WELCOME TO THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY RURAL HEALTH COMMITTEE-OTRHC
The purpose of the Occupational Therapy Rural Health Committee (OTRHC) is to recruit providers and broaden access to occupational therapy (OT) services in Southeast North Carolina. ºÚÁÏÍø MSOT c/o 2027 students interested in rural health will have a chance to apply August 2025.Ìý
OBJECTIVESÌý
- OTRHC will complete approximately 4 site visits to the regionÌý
- Partner with SERVE, part of the ºÚÁÏÍø Hospitals Ingram Institute for Rural Health Initiatives, to educate others about OT as a potential career pathway and engage with different settings in the regionÌý
- Work with middle/high school students and teachers to measure student interest in career pathwaysÌý
- Develop a program guide that could be replicated in future yearsÌý
RURAL DEFINITION
The North Carolina Rural Center rural definition is: Three additional definitions of urban/rural often cited include: (1) densely populated areas of at least 2,500 people (urban) and all other areas (rural) – US Census Bureau; (2) metropolitan counties (urban) and nonmetropolitan counties (rural) – US Office of Management and Budget; and (3) counties with densities of 250 people per square mile or more (urban) and all other counties (rural).
OTRHC members Darius Ingram and Miranda Bravo presented to 35 Southeastern high school students at HEAL day, where students followed a “patient” along the care continuum.
OTRHC lead Sara Peña represented OTRHC at Shallotte Middle School’s mini career fair with ºÚÁÏÍø Health’s SERVE (Southeastern Rural Vocational Experiences) initiative. Approximately 150-200 Brunswick County students learned about occupation and had hands-on opportunities to use adapted scissors and utensils, as well as explore a dynamometer.
ºÚÁÏÍø MSOT c/0 2026 students and OTRHC committee members toured two Novant facilities and learned from local practitioners about the needs of the area. OTRHC members will have the opportunity to complete at least one of their level II fieldwork rotations in the Southeast.
OTRHC members attended the Pender County Career Fair at Heide Trask High School, where 500+ students were able to learn about future careers, including OT!
Mid-year impact report
OTRHC member Darius Ingram & Sara Peña (not pictured) visited a Pender County middle school CTE classroom
Pictured left to right: Danielle Chadwick OTS, Miranda Bravo OTS & Sara Peña present a poster at the 2025 NCOTA spring conference in Winston-Salem, NC
Pictured left to right: Darius Ingram, Sara Peña, Summer Corbin, Dr. Jennifer Renshaw present at the third annual Health Sciences Career Fair at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, NC
OTRHC poster presented at NCOTA 2025 Spring Conference
OTRHC student members stand by a Carolina sign outside near the water
4/11/2025 OTRHC members led South Brunswick High School CTE classes for the day