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PhD

Rehabilitation Science


The PhD in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Utah is an interprofessional doctoral program that allows students to develop their clinical expertise and unique line of research while working alongside other rehabilitation scientists and health care providers. Students in the program come from a variety of professional backgrounds including occupational therapy, recreational therapy, physical therapy, kinesiology, athletic training, and other health care disciplines. Faculty from the Department of Occupational and Recreational Therapies participate in the program and are available to serve as mentors to students who have similar research interests.

Students Have the Opportunity to Take Part

  • Internally-and externally-funded research projects
  • Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research
  • Developing and testing evidence-based interventions
  • Teaching experiences in our Occupational Therapy and Recreational Therapy programs
  • Interprofessional education and collaboration
Students practicing transfer training

Current Faculty Projects

Technology-based Recreation

Lead by R. Nelson, Y. Kim

  • Virtual reality usability and efficacy
  • Technology based interventions for college student wellbeing
  • Therapeutic use of robotic pets
  • Multidomain intervention using mobile application for people with dementia
  • Virtual reality visuospatial cognitive training for older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Quality of Life Along the Neurorehabilitation Continuum

Lead by A. Terrill, and M. Zahl

  • Non-pharmacological interventions to promote functioning, resilience, and quality of life in persons with disability and their care partners
  • Psychosocial functioning and needs after stroke, TBI and SCI
  • Social determinants of health/health disparities
  • Dementia rehabilitation

Neurorehabilitation

Lead by A. Sethi

  • Non-invasive neural stimulation to promote neural plasticity post stroke
  • Personalized data-driven telerehabilitation technologies for stroke rehabilitation
  • Movement dynamics using motion capture technology after stroke
  • Interventions to enhance arm and hand function after stroke

For information on working with a specific faculty mentor, contact the faculty member directly.

Questions?

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