Eighteen entry-level clinical doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) students are coauthors on three systematic reviews accepted for presentation at the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM), with 15 students traveling to Washington, D.C., for the conference.
Their projects examine the effects of sleep hygiene interventions on mental health and behavior in autistic children and adolescents; visual rehabilitation on quality of life, well-being, and mental health in adults with visual impairments; and nature exposure on the well-being of incarcerated individuals.
The students developed the reviews as part of Scholarly Inquiry I and II, taught by Sarah dos Anjos, PhD, OTD, MS, OTR/L, associate professor in the UAB Department of Occupational Therapy. At ACRM, dos Anjos is also presenting and moderating sessions on stroke rehabilitation and clinical decision-making.
Students conduct a systematic or scoping review over two semesters, and their work was accepted for presentation at both ACRM 2026 and AOTA Inspire 2027.
“Presenting their work at a national conference changes the systematic review process from a classroom experience into an opportunity for students to participate directly in scholarly dissemination,” dos Anjos said. “The experience will help them become evidence-informed practitioners while strengthening their scientific communication skills, professional identity, and connections within the broader rehabilitation community.”
Read more about dos Anjos’ ACRM presentations and UAB’s neuroplasticity-based rehabilitation research presented in Washington, D.C., and South Korea.
