COHS's Physical Therapy White Coat Ceremony students with Dean Portee (far right)
By Kenneth Mullinax/ASU
For nearly 25 years, Alabama State University's College of Health Sciences (COHS) has concentrated on preparing graduates to provide competent and compassionate healthcare, particularly for patients suffering from physical impairments and functional limitations.
The dean of the University's COHS, Dr. Charlene Portee, explains that its students are educated in its state-of-the-art 80,000 square foot John L. Buskey Health Sciences Center that includes three therapeutic rehabilitation labs, the laboratory for the Analysis of Human Motion, a counseling and assessment lab, a simulated medical records lab, as well as assisted daily living and physical dysfunction labs.
"The University's College of Health Sciences offers some of the most acclaimed areas of study in physical and occupational therapy and related fields of study that exist in Alabama and beyond, which vastly support these fast-growing healthcare fields with undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees," stated Dean Portee. "We are proud of the diverse group of students that are enrolled in our programs whose goal is to help others live healthy lives. The graduates from our undergraduate and graduate degree programs obtain employment in these essential healthcare professions and achieve their dreams of finding meaningful health science careers."
She shared that April is Occupational Therapy (OT) Month, and Alabama State's COHS is having a series of events that coincide with it and Spring's commencement ceremony, which includes a Physical Therapy (PT) White Coat Ceremony that took place on April 11, and three other upcoming events:
OT White Coat Ceremony on April 25 at 10 a.m.
P&O Apron Ceremony on May 2 at 9 a.m.
PT Pinning Ceremony on May 2 at 10:30 a.m.
DEGREE PROGRAMS
The following are degree programs offered by the College of Health Sciences:
A Bachelor of Science degree program in Health Information Management and Rehabilitation Services, and its highly regarded graduate and professional programs that lead to the degrees of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics (MSPO), and Master of Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC).
All the degrees offered provide much more than classroom learning by requiring students to be involved in real-world work experience.
"No matter which of our health sciences programs you choose, you’ll get hands-on experience working with patients and health care professionals through clinical internships, fieldwork opportunities, and projects in your programs in health sciences," Dean Portee stated.
Below is a more detailed description of the degree programs offered by ASU, all of which involve hands-on experience:
This degree concentrates on protecting the availability, privacy, and confidentiality of patient information, which is fundamental to ensuring a safe and effective healthcare experience. This degree builds foundational knowledge in medical terminology, financial management, and information systems and becomes the critical link between patients, providers, and business executives.
This area of study assists patients who are recovering from an injury or developing the skills needed to regain independence in activities of daily living and all areas of their lives. It is an especially good profession for students who want to help individuals with barriers that affect their emotional, social, and physical needs.
COHS's three-year Doctorate in Physical Therapy is ideal for health sciences majors who want to specialize in helping people with deficits in mobility to maximize their quality of life through rehabilitation. This includes prevention, wellness, fitness, health promotion, and management of disease and disability.
This program is the only one of its kind at an HBCU and one of only 13 that exists in the nation, which is Alabama State's COHS's Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O). Health Sciences majors from this program are sought-after worldwide for their expertise, empathy, and experience in assessing and implementing treatment plans for individuals with limb loss or deficiencies in nontraditional and marginalized populations.
For health science majors who want to become social justice advocates and work to destigmatize disability, COHS's Bachelor’s in Rehabilitation Services and Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling prepare graduates for health science careers in the professions of rehabilitation, social and human services, allied health, and counseling.
COHS'S ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Dean Portee explained that the mission of ASU’s College of Health Sciences is to educate and graduate health-related professionals characterized by academic excellence, critical/clinical reasoning, and ethical decision-making skills.
"We pride ourselves on producing graduates who contribute to improving health care delivery and are committed to eliminating health disparities and providing evidence-based, interdisciplinary care with a special emphasis on marginalized populations," Dean Portee stated. "Our programs offer student-centered curricula that provide an excellent learning experience in small programs in health sciences that allow students to engage with highly qualified faculty. Our health science majors work with faculty on prominent research projects, gain real-world experience through clinical internships, fieldwork experiences, or practicums, and participate in many community and professional development activities."
AN EXCITING CAREER HELPING PEOPLE
The Dean of COHS exclaimed that professional opportunities in healthcare have never been more exciting than now and that the degrees offered at Alabama State in these areas are among the most well-respected in the nation.
"With advances in technology and limitless research opportunities, our students are being prepared for critical health science careers that will impact the world," Dean Portee remarked. "Of all the notable aspects of being an ASU health science student, none is more important to us than the diverse student environment and the variety of perspectives that come together to create an outstanding student learning experience."