School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
School Overview
The mission of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is to prepare health and rehabilitation professionals to serve individuals, communities and organizations through advancement of health professions education, research and service. Our faculty are dedicated, expert clinicians and researchers who employ innovative technology and active learning strategies to provide an outstanding educational experience. Our clinical networks, within Partners HealthCare and beyond, afford our students challenging and robust learning environments that help us prepare strong contemporary practitioners committed to professinal growth and life-long learning.
The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is composed of programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies. Together, these programs offer degrees that address the full scope of rehabilitation and health. Each program prepares students to be strong critical thinkers, compassionate care-givers and competent practitioners. We are committed to interprofessional goals that emphasize the important role of each discipline in team-based care, and we are truly excited to be moving forward as an interprofessional team to assure the quality of our educational programs.
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers a Master of Science to prepare speech-language pathologists for practice in medical settings and school systems. Students can focus on specific clinical concentrations to gain a broader perspective in one area of practice. A Certificate of Advanced Study in Reading is available for educators with an initial license in another subject matter area who wish to become licensed as a reading specialist.
The Department of Occupational Therapy offers the Doctor of Occupational Therapy, the first entry-level OTD in New England, for those with a bachelors degree in another field who want to become occupational therapists. This program prepares occupational therapy leaders to contribute to the profession in research, education, advocacy or clinical practice, providing the skills needed to excel in today’s dynamic health care and education systems.
The Department of Physical Therapy offers programs for those who want to become physical therapists, and for licensed therapists who want to advance their knowledge and skill. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program offers a rigorous curriculum that culminates in a year-long internship. In addition, foreign-trained physical therapists can enroll in the Master of Science for International Students to take advantage of clinical and didactic opportunities that help them grow as physical therapy professionals. Practicing physical therapists can also apply for our Orthopaedic Clinical Residency to advance their skills in orthopaedic practice and prepare for the orthopaedic specialty examination.
The Department of Physician Assistant Studies offers the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS), preparing physician assistants (PAs) to work in a variety of healthcare settings, providing medical care in partnership with physicians. This program offers comprehensive clinical education using an interactive approach to learning, along with hands-on experiences in primary care settings and elective specialties. Through coursework and interaction with students in the rehabilitation sciences, our PA graduates will develop the skills needed to function as highly effective members of the healthcare team and maximize their patients’ health and well-being. The MPAS program will admit its first class in May, 2015.
From active learning classrooms to international and service learning opportunities, to research and evidence-based practice, to advocating for our clients and professions, your experience at the Institute will allow you to develop your own professional goals in an atmosphere of intellectual discovery and collaboration. We look forward to working with you in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.