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CHP programs rank high in USN&WR The College of Health Professions (CHP) continues to emerge as a leader among paramedical institutions as it moves up in national rankings while its faculty are cited for accomplishments for groundbreaking research in the fields of physical and occupational therapeutic (OT) sciences.   In April, US News and World Report ranked four of CHP’s programs in the nation’s top third, including a 24th ranking among the nation’s 153 OT programs. The OT program was ranked 28th in the magazine’s previous ranking in 2004.   “This ranking reflects the growing national reputation of the program enhanced by the research of Dr. Hon Yuen and the national stature of Dr. Maralynne Mitcham, and the great teamwork focused on excellence from all the faculty,” said Lisa Saladin, Ph.D., physical therapist, interim chair and associate professor of CHP’s Department of Rehabilitation Sciences.   CHP Dean Mark Sothmann, Ph.D., has made it his vision to see the programs move higher among the nation’s upper echelon, even broaching the top five.   Already, CHP faculty and students are leading national research on therapies for children with cerebral disabilities that has gained the attention of the national neuroscience community (see story in The Catalyst, May 9).   Of the recent national achievements by CHP faculty: Jim Krause, Ph.D., associate dean for clinical research and scientific director of the S.C. Spinal Cord Injury Research Fund, will receive the 2008 Patricia McCollom Foundation for Life Care Planning Research Award. This award is given to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to research in the area of Life Care Planning. To receive this award, the individual must have made a significant contribution not only to the body of literature in life care planning but to the everyday practices of life care planners and either directly or indirectly to the lives and well being of the disabled. The research must have met the highest standards of design, methodology and analysis and provided meaningful data that can be applied directly to the life care planning and case management practices. Krause, Sandy Brotherton, Ph.D., physical therapist; Dave Morrisette, Ph.D., physical therapist; Susan Newman, Ph.D.; and Tasos Karakostas, Ph.D., co-authored a paper that was awarded the National Association of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers first annual Best Paper Award among 30 manuscripts evaluated by institutions across the country.   The MUSC team competed with all other National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research-funded studies that was published in 2007 in a peer-reviewed journal. The title of the paper, “Does pain interference mediate the relationship of independence in ambulation with depressive symptoms after spinal cord injury?” was published in the journal Rehabilitation Psychology. Saladin was selected as the 2008 recipient of the Dorothy E. Baethke-Eleanor J. Carlin Award for the Excellence in Academic Teaching by the American Physical Therapy Association. This award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to physical therapy education through excellence in academic teaching, and has served as an exemplary role model for teaching for students, faculty and clinicians.   “These awards to our faculty reflect their individual national reputations as educators and scholars and the College of Health Professions is fortunate to have them as role models and leaders. Our students are the ultimate beneficiaries of the excellence exhibited by these faculty members,” said Sothmann. Student honors This year’s presidential scholars are: Emily Bauer, Caitlyn Boggs, Lauren Davis, Morrow Dowdle, Lindsay Hunter, Kara Larson, Gabrielle Linder, Brittany McClure, Lauren Shuler. Holly Wise, Ph.D., is the CHP faculty scholar.     Friday, May 16, 2008 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.