Baker Proud Spring 2017 - 11

Left page: In 2016, a university donor funded the purchase of an anatomage table, a 7-foot-long virtual dissection table that replaces the
need for a cadaver lab. Exercise science, anatomy, and biology students at the College of Arts and Sciences regularly use the table, which
resembles a giant iPad. Above: Sarah Mullins (center) and Kelly Higgins, '16, examine LaDachia Cain, '16, as Dr. Erin Holt supervises. Mullins
will start in the occupational therapy program at the University of Kansas Medical Center next fall. Dr. Chris Todden, director of exercise
science, presents a lecture. Todden believes exercise science aligns closely with allied health and community wellness initiatives and is
ensuring Baker students are ready for such a future.

While Baker's exercise science alumni are thriving in
practices, the program in January earned accreditation
the workforce and graduate programs, current students
from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
are poised to reap the benefits of the CAAHEP accreditaEducation Programs (www.caahep.org), making it the first
tion and step into the shoes of the recent graduates.
fully accredited program in Kansas and one of just 46 in
"We get to do extended research and educate the comthe nation.
munity," said KasiDee Cox, a junior who served as the
The allied health industry's significant growth in recent
executive chair for February's Heart Health Month initiayears has coincided with students' rising interest in related
tives and serves as the treasurer of
professions, such as cardiac reExercise Science Student Alliance.
habilitation, dietetics, chiroprac- "It's great watching them go from
"It's a good addition to our already
tics, and physical and occupathat to all of a sudden realizing
extensive education."
tional therapy. Todden and Holt
that they like this science because
Senior Sarah Mullins served as
are excited about the potential
the
ESSA treasurer as a junior and
benefits this level of accreditathey enjoy understanding how the
also helped lead an outdoor Tabata
tion will bring its graduates-and
human body works."
high-intensity interval training
their resumes.
class that drew attendance from
Khadijah Lane, '16, a
-Dr. Erin Holt
the larger campus community.
Clinical Doctor of Occupational
"We put on several events on
Therapy candidate at Creighton
campus and for Be a Healthier U. We had YMCA instrucUniversity's School of Pharmacy and Health Professions,
tors come in from Kansas City and teach a class that I
believes her undergraduate course work and internships
helped lead," Mullins said.
prepared her well for graduate-level courses. And Andrew
Mullins has immersed herself in exercise science
Heim, '15, hit the ground running when he landed a
internships and ESSA's extracurricular events-valuable
research position in the Neuromuscular Research Division
experience when it came time to apply to graduate proof the Neurology Department at the University of Kansas
grams for occupational therapy. She was accepted at both
Medical Center, where he is part of a team that manages
Rockhurst University and the University of Kansas School
and conducts studies aimed at finding treatments for neuof Medicine and will attend KU.
romuscular diseases.

http://www.caahep.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baker Proud Spring 2017