Nationally Renowned OT Expert Janice Burke to Speak at UF

Janice Burke, Ph.D.

Occupational therapy, healthcare professionals and the general public are invited to the University of Findlay Occupational Therapy Program’s 14^th annual Evening with a Leader in Occupational Therapy on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 16 at 9:15 a.m., both in the Alumni Memorial Union’s North Multipurpose Room.
The featured speaker for this free event will be Janice P. Burke, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA. She is a nationally recognized expert on occupational therapy for young children and their families, and the author of publications that address the health producing effects of “occupation” in individuals with chronic disabilities and the well population. Her Thursday talk, titled, “Productivity, Outcomes and Evidence in the Clinic: Protecting the Future of the Therapeutic Encounter,” will be free, but registration is required by visiting the OT Program’s webpage.
Burke will also speak on Friday, Feb. 16 at 9:15 a.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union,where she will address “How Conceptual Ideas Take Hold and Endure: The Model of Human Occupation.” Registration is also required for this free event.
Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants can earn up to four continuing education credits by attending these sessions.
Burke is known for co-authoring the Model of Human Occupation, a contemporary perspective in the field of occupational therapy, which has driven education, research and practice for more than 35 years.
She was also the dean at Jefferson College of Health Professions at Thomas Jefferson University from 2006-2015. She joined the university in 1988 as assistant professor and subsequently professor, chair and director of Graduate Programs. She also collaborated in establishing Jefferson Elder Care, an OT service for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, in 2006. As dean, she was responsible for overseeing seven academic departments including developing the Couple and Family Therapy and Physician Assistant programs.
In addition to her work at Jefferson, Burke has served on national boards such as the American Occupational Therapy Association; has served as panel chair and scientific reviewer for the U.S. Department of Defense; and has a record of over 15 years of continuous funding from the U.S. Department of Education for training OTs to deliver care to preschool and school age children.