USAHS Austin Campus Celebrates a Decade of Occupational Therapy and Counteracting Industry Shortages

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its Occupational Therapy (OT) program at its Austin, Texas campus. USAHS is dedicated to graduate studies in health sciences and aims to fill healthcare industry shortages through a series of diverse degree programs. ‌As Texas grapples with healthcare shortages, projected as a top state to face large OT shortages in the future, USAHS’ Occupational Therapy programs aim to address this critical need by offering students flexible and tailored educational opportunities to fill the healthcare pipeline.

The Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program launched on the Austin campus in August 2014 with its Residential pathway— which allows students to attend in-person labs on weekdays and progress through the program in two years. In 2017, the program expanded to include Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). The University also introduced MOT Flex pathway in 2017, which allows students to attend courses virtually and come to campus in person on select weekends while taking longer to complete their degree. Since the creation of each program, 785 OT students have graduated from the Austin campus and have gone on to make a profound impact in their communities. USAHS is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Since its 2014 founding, the USAHS Austin campus has had a substantial effect on students and its community, specifically through its community partnerships and clinical experiences. These clinical experiences provide students with exceptional hands-on learning opportunities that elevate their clinical readiness while enabling underserved community members to receive innovative rehabilitative healthcare services. The USAHS Austin campus also works closely with local nonprofits and community partners that support children who enter the foster care system, housing for families with hospitalized children, food banks, and more.

“We take great pride in the role that the USAHS Austin campus plays in addressing healthcare gaps. Not only have we contributed to the supply of healthcare professionals in Texas, but we’ve also created a program that makes occupational therapy services more accessible to everyone,” said Vivian A. Sanchez, Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer. “Our plans and investments demonstrate the university’s continued commitment to expanding services for our students, community, and healthcare workforce.”

USAHS will continue putting student success at the forefront to ensure they are ready for the evolving workforce. This includes providing them with exceptional real-world experiences through Pro Bono Clinics and the use of classroom technology innovations. These experiences ensure that students are confident in their clinical abilities and have a deep understanding of how different technologies can be used to meet the needs of the community.

For more information about USAHS’ Austin campus and its occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology programs, visit https://www.usa.edu/about/our-campuses/austin-tx/.

About the University of St. Augustine for Health SciencesThe University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is a graduate institution dedicated to educating, mentoring and inspiring the next generation of health sciences practitioners to be a force for good in their communities. The University has one of the top physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology graduate programs in the country and offers additional graduate degrees in nursing, healthcare administration, and continuing education. Founded in 1979, USAHS has a network of five campuses that span three states — California, Florida and Texas — and is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501, (501) 748-9001, www.wascsenior.org. The University is transforming society by instructing tomorrow’s healthcare providers to be competent, confident and a force for good through its B Corp certification. Follow USAHS on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. To learn more, visit: https://www.usa.edu/.