Doctor of Health Sciences students and alumni dedicated to excellence
The fall semester has been busy and rewarding for Radford University Carilion (RUC) Doctor of Health Sciences (D.H.Sc.) students and alumni. From presenting research at conferences to earning awards from national healthcare organizations, the students have shown how an RUC educational experience empowers success by supporting discovery and the pursuit of excellence.
Striving for excellence and excelling in his studies has paid off for Daniel Gochenour. He recently received a $1,500 William F. Miller, M.D. Postgraduate Education Recognition Award from the American Respiratory Care Foundation (ARCF). According to ARCF, “The American Respiratory Care Foundation awards up to $5,000 to assist qualified respiratory therapists in the pursuit of postgraduate education leading to an advanced degree. This award was established by a contribution from William F. Miller, M.D., in 1992.” The award includes a certificate of recognition plus airfare, lodging and registration for the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Demonstrating the close student and faculty relationships found at RUC, Yoma Acholonu presented her capstone project at a national conference with the support of RUC faculty member and her capstone project chair Sallie Beth Johnson, Ph.D. The preliminary work, titled “Examining Weight Loss Support Messaging Among African-American Women: A Content Analysis of Social Media Interactions,” at the American Public Health Association (APHA) National Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in November 2019.
D.H.Sc. program alumnus Amy Hudkins ’19 presented her capstone project in poster format at the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association (POTA) Annual Conference in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, in October 2019. Her capstone was titled “An Exploration of the Primary Therapeutic Modes Among Entry-Level, Intermediate-Level and Advanced-Level Occupational Therapists.” Hudkins is currently a clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania.