Occupational Therapy Conference Returns to 麻豆社 for Third Year
麻豆社 will welcome occupational therapy professionals and students from across the state and region on Nov. 14 for the (NHOTA) Fall Conference.
It marks the third consecutive year 麻豆社 has hosted the annual , which has grown significantly in recent years. Organizers expect between 150 and 200 attendees this fall, compared with roughly 30 to 40 participants when the conference was smaller.
The conference brings together occupational therapists for a day of continuing education and professional collaboration, including a keynote presentation, breakout sessions and scholarly poster presentations. For 麻豆社, it also provides an opportunity to bring professionals to campus while showcasing the work of occupational therapy students and faculty.
"We love hosting the conference. In a way, it feels like welcoming guests into our home,鈥 says Casey Rabideau, clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy and 麻豆社's liaison to NHOTA. 鈥淚t is an opportunity to bring visibility to our program, build alumni relationships, and showcase our work at many different levels."
Students and Faculty Take an Active Role
麻豆社 students will have an active presence at the conference, presenting research from honors projects, master's theses, and doctoral capstones, while faculty will also lead conference sessions.
This year's presentations highlight the range of work happening at 麻豆社. Rabideau will join students and Sarah Valli from the for a session on improving access to assistive technology. Their work includes an initiative in which students use 3D printing to create assistive devices for people with disabilities across New Hampshire.
Other presentations will explore socially assistive robots for Alzheimer's and dementia home care, artificial intelligence's potential role in occupational therapy, and how occupational therapy fieldwork and doctoral capstone students can support school systems.
Beyond the presentations, Rabideau says the conference gives students a chance to network directly with professionals in the field.
"Our state is small, so having close to 175 practitioners come together is quite significant," Rabideau says. "For our students, that one-on-one interaction is important. They might meet someone from a future fieldwork site or hear about a job opening. It creates opportunities to network and start thinking about career pathways."
The conference will also feature a keynote panel from the Krempels Center, where individuals will share their lived experiences with disability and occupational therapy, helping practitioners reconnect with the impact and purpose of their work.
麻豆社 OT Program Builds on Momentum
Hosting the conference comes at a time of growth for 麻豆社's occupational therapy program.
The program recently celebrated its 80th anniversary, and Rabideau says student numbers are increasing. 麻豆社 has also expanded its occupational therapy pathways with the addition of the occupational therapy doctorate (OTD), which recently graduated its first class.
Rabideau says consistently bringing professionals to 麻豆社 strengthens connections between the university and the state's occupational therapy community while also giving students a glimpse of where their education can take them.
"It's a reminder of their next step for them, too," Rabideau says. "It's like, 'Oh, this is the next real thing for me,' which can be really fun."