School hosts 46th annual Texas Society for Advancement of Health Professions conference
School of Health Professions Dean David Shelledy, PhD, RRT, RPFT, FAARC, FASAHP, received the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Society for Advancement of Health Professions at its 46th annual conference, which was hosted by the school at Sept. 19–20.
“TSAHP is a very important organization, representing the health professions across Texas with a focus on health care education and practice,” Shelledy said. “The School of Health Professions was delighted to serve as the host for conference. I’m also honored to have received the 2024 TSAHP Distinguished Service Award and am truly grateful for the folks in our school who continue to participate and support the mission of TSAHP to improve health and health care education for all of Texas.”
Shelledy praised the conference’s turnout and the quality of the program, including the keynote address delivered by Vasan Ramachandran, MD, DM, FACC, FAHA, dean of the new University of Texas School of Public Health San Antonio.
“We should concentrate in places where health begins, and that is in our neighborhoods and our communities,” Ramachandran told the audience in his address, titled “Health and Health Care: Hitting the Reset Button.”
Senior Associate Dean David Henzi, EdD, FASAHP, Director of Academic Assessment and Special Projects Venessa Kodosky, PhD, Master of Science in Respiratory Care student Brianna Guerin, and Doctor of Physical Therapy student Alyssa Nail presented a session titled “Food Security Among Health Profession Students,” based on a food bank project developed by students. Kodosky serves as TSAHP’s treasurer.
Assistant Professor Steven “Tony” Skaggs, PhD, MPAS, PA-C, in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, presented two faculty posters sharing a comparative analysis of online and traditional anatomy instruction in a PA program and PA student perceptions of non-traditional online anatomy instruction. School of Health Professions students from multiple programs presented posters on topics ranging from student burnout and swallowing frequency and dysfunction, to primary progressive aphasia and the impact of COVID-19 on the transition to graduate occupational therapy programs.