During the 2024 American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Inspire Conference this month we are delighted to hear that Angela Patterson was awarded the International Service Award for her Physiopedia work towards developing the international rehabilitation workforce.
The AOTA supports occupational therapy practitioners including occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants and occupational therapy students in the United States and beyond. Their mission is to advance occupational therapy practice, education, and research through standard setting and advocacy on behalf of its members, the profession, and the public.
Each year, AOTA holds an Awards & Recognitions ceremony, this year on 23 March 2024, to recognise and honour colleagues who have made significant contributions to the profession of occupational therapy.
This year Dr Angela Patterson OTD, OTR/L, FNAP, along with 3 others, was selected for The International Service Award, which recognises those who demonstrate a sustained and outstanding commitment to international occupational therapy service. Dr. Angela Patterson is an occupational therapist and researcher who focuses on global healthcare education and interprofessional education. She is an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Creighton University, USA, and joined the Physiopedia team at the beginning of 2022 as a member of the interprofessional team working on USAID funded ReLAB-HS activities, specifically the development of the International Rehabilitation Education and Training Toolkit (IRETT). She was chosen for this award thanks to her efforts in advocating for international occupational therapy students and contributing to the development of the IRETT. She has worked with China, Uganda, Pakistan and Ukraine in clinical training for the advancement of rehabilitation.
Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients, and we are particularly proud to have Angela as part of our Physiopedia team working hard to advocate for occupational therapy services all over the globe!