Occupational therapy graduate students in Clinical Reasoning II, taught by Assistant Professor Lisa Shooman, Ph.D., recently received national recognition for the results of a simulated assessment case study. Of the 200 universities around the country using the simulation video company Simucase, Worcester State earned the top score for the week of Sept. 29 for the Frank Assessment.
To earn the top score, the 12 students in Shooman’s class viewed videos, answered questions about the simulation, and were graded as part of the assessment.
While video simulations are not new to the field of occupational therapy, students are using them in different ways because of the pandemic, Shooman says. She teaches her synchronous class on Zoom, so a few students can discuss case studies in-depth in breakout rooms and receive individualized attention from her. Then, everyone can be brought back together for a larger debriefing session.
This is Shooman’s second year as a faculty member at Worcester State, although she has 24 years of experience as an occupational therapist, specializing in pediatric care. She received her Ph.D. in Health Professions Education from Simmons University in 2019 and a Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University.
In addition to being a board-certified occupational therapist, Shooman is the author of an exercise book for children. She is the founder of FUNction Success, a private practice providing occupational therapy to children and adults with various neurological, physical, and emotional challenges to succeed in their daily lives.