Department of Health Sciences 2023 Annual Report

2023 Annual Report

Forward Thinking

table of

CONTENTS

3 4 6 8 10 12

A Note from the Chair & Associate Dean

14

Student & Alumni Achievements

15

Staff Updates

16

Inter-Department Initiatives

18 20

Feature: Serving Patients Across the State

22

Looking Ahead

24

Opportunities to Give Back

Who We are Our Mission: Education Our Mission: Research Our Mission: Patient-Centered Care Faculty Accomplishments

Strategic Plan Overview

A Note from the Associate Dean & Chair Dear Faculty, Staff, Students and Friends of the Department of Health Sciences: I am extremely pleased to see the launching of this, our inaugural Annual Report. This report hopefully will be the first of many to share the many significant accomplishments of our Department of Health Sciences both internally and with the School of Medicine, the University community, alumni, donors, and colleagues. Indeed, every day I am simply amazed at the amount of innovation, creativity, productivity, and just basic hard work that each and every one of our employees and students display to not only keep our department great but also to expand our horizons. Academic medicine is hard, and you truly have risen to the occasion this past year.

To date, there have been a plethora of accomplishments— too many to describe in sufficient detail. These accomplishments have extended across all parts of our department and have involved faculty, staff, and students. For example, in our departmental leadership, we have had a steady hand at all levels, with the successful appointments of new Associate Chairs in Student Services (Dr. Eileen Burker), Academic Affairs (Dr. Adam Jacks), and Faculty Affairs (Dr. Karen McCulloch). As a department, we have hit new highs in our extramural grant funding and our clinical services. The broad diversity of our student population is at its highest percentage ever, and our teaching and community outreach continues to be strong. In that vein, nearly all of our programs are actively exploring expansion of our academic training endeavors into southeastern North Carolina as part of the UNC/Novant Health Partnership, all programs are active in interprofessional activities, and we are excitedly awaiting the commencement of our new B.S. degree in Neurodiagnostics and Sleep Science in the fall of 2024. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see how our work in each mission area continues to grow in the next year, This year has not been without its challenges, though, and I would be remiss not to acknowledge the stress and concerns that were generated by the on-campus gun violence in the fall, including the tragic murder of one of our UNC-CH faculty members, and the associated downstream issues that emanated from those incidents across our entire university community. In an effort to address some of these concerns, we have established a Departmental Committee on Safety and Security, and they are now meeting regularly. In parallel, our Departmental Wellness Committee continues to highlight the importance of prioritizing the well-being of all faculty, staff, and students.

Finally, as we move toward the end of an incredibly successful academic year, I am certain that everyone is aware of my stepping down from this leadership role as of June 30, 2024. I have been honored to serve in this role as Associate Dean of Medicine and Chair of this esteemed department, and cannot imagine having worked with a more dedicated faculty, staff, and alumni during my time. As noted above, we have all worked to advance and evolve the department in an amazing fashion to get us to where we are today, and I am certain that the next leader will continue our theme of departmental excellence, particularly with you all by their side. Please accept my sincere appreciation for your collective efforts over the past year as well as during my tenure as Associate Dean and Chair. It has been a great year and YOU all are truly amazing!

My Best Wishes, Steve

Stephen Hooper, PhD Chair of the Department of Health Sciences Associate Dean of Medicine University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

3

who WE ARE Providing high-quality education 96% of graduates of the 2022-2023 academic year reported working in a position related to their degree 100% of graduates of the 2022-2023 academic year passed their national certification exams (as applicable)

Creating practice-ready practitioners ready to address the needs of North Carolinians 92% of enrolled students are North Carolinians 65% of the 2022-2023 graduates reported being employed and working in North Carolina

Cultivating diversity in academic and workplace environments 88% of enrolled students are female 35% of undergraduates are first-generation college students 31% of students identify as a racial or ethnic minority (3-year average) 18% of staff and 15% of faculty identify as underrepresented minorities

Our Mission The mission of the Department of Health Sciences is to improve the health and wellbeing of all people of North Carolina, the nation, and globally through exemplary and culturally sensitive teaching, innovative research, and person-centered care.

Top-Rated Programs U.S. News & World Report Rankings Doctor of Audiology (#3) Speech-Language Pathology (#12) Doctor of Physical Therapy (#11) Rehabilitation Counseling (#13) Occupational Therapy (#5) Physician Assistant (#50) ShanghaiRankings Human Movement Science Curriculum (#4 in the U.S., #38 global)

4

divisions

& PROGRAMS

*The Neurodiagnostics and Sleep Science program will become its own division in the Fall of 2024

The Department of Health Sciences houses ~500 students and employs 89 full-time faculty, 51 staff and 3 post-docs.

5

mission:

EDUCATION

14 Degree Programs

~500

Outside of the ongoing teaching of our health sciences students in the classroom, lab, and clinic, faculty are focused on recruiting talented, diverse and driven students into their programs. Additionally, faculty provide continuing education opportunities for practitioners around the state through our ongoing partnership with AHEC.

Students

3

Major Campus Teaching Awards

6

education feature:

DIVISION OF PHYSICAL THERAPY HOSTS FIRST UNC-CHAPEL HILL DPT EXPLORATORY DAY "The Division of Physical Therapy hosted its first Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Exploratory Day in spring of 2023. The full-day event aimed to extend the program’s reach to potential applicants and students from groups who are underrepresented within the physical therapy profession, first-generation college students, and those interested in working in underserved or rural areas of North Carolina.

According to assistant professor Dr. Deidra Charity, recent data from Sheps Health Workforce NC indicates that underrepresented minorities make up 6% of the physical therapist workforce in North Carolina, whereas recent U.S. Census data indicates that 37% of North Carolina’s population is made up of underrepresented minorities.* Lack of diversity in the healthcare workforce has important implications for the health of our state as diversity in health care helps improve patient access, reduces health disparities and leads to better health.

“The UNC-Chapel Hill DPT Exploratory Day was a coordinated effort between UNC-CH DPT students and faculty to address factors that contribute to the lack of diversity within the physical therapy profession,” said Charity.

Previously, the UNC-CH Division of Physical Therapy has hosted open houses with the most recent one being in 2014. The UNC-CH DPT Exploratory Day has expanded on the opportunity to introduce the program to a diverse group of potential students and future healthcare professionals in alignment with the UNC School of Medicine mission.

Attendees participated in lab experiences led by Division of Physical Therapy faculty. Assistant professor Dr. Jessica Cassidy showcased her Plasticity Lab, which uses multi-modal neuroimaging to study brain-behavior relationships during rehabilitation across the lifespan.

Assistant professor Dr. Bria Dunn shared how electrical stimulation is utilized to facilitate neuromuscular activation to optimize muscle strength and performance. Physical therapy students also assisted Dr. Dunn with the lab simulation. Additionally, associate professor Dr. Michael Lewek showcased his Interdisciplinary Human Movement Science Lab, in which several different projects are currently in progress to improve mobility through restoration of walking ability for those with neurological disorders.

Attendees were joined by current DPT students for lunch and a student panel, which prompted discussion about the rigors of physical therapy school, details related to clinical education, schoollife balance, and their experience as students in the UNC-CH physical therapy program. Additionally, students and faculty shared admissions requirements, tips for obtaining quality letters of recommendation, advice for essays and interviews, and other details related to the application process.

7

mission:

RESEARCH

43 Grants

$7.3 million

The Office of Research and Scholarship continues to support 40+ researchers across the department in their pursuits of funding and publication.

Interprofessional collaboration both on campus and beyond has seen significant growth. Connections are displayed in the graphic below.

in funding

135 Publications

8

research feature: FACULTY TO STUDY SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS IN OLDER AUTISTIC ADULTS Clare Harrop, PhD, Dara Chan, ScD, CRC, and Laura Klinger, PhD, are recipients of a National Institute of Mental Health (R21) grant, allowing them to study the associations between social connections and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in older adults with autism.

“Our team has been working to understand various risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in autism,” said Harrop. “Suicide is the leading cause of death in autism and a major public health issue.” While there is an increased risk for individuals with autism to think about and die by suicide, it remains an overlooked crisis that the team is studying with hopes to change.“ Harrop and her team became interested in the grant as it related directly to some of their existing research.

“The National Institute of Mental Health announced funding opportunities related to social disconnection and suicide in older adults around the time we started our OAR study (Organization for Autism Research) and it seemed too good an opportunity to not apply to it,” said Harrop.

In this fully remote study, the team plans to recruit 65 older adults, including 40 with an autism diagnosis. The participants will be asked to complete a series of surveys about their social connections (in person and online) and community activities and attend a clinical interview on Zoom, which will address topics such as suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

In addition, the participants will wear GPS trackers for a week that will allow the team to record the locations in which they are traveling in the community, their resource utilization, and their time spent away from home.

Subsequently, a second Zoom interview with the team will be conducted to discuss their community activities and social connections collected from the GPS data.

“Our goal is to use this mixed methods data to understand how different sources of social disconnection serve as potential risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in older adults,” said Harrop. “We hope the data will provide actionable areas for which we can begin to develop effective and scalable interventions for this vulnerable population.”

Furthermore, Harrop explains that the study will “examine potential sex and gender differences in social connections as a protective factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors in older autistic and non-autistic adults.”

Harrop and her team hope the project will expand the body of knowledge related to suicide prevention and intervention by improving their understanding of suicide risk in older adults with autism.

9

mission:

PERSON-CENTERED CARE

TopRated Patient Satisfaction

4

Clinic Locations

26

Person-centered care is at the heart of each of our disciplines. Four clinic locations offer services for physical therapy, occupational therapy and audiology to residents in both urban and rural settings.

Our students have the unparalleled opportunity to train under clinical faculty while serving fellow North Carolinians.

Outside of the traditional clinical setting, our evolving community practice lab spearheaded by the Division of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy allows faculty and students to support local residents through community partnerships.

Clinicians* *18 faculty clinicians work in department clinics, and another eight work at other locations on a contractual basis

10

clinics feature:

PATIENT TESTIMONIALS & CLINICAL RESEARCH The Department of Health Sciences is actively engaged in serving those in our communities through direct patient care. All of our Health Sciences locations educate the next generation of care providers by providing short- and long-term experiences for students and residents.

The Hearing and Communication Center provides patient care at their locations in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.

Audiologists evaluate patients hearing, balance, and related concerns and determine the best course of action to respond to these concerns. Patients report significant impact to their quality of life as a result of these interventions.

"I am extremely impressed with the dedication and persistence of my hearing doctor at UNC. I have worn hearing aids for almost 30 years and never have I had this quality of care and commitment to helping me hear better."

-LL from Chapel Hill

"Excellent attention and quality of care. Everyone at UNC Hearing and Communication Center made certain that my needs were met, my questions were answered, and good advice was offered. I'm also comfortable knowing that, if a problem arises or an adjustment is necessary from here on, the Center will ensure that the issue is addressed."

-HF from Chapel Hill

"I didn’t realize how much hearing loss I had until I started wearing the hearing aids. I am also more conscious of protecting my current hearing when needed. It has definitely improved my quality of life in hearing. I like the technology that makes them easy to use and wear."

- TB from Mebane

Physical Therapy is provided in Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Durham, while Occupational Therapy is provided in Hillsborough. In addition to providing excellent patient care and educating students and residents, we are also dedicated to the advancement of knowledge in our fields of practice. Faculty work with partners to investigate interventions to determine how to provide the best possible care to patients.

Physical Therapy faculty are currently engaged with several researchers across UNC investigating physical therapy interventions for a multitude of musculoskeletal and neurological conditions as well as medical diagnoses. Faculty have just concluded a study on Otago balance interventions as part of a pre-habilitative program for liver transplant patients with Dr. Neil Shah. Other faculty clinicians are currently working with Dr. Matthew Mauck for the study of the optimal treatments for low back pain. Other additional trials set to begin soon include collaborating with Dr. Joe Hart to use video game technology to enhance quadriceps strength and proprioception for knee osteoarthritis, and working with Dr. John Batsis to investigate telemedicine for exercise strategies for older adults with obesity and chronic health conditions. Our interdependent model of research, education, and clinical services prepares leaders who improve the quality of life of individuals and their communities.

11

Clinical Laboratory Science Susan Beck, PhD received the University teaching Award of Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Bai Li, PhD, received a Judge Travel Award to the 2023 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS).

Shawn Luby, MLS, received the North Carolina Society for Clinical Laboratory Science “Keys to the Future Award” Shawn Luby, MLS, was appointed to the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) Patient Safety Committee, and ASCLS Marketing and Communications Committee.

Tara Moon, PhD, received the UNC School of Medicine DEI Mini Grant for supporting a presentation and campus visit for Dr. Arnethea Sutton: From Bench to Beside to Community – The MLS Way. Susan Taylor, MLS and Laine Stewart, MLS were awarded the UNC School of Medicine DEI Certificate

Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Dara Chan, ScD, CRC’s JAAD article from Swizter study, written with Julie Doran and Osly Gaolbardi, was highlighted in the NIDILRR’s “Research In Focus.”

Dara Chan, ScD, CRC received a research grant of $400,000 over 4 years from The Oak Foundation for the Heels2Transition programs.

Terra Rose, PsyD, was nominated for the "2023 Education Award" by the UNC Hospitals Rehabilitation Therapies Mental Health Team Terra Rose, PsyD was named Chair of the 2023 Psychology Undergraduate Conference held at NC State University.

faculty Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy Nancy Bagatell, PhD was a featured guest on “Authors & Issues” based on an article published by the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Nancy Bagatell, PhD, Dara Chan, ScD, and Khalilah Johnson, PhD received a grant from the National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation.

Susan Coppola, PhD received the University Teaching Award of the Distinguished Teaching Award for Post Baccalaureate Instruction.

Raheleh Ghasseminia, MS, OTR/L received a summer fellowship with the California Institute for Integral Studies to collect data on the topic of sexuality and disability using various social media platforms.

Vanessa Jewell, PhD was named a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Khalilah Johnson, PhD was appointed to the American Occupational Therapy Foundation.

(AOTF) Scientific Advisory Council Khalilah Johnson, PhD was named the 2023 Dr. Reba Anderson Lectureship by Nova Southeastern University.

Khalilah Johnson, PhD received the 2023 AOTF Health Services Research Grant.

Linn Wakeford, PhD was awarded the Academy of Educators Distinguished Teaching Award for Health Sciences.

12

ACCOMPLISHMENTS Physical Therapy

Radiologic Science

Jessica Cassidy, PhD, was invited as keynote speaker at the Spaulding Children’s Rehabilitation Conference Deidra Charity, PT, DPT, collaborated with student DEI leaders to receive 2 DEI Mini Grants from the School of Medicine, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to support the UNC DPT Exploratory Day and to help cover costs associated with participating in graduate school fairs at local HBCUs. Debby Givens, PhD, was Elected to the University level Faculty Hearing committee.

Mike Lewek, PhD, received several grants: NIH R21 Targeted Motor Learning to Improve Gait for People with Parkinson disease NIH R01 An Augmented Reality Neurorehabilitation System for Monitoring and Management of Motor Symptoms of Parkinson Disease NIDILRR RERC Assisting Stroke Survivors with Engineering Technology (ASSET): Learning to use an assistive device for enhanced gait post-stroke (projectPI) NSF SCH: Improving Older Adults' Mobility and Gait Ability in Real-World Ambulation with a Smart Robotic Ankle-Foot Orthosis Sarah McAuliffe, PT, DPT was elected to serve on the AAOMPT Education Committee.

Dana McCarty, PT, DPT was selected for a Promotion of Doctoral Scholarship II (PODS II) from the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research.

Karen McCulloch, PhD, was named a Fellow of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Vicki Mercer, PhD was promoted to Professor (tenure) Joshua Torrey, PT, DPT was elected as the Chair, Orthopedic SIG of APTA North Carolina.

Joy Renner, MA, RT(R) received a 2023 Minnies Award for Most Effective Radiologic Science Educator.

Joy Renner, MA, RT(R) received a Distinguished Service Award from UNC’s Medical Alumni Affairs.

Seth Alexander received the Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by a Graduate Teaching Assistant.

Physician Assistant Studies Katie Hanlon, PA-C, was named Director of the Division of Physician Assistant Studies

Speech and Hearing Sciences Lindsey Byom, PhD is a co-investigator on a team at Duke who received an R01 from NINR. Betsy Crais, PhD, received the Honors of the Association from ASHA. Patricia Johnson, AuD, was promoted to Associate Professor Patricia Johnson, AuD was interviewed by The Nations Health magazine and published by the American Public Health Association about safe concert-going.

Nancy McKenna, AuD, PhD, was invited to join the editorial board of the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology as a Section Editor for the specialty area of cognition and hearing in aging.

Linda Watson, PhD was awarded the Honors of the Association from ASHA. Office of Research Clare Harrop, PhD was named as one of the Top 40 Under 40 rising stars for autism research by Spectrum.

Clare Harrop, PhD was awarded a new grant: Eagles Autism Foundation Award to study trajectories of eating behaviors in autistic youth Clare Harrop, PhD and Dara Chan, ScD received a R21 from the NIH, National Institute for Mental Health.

13

student & alumni STORIES Leila Vafayi (Clinical Laboratory Science), has endured multiple international moves and setbacks along her higher education journey but is determined to fulfill her goal of working as a clinical laboratory scientist. As an Iranian immigrant, she has had to navigate not only a new language and culture, but also concerns for her family back home during times of unrest. She credits the CLS faculty and her peers for supporting her throughout her time in the program, and continues to focus on her “why” as she pursues her goal. Read the story.

Bryce Griffin, SPT, and Taylor Steele, SPT, APTA PT Moves Me Education Ambassadors, participated in the Marbles Museum Stem Club Day for minority students. Taylor and Bryce talked to 3rd graders about the field of physical therapy and answered questions that they had. They created interactive, fun activities to describe the different structures and basic functions of the body.

Nicholas Wiley, PA-C, is a 2020 graduate of the Physician Assistant Studies program. Wiley enrolled in the program following his time in the U.S. Navy and was particularly interested in working with burn patients. After graduation he began working at the Jaycee Burn Center at UNC and felt called to give back to the PA program as a teacher.

Wiley now serves dually as a PA and assistant professor in the program. Learn more about Nick’s work and advice for nontraditional, particularly veteran, students.

Erica Falcon, MCLS, MLS (ASCP)CM graduated in 2023 from the Master of Clinical Laboratory Science program. Her journey to an advanced degree seemed to happen by chance and, much to her surprise, positioned her to take a leap of faith into a new career path. Read Erica’s story.

Amanda Novachek, MS, CRC, LCMHCA, is a 2017 graduate of the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program. She was included on the Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list for her work as owner and head coach of Rock Steady Boxing NC Triangle, where she works with people with Parkinson’s disease through a combination of boxing, physical activity and mental health activities. Learn more about Amanda’s work and award.

Stephanie Bristol, MS, PhD, OTR/L is a 2023 graduate of the Doctoral program in Occupational Science. As a daughter of two veterinarians, she always had a passion for caring for and working with animals. After training and registering her golden retriever as a therapy dog after graduate school, Stephanie worked to expand the therapy dog program at her hospital and saw much success. She wanted to learn more about the potential measurable outcomes, which led her to pursue a unique path toward her PhD at UNC. Read more about Stephanie’s research and plans for the future.

14

staff UPDATES The Department of Health Sciences welcomed new staff members in 2023: Morella Bruzual, Clinical Coordinator for the PA Studies Program Kimberly Capri, EdM, Student Services Manager Jamie Carroll, Medical Support Technician Phillip Hopkins, Clinical Contracts Specialist Barbara Hutchison, Clinical Education Administrator Daniel Krupa, Accounting Technician Kimberly Liles, Research Assistant Garrett Nesmith, Clinical Contracts Specialist Robert Ravanelli, Research Assistant Kristine Barnette received the Louise Ward Excellence in Teaching Award for her outstanding work in the Clinical Laboratory Science program’s student laboratory.

Adam Shirey received a 2023 UNC Employee Forum Pinnacle Award. This is awarded to an employee who exemplifies leadership, vision, and commitment to excellence on a path of continuous learning through professional development.

Valerie Tan was given the Department of Health Sciences DEI Staff Award, which is given to a staff member who serves as an outstanding advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Katie Gusler was awarded the Clinical Staff Excellence Award for exemplary work performance and commitment to customer service and process improvement.

Dani Shirey launched the Green Office Committee and planned the first departmental “Green Retreat” at the NC Botanical Garden.

15

department INITIATIVES JEDI

Global

IPEP

The Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee hosted monthly Community Conversations to support faculty, staff and student needs and interests throughout the year. The group continues to evolve its areas of focus and will rebrand as CABLE Connections - Community Access Belonging and Lifetime Engagement - in 2024.

The Global Partnerships Committee welcomed Lisa Domby, MS, CCC-SLP as its new Director for Global Collaboration at the start of the 2023 academic year. With student and faculty representation from each division, the group continues to make connections with other global-focused individuals across campus and distributed a survey to all DHS faculty to gather global partnership data.

Interprofessional Education and Practice continues to bring students and faculty across disciplines together. The DHS IPEP committee coordinated and participated in three events, including a Natural Disaster Simulation, involving participants from six health professions across campus. The number of DHS IPEP Scholars also continued to grow this year.

Wellness

The Wellness Committee hosted spring and fall wellness challenges that had more than 40 participants. Two walking challenges involved 25+ participants totaling more than 3,500 miles walked.

The group also hosted multiple wellness events, including a popsicle social and therapy dog session for faculty, staff and students.

16

note WORTHY Innovation and Achievement Award Dara Chan, ScD, CRC Lee McLean Award for Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Karen Erickson, PhD DEI Award for Faculty Brenda Mitchell, PhD

In Memorium

DEI Award for Staff Valerie Tan

Departmental Awards

Leadership Award Lisa Johnston, PT, DPT

Remembering the Life of David E.Yoder, Chair Emeritus of the Department of Health Sciences David E. Yoder, age 90, died peacefully on February 2, 2023. He became chair of the Department of Allied Health Sciences and professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences at UNC in 1986 and served until his retirement in 2000. Read more about Dr. Yoder’s life and his many accomplishments and contributions to UNC.

17

inside the dhs

STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA Interprofessional Service Learning in Rural NC: Tyrrell County Tyrrell County, in northeastern NC, is 100% rural and is the least populous county in the state, with 3,245 residents (2020 U.S. Census data). The county seat and only municipality is Columbia. Although Tyrrell County has abundant wildlife and natural resources, residents face challenges such as poverty and lack of transportation that can negatively affect health.

Tyrrell County is ranked among the least healthy counties in North Carolina for modifiable health factors. Many residents do not have access to health information or medical services, and the uninsured rate is double the national average. Lack of adequate broadband severely limits access to accurate health information and capabilities for virtual health care.

Faculty and students from the Department of Health Sciences and other areas of UNC’s health professions programs have been collaborating with community partners in Tyrrell County since 2009, forming the UNC-TC Partnership. Partnering organizations include the county schools, Senior Center, pharmacy, library, and MartinTyrrell-Washington District Health Department.

In 2023, Department of Health Sciences students from various programs including audiology, physical therapy, social work, public health and more spent their spring break serving Tyrrell County residents and gaining invaluable interprofessional practice skills.

18

Partnership with Novant Health Expands Teaching and Clinical Opportunities Over the past few years, the new partnership between Novant Health, SEAHEC, UNC Health and the UNC School of Medicine was announced and has begun to grow. 2023 marked an exciting year for the Department of Health Sciences as its participation in this partnership - an AHEC initiative - to better serve North Carolinians across the state began to make tangible strides.

The goal of the partnership is to advance academic offerings in the areas of clinical care and research in the southeastern portion of the state. In particular, those involved hope to improve access to care, increase the value of care, build health equity and retain talented healthcare providers in the area. These changes are designed to help the healthcare system reflect and serve the needs of the population.

The Department of Health Sciences is actively working to bring students to southeastern North Carolina through the expansion of clinical rotations, fieldwork, service learning opportunities and residency programs.

Additionally, a focus on providing continuing education for practitioners in the region allows for relationship building and collaboration.

The Department’s first event in the region was its inaugural South East Clinical Educator Symposium held in September. Leaders from the Department of Health Sciences, Novant Health, UNC-Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College introduced the UNC/Novant partnership to a group of about 100 preceptors from the Wilmington area, representing the fields of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, clinical laboratory science, physician assistant, rehabilitation counseling and mental health counseling.

Participants heard a keynote address from Dr. Joseph Pino about forming the next generation of healthcare providers, and Dr. Meg Zomorodi shared about the importance of interprofessional education and practice in the clinical setting. Dr. Brenda Mitchell introduced a free clinical precepting online series developed by Department of Health Sciences faculty to support preceptors in their continuing education.

Since the symposium, developments continue to be made including the launch of the Division of Physical Therapy’s Novant residency program, Health Sciences faculty visits to the region and the addition of Departmental support staff to coordinate ongoing partnership initiatives.

19

strategic Pillar 1: WELLNESS Wellness resources and events Interdepartmental connection

Pillar 2: RESEARCH & DISCOVERY

2019 -

Collaborative large grant submissions Revenue sources for students

Pillar 3: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SERVICE & IMPACT Develop virtual international collaboration Advance community partnerships in underserved and rural communities

20

PLAN Pillar 4: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & STUDENT SUCCESS Interprofessional education opportunities Resources for underrepresented students Options for clinical rotations in underserved communities

2024 Pillar 5: DEPARTMENTAL SUPPORTS

New professional training opportunities for staff Leadership and support staff collaboration Flexible work options

The Department of Health Sciences strategic plan was developed in conjunction with the strategic initiatives and objectives put forth by UNC-Chapel Hill and the UNC School of Medicine. As our 2019 Strategic Plan comes to an end, we targeted 47 objectives across 5 pillars. Over the past 5 years—including the COVID years—we remarkably achieved 40 out of the 47 objectives (85%)! The DHS will follow the 2025-2029 strategic plan set forth by the School of Medicine, with individual divisions developing their own priorities and objectives.

the future is BRIGHT

New Department Chair Exploratory Day for Underrepresented Potential PT Students Neurodiagnostics and Sleep Science Program

UNC and Novant Health Partnership Heels2Transition Summer Programs Live Stream Student Recruitment and Education Events

Safety and Security Committee

because we’re

22

better

TOGETHER 23

keep IN TOUCH make A GIFT stay CONNECTED UNC Health Foundation Liza Purcell Assistant Director of Development liza_purcell@med.unc.edu go.unc.edu/dhsgift

Click for the latest DHS News.

Department of Health Sciences Bondurant Hall, CB #7120 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7120 healthsciences.unc.edu

Click for giving opportunities.