Heidi Fischer appointed to serve as UIC Department of Occupational Therapy associate head
Heidi Fischer '00 MS OT, '15 OTD has agreed to serve as associate dead of Department of Occupational Therapy. Dr. Fischer embodies the department's Scholarship of Practice Model as she deftly combines excellence in teaching, scholarship, practice and community-engagement.
Her scholarly interests include improving participation for people with chronic conditions through self-management interventions; addressing health disparities with underserved communities; and promoting upper extremity function after stroke. She is co-investigator for two federally funded research grants, co-author of over 45 articles and three book chapters, and has presented at over 50 national and international conferences.
She is director of the UIC OT Faculty Practice self-management service and is widely recognized for her teaching excellence as a three-time winner of the UIC Excalibur Award for Teaching Excellence, the 2020 AHS Educator of the Year award, and the UIC Teaching Recognition Award 2020-2021. Two important components of Heidi’s portfolio as associate head will be to spearhead the expansion of UIC OT’s clinical enterprise and foster occupational balance for faculty and staff.