Faculty Spotlight Archives | �ֻ��Ƭ

WCU-Miami Faculty Likes to Nurture Success By Supporting Student Clinical Experience

�ֻ��Ƭ — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 16:00:00 +0000

At �ֻ��Ƭ, we believe every student’s journey is unique and filled with challenges, triumphs, and moments of self-discovery. One of our faculty members, Kat L. recently shared insights into the student journeys that inspire her the most.

While every student at WCU-Miami holds a special place in her heart, she particularly treasures those who face difficulties in the academic setting but truly shine in clinical practice.

These students, she explains, may struggle with the pressures of testing and lectures, but when it comes to patient care, they excel. Their ability to connect with patients, provide compassionate care, and demonstrate strong clinical skills speaks volumes about their potential as future nurses.

“You knew that they can go in and take care of those patients, and they were so sweet to the patients and gave the best care,” she said, reflecting on how these students’ clinical strengths will ultimately make them better nurses, even if their test scores don’t always reflect their capabilities.

For students grappling with the academic side of their education, her advice is simple yet powerful: utilize all the resources available. �ֻ��Ƭ offers a wealth of support programs, from student affairs and peer-assisted learning (PALS) to the professors themselves, who are always ready to help.

“Our offices are all glass,” she noted, highlighting the transparency and accessibility of the faculty. “If I’m sitting there, you can easily come in and say, ‘Hey, can you help me with this topic?’”

This commitment to student success doesn’t end at graduation. As a clinical instructor who continues to work alongside new nurses, she finds immense pride in seeing her former students thrive in their careers.

“I’ve been in interviews where the students are being interviewed for a job, and we start asking them clinical questions, and they can answer them appropriately. I’m like, yes!”

Seeing �ֻ��Ƭ alumni flourish on the job, transitioning from students to competent bedside nurses, is a source of great joy and fulfillment.

And, of course, there’s something special about the vibrant Miami campus that adds to the overall experience. The local culture, the camaraderie among students, and even the simple pleasures like enjoying a “cafecito” together in class contribute to the unique and supportive environment that �ֻ��Ƭ-Miami offers.

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OT Alumni Hopes To Instill Same Confidence As Professor That She Gained As WCU Student

�ֻ��Ƭ — Wed, 01 May 2024 16:00:00 +0000

As a student in �ֻ��Ƭ’s first doctor of occupational therapy cohort, Valerie Cromwell Perry trusted the faculty to help prepare her for success. Now a professor at WCU, she aims to instill a similar confidence in her students’ caregiving future.

“The best part about occupational therapy is when you walk into what seems like an impossible situation, and you just start opening doors to people who just are completely succumbed by whatever illness or injury that they’re currently going through,” Perry said. “Through the power of skilled occupational therapy, they’re able to overcome those challenges and restore their independence and their quality of life.”

Perry saw that power firsthand while being the primary caregiver for her father, who was terminally ill with cancer. Describing her dad’s OT as “kind, compassionate and brilliant,” Perry said she was fascinated by the techniques and adaptive strategies that “restored his independence.”

Perry said she knew she had found her calling while watching her dad’s eyes light up just from the simple act of putting on his shoes or getting up from the couch to get a glass of water.

“The OT taught him how to do it, so he didn’t have to rely on me,” she said. “It was her professionalism and her expertise that made me want to be like her.”

Born and raised in California, Perry was living in Illinois when she began looking for OT schools. After visiting several universities, Perry said she felt “at home” after her interview at WCU. Despite being part of the university’s first OTD cohort, Perry said she had “no reservations” about the program’s integrity due to her interactions with the faculty.

“I didn’t realize I was ‘on edge’ until I talked to the faculty here and felt so at ease and comfortable,” she said. “I knew we were fully accredited in our master’s program, and I knew that the same team that ran the master’s program was running the doctorate program, so I had zero concerns that we would have any issues with it.”

After graduating in 2020, Perry came back to teach at �ֻ��Ƭ in 2022. While some things are different since her time as a student, Perry said the core philosophy of the accelerated program remains unchanged.

“Occupational therapy spans from infancy all the way to older adulthood and everything in between,” she said. “We span all various ages and all different conditions. We can work with them. Our curriculum is as diverse as they come.”

Once enrolled, Perry recommends students come in with an open mind, be receptive to feedback, and be ready to learn from Day One.

“Students are supported from the moment they walk through those doors,” she said. “We are going to prepare you to restore hope in something that feels so distant at this time.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is Valerie Cromwell Perry and what is her connection to �ֻ��Ƭ?

A: Valerie Cromwell Perry is an alumni of �ֻ��Ƭ’s first doctor of occupational therapy cohort. After graduating in 2020, she returned to WCU as a professor in 2022. Her journey from student to faculty member showcases the strength of WCU’s occupational therapy education.

Q: How do you become an occupational therapy instructor?

A: Requirements for instructor or professor positions can vary greatly between one organization and the next. Prospective students who are interested in teaching one day can benefit greatly from pursuing their doctorate degree. An doctorate generally provides more in-depth preparation than a master’s degree, better equipping students for roles in academia and research.

Q: What is an Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD)?

A: OTD programs prepare students to become occupational therapists. The curriculum provides the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to become an effective clinical practitioner. In addition, OTDs include a capstone project where students are able to engage their research skills, helping them prepare for academic or leadership positions.

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WCU Master of Public Health Professor Leads by Example

�ֻ��Ƭ — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

One of the aspects of healthcare–and healthcare education–that is so fascinating is the diversity of career paths one can choose, from the more immediate one-to-one experience of doctors, nurses, and pharmacists to the bigger-picture experience of someone who pursues a career in public health.

And sometimes, those seemingly disparate paths converge.

Such was the case for Dr. Isabelle Tardif, a full-time assistant professor of the online Master of Public Health program at �ֻ��Ƭ (WCU).

“A lot of the time (when I was practicing), I got to work in public health settings, in infectious diseases, internal medicine, and pediatrics, and that work was really rewarding,” Tardif said. “So, it started early for me to be in the realm of public health.”

After working for over 10 years as an osteopathic physician, Dr. Tardif took some time away from her practice, and it was during this time that she was presented with the idea of teaching on a full-time basis. She was already teaching medical nursing students in her office. She quickly connected with the concept of passing down her experience to the next generation of the healthcare/public health workforce, and she immersed herself in online teaching.

“I really cared about my patients,” Dr. Tardif said. “I really spent a lot of time with them, to be that anchor for them as a family physician… I can really use what I learned as a physician and apply it to teaching, to my students.”

Making a Difference

For Dr. Tardif, that very authentic, genuine care and concern for her patients is the perfect example to set for her students, who by all accounts have found their way into public health because of their passion for helping, for doing their part to influence and effect change in their community or beyond.

[Pull quote:]

“In public health, you’re working with people who really need it, and so you can really see the impact of your work. It’s a field that can offer so much to a community… (Our students) really want to drive change and to help people in their community.”

-Dr. Isabelle Tardif, Assistant Professor at WCU

One such example is Sanya Bedi, who completed her MPH degree in November 2021. She worked for a county public health department during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching out to those most in need. She is now pursuing her doctorate degree with the intent of focusing her research on public health in India, her home country.

“In India, there’s not a lot of public health (compared to) what we have in California,” Bedi said. “I want to make a difference in a community that hasn’t been touched.”

Student Diversity Brings Expanded Viewpoints, Enhanced Learning

Bedi is not alone in bringing a diverse cultural background and perspective into discussions. With students coming from many different parts of the country, and even from other parts of the world, there is a great diversity of experience among the student population in the WCU Master of Public Health program.

While diversity of thought and experience is valuable in many fields, it’s especially useful in public health, a field where remaining well-versed in best practices and staying abreast of current events at both a micro/local level and a macro/global level is absolutely crucial to formulating viable plans that lead to positive change.

“I love that I’m interacting with students from all over the country, different cultures, different backgrounds,” said Tardif, adding that some of her students come into the virtual classrooms of WCU from as far away as Africa. “For our students, being able to see what’s out there gives them a great perspective for this particular field.”

Tardif herself adds to that diversity of thought and perspective. She is a native of Quebec and moved to United States at the age of 17 as a French-speaking Canadian. She proceeded to learn English and study and practice medicine. She then began her teaching career in 2007 and joined �ֻ��Ƭ in 2015.

The Experience of an Online MPH Program

Another component of WCU’s Master of Public Health program that Tardif appreciates the online modality.

“I love the flexibility, and I love that you can still establish a great connection with the students despite the distance,” said Tardif.

However, greater flexibility doesn’t necessarily equate to “easier” coursework. Tardif had this to say about the online versus physical campus learning experience: “Online does require discipline. They [online students] do have to want it.”

For those interested in pursuing a career in public health, the MPH program at WCU can be completed in as little as 16 months at the Accelerated program pace. Additionally, for those who may have professional or personal commitments they are balancing, the program can be completed in 28 months at the Working Professional pace. And there are new sessions starting about every eight weeks.

Learn more about WCU’s online MPH program and apply when you’re ready.

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WCU Online MHA Faculty Member Teaches Students How to Be a CEO

�ֻ��Ƭ — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 08:00:00 +0000

When you’re the Chief Executive Officer of any company, but especially one that operates 24-7-365 like a hospital, it’s safe to say you don’t have a lot of free time.

Such is certainly the case for Dr. Jake Redden, the CEO of Madelia Health, a regional independent hospital in southern Minnesota, and yet the busy hospital administrator has for many years found the time to fit teaching a university-level course into his schedule.

Dr. Redden has taught at the University of Maryland and Rutgers University, and currently he’s a part of the Master of Health Administration faculty at �ֻ��Ƭ where he teaches the Entrepreneurship Opportunities in Healthcare course (HA560) online.

So, with so much of a commitment with his “day job,” why does he also choose to teach?

“The reason I like [teaching] the most is it keeps the tip of my spear sharp,” Dr. Redden said.

He noted that what keeps him sharp specifically is all the current and future thinking relative to his industry that he’s privy to from his students’ discussions and presentations, as well as the peer feedback and interactions he has with fellow faculty members such as Tarinder Khatkar, the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Officer at San Gabriel Valley Medical Center.

Faculty-Student Learning Is a Two-Way Street

To be sure, that exchange is anything but one-way.

Dr. Redden brings his students a wealth of experience and knowledge that spans nearly two decades, beginning with his early days as a Medical Department Assistant Leader and Clinical Care Provider aboard a nuclear-powered U.S. Navy naval combat vessel and progressing on to senior-level hospital administrative positions overseeing areas including healthcare operations, strategic management, and medical staff management.

In addition to his practical experience, Dr. Redden has amassed an impressive academic “CV,” having earned master’s degrees in both health administration and public health as well as a Doctorate of Health Science.

It’s an extensive “hard drive” of information that the students have access to, but it’s his current position as a hospital CEO that Dr. Redden finds especially relevant to the class he’s currently teaching.

Entrepreneurship Skills Critical for Senior Healthcare Executives

Entrepreneurship to many means starting your own business, but as Dr. Redden pointed out, the concepts taught in the class, from building out financial and marketing plans to understanding how to package and present your idea, are so much more applicable beyond an end goal of starting your own business.

Dr. Redden explained that in his role as CEO, he frequently has division heads coming to him with proposals for new business opportunities, and their presentations are effectively the same as an investor presentation, complete with financial analyses demonstrating not just the potential value of the idea, but the value compared against alternatives.

And so, for the students in his class, who better to learn those concepts from than from someone who is already reviewing and assessing these kinds of proposals?

“When I give feedback [to students], I tell them, ‘When you’re done with school, I’m the person who’s going to be interviewing you, who’s going to be listening to your pitch,’ and I think that carries a little more weight with them,” Dr. Redden said.

An Environment of Communication & Collaboration

Dr. Redden taught his first class at WCU in January 2020 and when asked what differentiates his faculty experience at WCU versus his previous stops at Rutgers and Maryland, he didn’t hesitate.

“It’s the level of engagement,” he said.

Dr. Redden explained that whereas he was largely left alone at Maryland and Rutgers, at �ֻ��Ƭ, he has constant contact with Dr. Justin Ako, Dean of WCU’s Health Administration program. He added that he also has quarterly connections with peer faculty.

“I feel like [WCU] is a little more current with the regular feedback and interactions we have,” he said.

WCU’s Master of Health Administration Program Offers Flexibility

If a Master of Health Administration is something you’ve been considering, the MHA program at �ֻ��Ƭ has start dates throughout the year and is 100% online with flexible scheduling. You can choose between three program paces – Accelerated Plus (8 months), Accelerated (12 months), or Working Professional (20 months) – depending on the demands of your schedules.

As an MHA student at WCU, you will learn from faculty members like Dr. Redden who have extensive industry experience and who are passionate about preparing future healthcare managers and leaders.

Learn more about the online MHA degree program at WCU.

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WCU-Miami Faculty Spotlight: Maria Perez

�ֻ��Ƭ — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

�ֻ��Ƭ-Miami nursing instructor Maria Perez has had an exceptional year. She has shown her students what it truly means to make a difference in your community.

In July, Maria was awarded the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty and named to the League of Legendary Women from the Memorial Healthcare��ٱ�! These awards recognize the outstanding efforts she has made at WCU and in the local community.

This year she also severed on several committees in the Miami area including the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Education Committee for the American Holistic Nurses Association, and the Nominating Committee Member for the Florida Nurses Association.

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