USAHS Austin Campus Celebrates a Decade of Occupational Therapy and Counteracting Industry Shortages
August 06 2024 - 11:49AM
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is
celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its Occupational Therapy
(OT) program at its Austin, Texas campus. USAHS is dedicated to
graduate studies in health sciences and aims to fill healthcare
industry shortages through a series of diverse degree programs. As
Texas grapples with healthcare shortages, projected as a top state
to face large OT shortages in the future, USAHS’ Occupational
Therapy programs aim to address this critical need by offering
students flexible and tailored educational opportunities to fill
the healthcare pipeline.
The Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program launched on the
Austin campus in August 2014 with its Residential pathway— which
allows students to attend in-person labs on weekdays and progress
through the program in two years. In 2017, the program expanded to
include Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). The University also
introduced MOT Flex pathway in 2017, which allows students to
attend courses virtually and come to campus in person on select
weekends while taking longer to complete their degree. Since the
creation of each program, 785 OT students have graduated from the
Austin campus and have gone on to make a profound impact in their
communities. USAHS is institutionally accredited by the WASC
Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
Since its 2014 founding, the USAHS Austin campus has had a
substantial effect on students and its community, specifically
through its community partnerships and clinical experiences. These
clinical experiences provide students with exceptional hands-on
learning opportunities that elevate their clinical readiness while
enabling underserved community members to receive innovative
rehabilitative healthcare services. The USAHS Austin campus also
works closely with local nonprofits and community partners that
support children who enter the foster care system, housing for
families with hospitalized children, food banks, and more.
“We take great pride in the role that the USAHS Austin campus
plays in addressing healthcare gaps. Not only have we contributed
to the supply of healthcare professionals in Texas, but we’ve also
created a program that makes occupational therapy services more
accessible to everyone,” said Vivian A. Sanchez, Chancellor and
Chief Executive Officer. “Our plans and investments demonstrate the
university’s continued commitment to expanding services for our
students, community, and healthcare workforce.”
USAHS will continue putting student success at the forefront to
ensure they are ready for the evolving workforce. This includes
providing them with exceptional real-world experiences through Pro
Bono Clinics and the use of classroom technology innovations. These
experiences ensure that students are confident in their clinical
abilities and have a deep understanding of how different
technologies can be used to meet the needs of the community.
For more information about USAHS’ Austin campus and its
occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language
pathology programs, visit
https://www.usa.edu/about/our-campuses/austin-tx/.
About the University of St. Augustine for Health
SciencesThe University of St. Augustine for Health
Sciences (USAHS) is a graduate institution dedicated to educating,
mentoring and inspiring the next generation of health sciences
practitioners to be a force for good in their communities. The
University has one of the top physical therapy, occupational
therapy, and speech-language pathology graduate programs in the
country and offers additional graduate degrees in nursing,
healthcare administration, and continuing education. Founded in
1979, USAHS has a network of five campuses that span three states —
California, Florida and Texas — and is institutionally accredited
by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1080
Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501, (501)
748-9001, www.wascsenior.org. The University is transforming
society by instructing tomorrow’s healthcare providers to be
competent, confident and a force for good through its B Corp
certification. Follow USAHS on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. To
learn more, visit: https://www.usa.edu/.
Caroline Hansen
chansen@wearecsg.com