Pitt Occupational Therapy

Join us in welcoming Pitt’s NEW Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) student ➡️ Hiya Chaurasia! 💙💛

Originally from Newark, Delaware, Hiya is most excited about OT because of how it combines creativity, empathy, and problem‑solving to help people participate in the activities that matter most to them and become more independent and looks forward to building professional relationships, forming friendships within the cohort, and gaining hands‑on experience in various OT settings!

We’re so proud to have you in the Pitt OT community, Hiya! 👏

Join us in welcoming Pitt’s NEW Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) student ➡️ Erika Selzer! 💙💛

Originally from Mullica Hill, New Jersey, Erika is most excited for the opportunity to help people regain independence and confidence in their everyday lives and looks forward to immerse herself in new environments, meet new people, and continue growing into an OT who helps others become the best versions of themselves. Erika is looking forward to building meaningful connections, learning through hands-on experiences, and making a positive impact in people’s lives.

We’re so proud to have you in the Pitt OT community, Erika! 👏

.selzer

Join us in welcoming Pitt’s NEW Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) student ➡️ Julia Nguyen! 💙💛

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Julia is most excited for the program because Occupational therapy helps individuals make a meaningful and visible difference in an individual's quality of life and looks forward to exploring the unique ways in helping individuals reach goals that matter most to them!

We’re so proud to have you in the Pitt OT community, Julia! 👏

Congratulations to Caitlin Sanford, a CScD student, for presenting portions of her Clinical Practice Guideline titled, "Recommendations on Standardizing Mobility Communication and Transfer Practices Across Nursing and Therapy" at the Nursing Symposium at UPMC Mercy Hospital. Developed during the course Evidence-Based Protocols and Practice Guidelines , her work reflects the evidence-based, interdisciplinary approach we strive to instill in every student. We're proud to watch our students bring scholarly work into professional settings.

We love celebrating our faculty! 🙌

Congratulations to Amy Hartman, who will be sharing her work at the Sensory Integration Think Tank at VCU! Amy will present on the real-world challenges of measuring sleep at home AND share a poster on The Power Down — a new sensory-based bedtime intervention for kids with ADHD, supported by the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation Fellowship.

We are so proud of this work and the families it's designed to help. 💤✨

Philanthropies

Congratulations to Minmei Shih, research scientist at Pitt OT, on receiving the Research and Scholarly Activity Mission Administration Award! 🎉

Mei's dedication to SHRS includes everything from clinical trial management and research operations to mentoring students and building partnerships across academia and health systems. Thank you, Mei, for your commitment to advancing health, rehabilitation, and reintegration service delivery through teaching, research and professional service.

In her own words: "Turning innovative ideas into meaningful research products is never a solo effort — it takes a village."

Read the full article of SHRS Dean's Staff Excellence Award recipients here: https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/story/the-2026-shrs-deans-staff-excellence-awards/

Join us in welcoming Pitt’s NEW Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) student ➡️ Gabriela! 💙💛

Originally from Pasadena, Texas, Gabriela is most excited to help people regain a sense of independence back into their lives and looks forward to having a great support team of peers, educators, and advisors that want to see students succeed, and getting to wear blue and yellow!

We’re so proud to have you in the Pitt OT community, Gabriela! 👏

Join us in welcoming Pitt’s NEW Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) student ➡️ Mackenzie! 💙💛

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Mackenzie is most excited for the opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s lives and help them live to their fullest potential. and looks forward to continuing her education at Pitt and gaining hands on experience, as well as learning from amazing faculty and collaborating with classmates!

We’re so proud to have you in the Pitt OT community, Mackenzie! 👏

Join us in welcoming Pitt’s NEW Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) student ➡️ Rachel! 💙💛

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Rachel is most excited about helping individuals achieve more independence in their daily lives and looks forward to meeting everyone and gaining hands-on experiences and opportunities!

We’re so proud to have you in the Pitt OT community, Rachel! 👏