Burt named MOT Program Director

The Division of Occupational Therapy is excited to announce the appointment of Amy Kurowski-Burt, EdD, OTR/L as program director for its Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree program.

In her new leadership role, Burt will work alongside Division of Occupational Therapy chairperson Dr. Steven Wheeler and Occupational Therapy Doctorate program director Dr. Diana Davis. According to Wheeler:

"Dr. Burt posses the ideal skill set to lead our entry-level masters degree program. She is an innovative, student centered, award winning educator and interprofessional education collaborator who is extremely dedicated to the success of our students."

Among Dr. Burt's academic career highlights are two teaching awards and induction into the Academy for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Most recently, Burt was part of an interprofessional education team that was awarded the Go First Award, which recognizes demonstrated positive outcomes that enhance the missions of the Health Sciences Center through implementation of innovations or quality improvement measures in their respective area. Central to the work of this interdisciplinary team was the use of standardized patient (SP) simulation of a posthospital discharge home visit using a team of learners from nursing, physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), dentistry, pharmacy, and medicine in a simulated home environment. Their work was published in the AAMC Journal of Teaching and Learning Resources.

Dr. Burt has been a faculty member in the Division of OT since 2012. Her clinical expertise focuses on pediatrics, especially children with autism, sensory processing challenges, and visual system deficits. She also works with inclusive and adapted community programming for children, as well as transitioning for individuals who are homeless. Dr. Burt is involved with numerous campus wide interprofessional education activities for students.

Within her new role, Burt will oversee the implementation of a new curriculum as well as begin preparations for the MOT programs next accreditation visit during the 2023-2024 academic year.