Pitt Occupational Therapy

Home
United States
Pittsburgh, PA
Pitt Occupational Therapy

The Official page of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy. Ranked 3rd in the country by U.S. News & World Report

This site has been developed to share the activities and accomplishments of the University of Pittsburgh Occupational Therapy faculty and students. The University of Pittsburgh is committed to the advancement of learning and service to society. This is best accomplished in an atmosphere of mutual respect and civility, self-restraint, concern for others, and integrity. The University believes these principles apply to social media, which encourages active discussion and sharing of information and thoughts. The University is not responsible for comments or postings made by visitors. Comments also do not reflect the opinions or policies of the University of Pittsburgh. Please show respect for your fellow users by keeping the discussion civil. The University will remove comments that are racist, sexist, abusive, profane, violent, obscene, spam, that advocate illegal activity, contain falsehoods or are wildly off-topic, or that libel, incite, threaten or make ad hominem attacks on University students, employees, guests or other individuals, or are otherwise deemed inappropriate. Messages that are religious in nature, or are selling products or promoting commercial, political or other ventures are also not permitted.

02/16/2026

Fuel Innovation in OT! On Pitt Day of Giving, your contribution will help advance cutting-edge techniques and technologies that are shaping the future of occupational therapy. Be part of the change today!

https://pittdayofgiving.com/campaigns/occupational-therapy-department

02/11/2026

Building confidence one letter at a time ✏️

Pitt Occupational Therapy’s Hope for Handwriting program pairs school-age children with OT students for individualized, one-on-one handwriting sessions at the Homewood Community Engagement Center. Through tailored activities that target fine motor coordination, attention, and writing mechanics, children strengthen handwriting skills while gaining confidence in the classroom.

For Pitt OT students, the program provides meaningful service-learning experience. It offers hands-on pediatric clinical practice, opportunities to assess and adapt interventions, and a chance to make a real impact in the community. It’s a powerful example of how Pitt OT education connects learning with service to support both student training and children’s academic success. Thank you to Pitt OT faculty member and Program Coordinator Kelsey Voltz-Poremba for all her efforts in supporting this service to the community.

Read more: https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/story/hope-for-handwriting-enhancing-skills-through-occupational-therapy/

02/09/2026

Ready to elevate your teaching with simulation?

“Developing Simulation in Health and Rehabilitation,” an online course taught by Pitt OT Professor Joanne Baird, equips faculty educators and rehabilitation practitioners with evidence-based strategies to design meaningful, high-impact simulation experiences. Participants will complete the course with a fully developed simulation scenario complete with assessment, logistics, and debriefing framework that is ready for immediate implementation.

Explore how simulation can transform learning outcomes while building professional development materials for your portfolio.

Read more about this course here: https://pittprofessional-shrs-ce.catalog.instructure.com/courses/simulation-education-program

02/05/2026

Looking to advance your OT career on your terms? 💻✨

The Advanced Practice Certificate in Implementation of Evidence in Clinical Practice at Pitt is designed for busy professionals looking to implement change:

✔️ Flexible 100% online format
🌙 Evening classes (6:00–7:30 PM)
🎓 Learn from word-class university and globally recognized leaders
🤝 Personalized career support + Pitt OT’s powerful alumni network
🏢 Eligible for tuition benefits
🚀 Complete in as little as three semesters

Take the next step—your future in OT leadership starts here!
https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/academics/ot/cscdot/ot-certificate/?utm_campaign=ot-certificate-kc&utm_content=image&utm_program=ot-cscd

02/03/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Assistant Professor Avital Isenberg on the publication of her chapter "Functional Impairments in Survivors of Critical Illness: The Role of Occupational Therapy" in Post-Intensive Care Syndrome: A Practical approach.

Avital collaborated with Brad Butcher, two occupational therapists from Duke, and Maria Shoemaker from UPMC Mercy to highlight the critical role of occupational therapy in supporting ICU survivors during their recovery journey.

Green, S, Williamson, M, Shoemaker, M, & Isenberg, A. (2025). Functional impairments in survivors of critical illness. In B. Butcher (Ed.), Post-intensive care syndrome: A practical approach (pp.520 -534). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

01/31/2026

Four SHRS Doctor of Occupational Therapy students, Bonnie Freiman, Shelby Ligo, Caroline Perry, Rachel Romano, along with Assistant Professor and OTD Assistant Program Director, Erin Mathia engaged in an interprofessional service-learning trip to Belize. Students and faculty worked with community partners in Belize to provide clinical services to children through older adults. Through this empowering experience, students gained hands-on leadership skills while also learning about the importance of providing services within the cultural context of Belize. Stay tuned for more information and stories from this inspiring trip!

01/27/2026

A no-cost clinic offering one-on-one support for maternal health and infant feeding is now available at Pitt's Community Engagement Center and Wellness Pavilion. Services include breastfeeding or bottle feeding support, mental health, role adjustment, feeding routines, return-to-work planning, and infant feeding development. Thank you to our Pitt OT Assistant Professor Kimberly Krebs for supporting this important work!

📅 When: Thursdays, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
(By appointment; walk-ins accommodated)

📍 Where:
Wellness Pavilion Clinic
Pitt Community Engagement Center
622 N. Homewood Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15208

👥 Who: Residents of Wilkinsburg, Homewood, Brushton, East Liberty, Larimer, Lincoln-Lemington, and Penn Hills

📞 Contact: 412-383-3770

📧 Email: SHRSWellnessPavilion@pitt.edu

01/24/2026

Our MS and 1st year OTD students are now certified Dementia Friends! A huge thank you to Carrie Chiusano, Executive Director of the Dementia Care Center at Presbyterian SeniorCare Network, for sharing her expertise and empowering our future healthcare professionals to better support individuals living with dementia. Together, we're building a more dementia-friendly community. 💜

01/23/2026

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy is excited to kick off the 2026 virtual educational sessions with Fieldwork Preparation: Focus on Social Determinants of Health.

As a valued Pitt OT partner, you play a critical role in student success and the future of occupational therapy. This one-hour virtual session (6–7 p.m. ET on Zoom) will highlight educational content from the Pitt OTD program and provide practical strategies to support students in addressing how social determinants of health impact clients during fieldwork.

✔ Earn 1 professional development contact hour
✔ Designed for fieldwork educators
✔ Practical, student-focused content

More 2026 sessions to come—starting January 27!

https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/academics/ot/

01/21/2026

From theory to practice! 😷 Our OTD students suited up to practice donning and doffing PPE in Activity Context Theory and Practice. Mastering infection control procedures is an important step in learning how to keep patients safe across all care environments.

01/20/2026

🌍 Exciting news from the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Congress 2026!
Our Pitt OT faculty will be presenting research that advances occupational therapy worldwide:

✅ Facilitators and barriers to implementing CAPABLE for aging in place: Translating evidence to practice using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research
Presenters: CScD in OT Director and Professor Pam Toto, Kristen Perepezko, Ava Giatras, Megan Blanchflower, Beth Fields, Department Chair and Associate Professor Juleen Rodakowski

✅ The impact of COVID-19 on community participation among older adults: Implications for occupational therapy intervention
Presenters: Juleen Rodakowski, Research Scientist Jennifer Dorris, Professor Lauren Terhorst, Shana Sibblies, Research Coordinator Josh Woolford

✅ The impact of depressive symptoms on social participation in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: Implications for occupational therapy
Presenters: Juleen Rodakowski, Jennifer Dorris, Sarah Stahl

✅ Implementing the use of effective cognitive cueing techniques to optimize client outcomes
Presenters : Kelsey Watters, Juleen Rodakowski

📅 February 10–12, 2026 | Bangkok, Thailand

Join us in celebrating these impressive contributions to global OT practice!

Address

100 Technology Drive, Bridgeside Point I, Suite 350
Pittsburgh, PA
15219

Telephone

+14123836620

Website

http://www.shrs.pitt.edu/OT/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Pitt Occupational Therapy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Pittsburgh?