Every day College of Health Professions students, alumni, faculty and staff do extraordinary things. Read more about our latest achievements below.
As part of the Legendary Santa experience at CMoR, several events are offered with a sensory-friendly atmosphere called Sensitive Santa nights. The music and lights are toned down, and there’s a cool-down room available for little ones who may get overstimulated by the holiday hoopla. It’s all done to ensure children with disabilities can still experience the magic of Santa Claus.
The Department of Occupational Therapy, in partnership with the Children's Museum of Richmond, held their 10th annual Sensitive Santa event. The Sensitive Santa event invites families with children who have sensory or other special needs to meet Santa and enjoy other museum activities.
By Malorie Burkett
VCU College of Health Professions
Modesola Akala was 13 years old when she immigrated to the United States. Her father moved their family from Nigeria, to make a new home in Richmond. But for Akala, transitioning to life in a new country as an adolescent came with its share of challenges, as she struggled to fit in comfortably with her peers.
Evangeline Yoder was first introduced to the physical therapy profession as a child while being treated by an orthopaedic surgeon in Richmond named Dr. Thomas Wheeldon. Yoder had adolescent idiopathic scoliosis – an abnormal curvature of the spine that appears in late childhood or adolescence. Wheeldon received accreditation in 1931 from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) to establish the first physical therapy school “in the south” at Richmond Professional Institute, the forerunner of the Medical College of Virginia’s (MCV) physical therapy program.
Oct. 31, 2022 - Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Health Professions has named Benjamin Darter, P.T., Ph.D., interim chair of the Department of Physical Therapy. Darter replaces Michel Landry, Ph.D., former department chair.
In a couple of weeks, the College will launch the annual fall food drive to benefit the Ram Pantry. This special program provides food to VCU students in need. Once again, the food drive will be a competition among CHP units. Last year, the Department of Health Administration collected over 450 pounds of food, and was named winner of the “Cream of the Crop” trophy. As a College, we successfully collected nearly 740 pounds for the Ram Pantry.
The College of Health Professions Department of Nurse Anesthesia recently hosted the inaugural Nurse Anesthesia Faculty Associates (NAFA) RVA conference. The four-day event featured continuing education activities on diverse and clinically-relevant anesthesia topics. At the culmination of the conference, faculty participants had the opportunity to engage with students, alumni and CRNAs.
National Grief Awareness Day takes place every year on Aug. 30. It’s a day dedicated to the different ways individuals cope with loss while offering resources and support to those who are grieving. Whether someone is struggling with the loss of a loved one or undergoing significant life changes, Grief Awareness Day has shown that grief affects every person in its own distinct manner.
The faculty members were among 250 nurse leaders selected to join the academy’s 2022 class of fellows. The inductees will be recognized for their significant contributions to health and health care at the academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, set for Oct. 27-29.
Have a story about the College of Health Professions in action that you'd like to share? Contact us at mgburkett@vcu.edu or (804) 828-7247.