College of Health Professions


March 2, 2023

Two PT Alums Achieve Rare Perfect Scores on National Exam

Ben Boulden

Shortly after graduating in 2022, Antonio Martinez, left, and Rush Hemphill achieved perfect scores on the national physical therapy examination.

Rush Hemphill and Antonio Martinez had to pass the National Physical Therapy Examination to start their careers, and in the summer of 2022, they aced it, earning perfect 800 scores. Both graduated in May with Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degrees after three years of study in the UAMS College of Health Professions Department of…


March 1, 2023

Spotlight on the Department of Physician Assistant Studies

Editor Role

The faculty and staff of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies take a moment for a group photo outside on the west side of the Little Rock campus of UAMS.

By Edward Williams | Enrolling its first class of 26 students in 2015, the UAMS PA Program became the second PA program in Arkansas. The program now enrolls 40 students in each class into the 28-month program.  The program is supported by 11 core faculty and three administrative staff providing our program with a 4:1…


Vincenzo Receives $1 Million Grant for PT Research into Falls of Older Adults

David Robinson

Jennifer Vincenzo, left, and Heather Vaughn, a UAMS physical therapist, work with a patient.

Jennifer L. Vincenzo, Ph.D., MPH, PT, recently became the first University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) researcher to receive the national Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging, which comes with $1 million over five years. The Beeson award stems from an initiative by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at…


February 27, 2023

Chambers Wins Irby Award for Early Career Faculty

Ben Boulden

Shaneika Chambers

Sometimes doing your job well and with passion makes a big difference. For Shaneika Chambers, MHA, MLS, it is also what earned her the Edith Irby Jones Award for Early Career Faculty. Chambers first worked in the UAMS clinical lab for three years. She has been an instructor since July 2021 in the Department of…


Three Programs Get New Leadership

Ben Boulden

Left to right, Natalie Benafield, Summer Khairi and Shayla Stinnett.

This fall, the College of Health Professions saw new leaders take the helms of three of its degree programs: Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences, Cytotechnology and Audiology. Summer Khairi, MBA, CNMT, succeeded Arthur Maune, M.Ed., CNMT, as program director of the Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences program, following his retirement after 20 years at UAMS. In addition…


Respiratory Care Department Earns Apex Award

Ben Boulden

Apex 2023-2024 recipient

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) recently recognized the College of Health Professions Department of Respiratory Care program with its Apex Award for 2023-2024. With its Apex Awards, the association seeks to honor institutions for their commitment to excellence in professional development, evidence-based care, patient safety, patient satisfaction and quality improvement. “We are one…


February 23, 2023

Lambda Nu Chapter Inducts 35 New Members

Ben Boulden

Lambda Nu logo

The UAMS Chapter of Lambda Nu inducted 35 students into its membership during a virtual ceremony on Feb. 10. Lambda Nu is a national honor society for the radiologic and imaging sciences. Students and faculty who participated in the ceremony are in programs in the College of Health Professions Department of Radiation & Imaging Sciences…


January 27, 2023

UAMS Dental Hygiene Program Offers Free Sealant Clinic for Children on Feb. 18

Ben Boulden

Dental hygiene students do the preparatory work for applying a dental sealant to some of the teeth of one of the 56 children who came to March sealant clinic with their families.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Department of Dental Hygiene is offering a free Sealant Clinic from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 18 at Freeway Medical Tower, 5800 W. 10th St., Suite 501.


January 19, 2023

First Cohort of Occupational Therapy Students Completes Capstone Projects, Graduates

David Wise

UAMS/UA Occupational Therapy 1st Cohort with Faculty

The Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) program recently celebrated the achievements of its first class of students, who earned their degrees after a challenging three years that included the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the official University of Arkansas commencement on December 17, 2022, the program provided an intimate doctoral hooding and pinning ceremony for the 25…


October 7, 2022

UAMS Dental Hygiene Program Offers Free ‘Fall for Smiles’ Clinic for Children on Oct. 15

Ben Boulden

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Department of Dental Hygiene is offering a free Fall for Smiles clinic Oct. 15 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Freeway Medical Tower, 5800 W. 10th St., Suite 501.



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