Welcome from the OT Program Director
The University of Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Program is pleased that you are interested in our academic program. Our Occupational Therapy program is one of the oldest and most successful in the United States. The success of the program rests, in large part, on the outstanding faculty and staff that teach our classes and conduct research at the cutting edge of occupational therapy.
Our research faculty has received over $8 million in federal research grants from the National Institutes of Health in the last year. Our faculty research spans the breadth and diversity of contemporary occupational therapy, including the well-being of caregivers of children with disabilities, disparities in meeting the needs among children with special health care needs, evidence-based practice, sensory processing disorders in children with autism and other developmental disabilities, primate models of prenatal stress, fetal alcohol effects and sensory processing disorders, and cognitive impairment and occupational performance problems in persons with very mild stroke. Our research is generating new insights and having real-world impact on peoples’ lives.
Our faculty have received the top honors in occupational therapy, such as the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Award and membership in the AOTF Academy of Research, AOTA’s highest award in research.
The Occupational Therapy Program faculty and staff are renowned for our commitment to teaching. We have a vibrant Masters program, and each year our Master’s students engage in exciting research under the direction of our faculty. We have an active student organization that produces a newsletter, engages in numerous service activities, and hosts an annual banquet. We are committed to the recruitment and retention of a highly qualified diverse group of students. Advanced graduate students receive outstanding training for professional careers in academic and research settings. We emphasize intensive research training and many students have several publications and conference presentations before receiving their Ph.D.s.
I hope that you will consider applying to our outstanding occupational therapy program. In addition to being one of the foremost research universities in the United States, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is located in a community which blends ethnic tradition, urban sophistication and youthful spirit. Madison is the only isthmus city in North America, stretching between Lakes Monona and Mendota, providing a beautiful setting and numerous recreational opportunities. The campus occupies more than 2,000 acres along the shore of Lake Mendota.
Sincerely,
Mary Schneider, Ph.D., OTR
Professor and Coordinator