Three research stars in rehab med receive $5000 scholarships

The Centenary PhD Scholarships at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Rehabilitation were created to help push research forward, catalyzing new ideas into actual practice that will help people.

This year's round of scholarships is no exception.

The $5,000-scholarship was awarded to Jorge Fuentes by the College of Physical Therapists of Alberta, to Helen Gough by the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists and to Merrill Tanner by the Alberta College of Speech Language-Pathologists and Audiologists.

Jorge Fuentes

"It was totally unexpected," said Fuentes. "The scholarship was a great surprise."

Fuentes' research will focus on patients with the common problem of lower back pain. He wants to study contextual or non-specific factors that include anything from the impressive appearance of equipment to the clothing of the physiotherapist, though he will focus specifically on patient expectation (how much the patient expects to be relieved of their ailment) and on therapeutic alliance (the level and degree of interaction between the therapist and patient).

Helen Gough

"It is an honour to have been recognized for this scholarship," said Gough, who is helping shape a study looking at how occupational therapists can help injured war veterans. "Although my research will include occupational therapists from other provinces, it has been the insights of the private occupational therapists in Alberta who guided much of my proposed research, such as the interview guide and the locations of informal caregivers of veterans."


Merrill Tanner

Tanner is exploring how singing can improve voice and speech problems in people suffering from Parkinson's disease.

"I feel very honoured to have my work recognized by the Alberta College of Speech Language-Pathologists and Audiologists," said Tanner who, in addition to being a speech language pathologist, is also a classical singer. "Receiving this award helps to validate singing as a valuable therapy tool in our field. Since singing makes more vigorous use of the same vocal mechanism that produces speech, the use of singing in the field of speech-language-voice pathology can be an effective treatment in many clinical situations."


About the University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
As the only free standing faculty of rehabilitation in Canada, the University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine balances its activities among learning, discovery and citizenship (including clinical practice). A research leader in musculoskeletal health, spinal cord injuries and common spinal disorders (back pain), the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine aims to improve the quality of life of citizens in our community. The three departments, Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT) and Speech Pathology and Audiology (SPA) offer professional entry programs. The Faculty offers thesis-based MSc and PhD programs in Rehabilitation Science, attracting students from a variety of disciplines including OT, PT, SLP, psychology, physical education, medicine and engineering.