January 15, 2021
Special interests can be assets, not hindrances, for youth with autism
Jan. 15, 2021 Kerri Nowell, assistant clinical professor in the Department of Health Psychology and a pediatric clinical psychologist at the MU Thompson Center, together with colleagues Stephen Kanne, Cynthia Brown and Courtney Jorgenson, developed the survey for caregivers of youth with autism to assess various special interests they may have and determine if those special interests were interfering with the child’s development. After analyzing nearly 2,000 responses, in addition to possible reductions of anxiety and improvements of mental health, Nowell found that many caregivers also recognize the child’s special interests as outlets that can potentially benefit them in social…
December 21, 2020
Nuclear Medicine program earns reaccreditation
Dec. 21, 2020 The Mizzou Nuclear Medicine program earned reaccreditation for seven years from the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT) in November. In its report, the JRCNMT noted several strengths of the Mizzou program: Variety of clinical affiliates and support from affiliate educational supervisors Excellent faculty who are passionate about nuclear medicine Unique partnerships with Northstar, NextGen and the MU Research Reactor, which provide learning and research opportunities for students Excellent administrative, advisement and records support Support from administration at both department and college level, including advocating for faculty development funding Over the…
December 16, 2020
Mizzou student goes from intern to executive director
Plenty of Mizzou grads use an internship to launch their career, though likely few have made the jump from unpaid intern to head of an organization in eight months. But Nicole Cope, who is graduating this week with her master’s of public health, is doing just that. Cope is set to become executive director of the Missouri Immunization Coalition, a nonprofit raising vaccine awareness. It’s a new beginning for Cope, who is also retiring from the Army Medical Corps after a decorated 23-year career, having earned the rank of master sergeant.
December 14, 2020
Faculty mentor students at Health Sciences Research Day
Mentees of three School of Health Professions faculty presented their research studies during Health Sciences Research Day in November. The event featured more than 200 research projects from MU undergraduate and graduate students, as well as pre- and post-doctoral trainees. The projects covered various health topics including immunology, nutrition and exercise physiology, diabetes, ophthalmology, orthopaedics and health psychology. By investing time and energy in the mentorship of students, these three faculty members are true exemplars of our school’s mission. Congratulations to all who participated! Nancy Cheak-Zamora (Health Sciences) Mentee: Andrew Tate, undergraduate student Project:…
December 9, 2020
Season of Giving: Mitch Vandel-Holm
Dec. 3, 2020 This story is part of the School of Health Professions Season of Giving series in which we highlight scholarship recipients who are driven by giving back – to their patients and clients, and to their communities. Thanks to the generosity of scholarship donors, recipients are not only able to focus on their education, but also enrich their communities through their passion and their work. It’s a cycle of generosity that just keeps giving. __________________________________ Mitch Vandel-Holm is a Physical Therapy student who received the Raymond E.
November 30, 2020
Season of Giving: Shoneia Jones
Nov. 3, 2020 This story is part of the School of Health Professions’ ‘Season of Giving’ series in which we highlight scholarship recipients who are driven by giving back – to their patients and clients, and to their communities. Thanks to the generosity of scholarship donors, recipients are not only able to focus on their education, but also enrich their communities through their passion and their work. It’s a cycle of generosity that just keeps giving. Shoneia Jones, an Occupational Therapy student from Chicago, received the Janet and John Farmer Endowment to Advance the School of Health…
October 14, 2020
Improving health care autonomy for young adults with autism
Independence has always been a driving force in Nancy Cheak-Zamora’s life. Now an associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Health Professions, she grew up undiagnosed with dyslexia, a learning disorder that can lead to difficulty reading. “Although I wasn’t receiving all the assistance or services I probably needed because I was undiagnosed, I always had supportive people in my life who encouraged me and gave me opportunities to be successful,” Cheak-Zamora said. “That encouragement fundamentally allowed me to take on more independence and work through challenges in a way that has helped me succeed in both academia…
October 8, 2020
COVID Silver Linings
MU Adult Neuropsychology Clinic stayed steps ahead of peers in adapting to serve the community Oct. 8, 2020 Department of Health Psychology clinics in the School of Health Professions serve well over 1,000 patients every year. In addition to clinical service and research in autism, brain injury and rehabilitation, the department’s faculty oversee an extensive psychology training program for pre-doctoral interns and postdoctoral residents. “We are one of the most high-volume clinics in the country when you consider number of patients seen per faculty member,” says Dr. Eric Hart, associate department chair, director of adult neuropsychology, and clinical professor.
October 6, 2020
Kicking the Habit
The Marlboro Man might be long gone, but smoking and nicotine use in the Show-Me State live on at surprisingly high rates, says Jenna Wintemberg, BA ’10, MPH ’12, PhD ’17, assistant teaching professor of health sciences. An alarming 19 percent of Missouri’s adults smoke. Up to 50 percent of Missouri high school students have tried tobacco or electronic cigarettes, which pack lots of nicotine and come with the risk of pneumonia and respiratory failure. “The numbers for e-cigarettes keep going up and up and up,” she says. Wintemberg, a nationally certified tobacco treatment specialist, developed Adolescent Cessation in Every…
October 6, 2020
Celebrity Therapist
James McCorkle has used a wheelchair for most of his six years of life, and, for much of that time, he has been a client at the School of Health Professions’ PhysZOU clinic. That’s where he met physical therapy student Mark Weleaga, who quickly realized that McCorkle needed to improve his wheelchair skills. “During my first session with James, we had to encourage him a lot to get him to do different wheelchair skills and play games,” Weleaga says. So, for help, he went straight to the top — Mizzou’s wheelchair basketball team. “I was hoping to make therapy fun.”…