded my expectations,” she says. “I’ve never been in a college setting with such much one-on-one faculty attention. It really makes the experience unique.”

When she earns her bachelor’s degree in health informatics this spring, she will move on to the next leg of her career: law school. Ms. Shaffer has earned a scholarship to the University of South Carolina and will begin law school this fall. “But first,”she said with a laugh, “I’m going to Disney World. I know it’s going to be a long, hard three years, so I’m going to have a nice vacation with my family.”

With the combination of her MCG training and her law degree, “I’ll be able to pursue one of the newer roles in health information administration,” she said. “There are a wide variety of options -- risk management, compliance, consulting – but whatever I do will combine the two fields, along with my love of computers.”

For more information about the MCG Department of Health Informatics, call the department  at 706-721-3436, the MCG Office of Academic Admissions at 706-721-2725 or visit www.mcg.edu/careers/hiadmin.htm.

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