Laura’s Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Journey

Laura is an occupational therapist and clinical specialist at Inova Health System in Northern Virginia. In her career as an occupational therapist, Laura has worked with individuals who have sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). She has worked in inpatient rehabilitation helping these individuals work on basic daily living skills such as brushing teeth and getting dressed. In her outpatient work she helps with returning to work and community activities such as shopping and going out to restaurants. Laura is also an adjunct instructor at Shenandoah University where she enjoys teaching masters level Occupational Therapy students about clinical skills and research.

What does Laura think of the quality, usefulness, and user-friendliness of the MSKTC resources?

Laura appreciates the usefulness of the MSKTC resources because they are all evidence based. These resources are user-friendly for providers, students, and patients. Laura recently completed her post professional occupational therapy doctorate and utilized several of the resources provided by the MSKTC in her doctoral project related to adaptive sports following neurological injuries.

Why does Laura want to be a MSKTC ambassador?

Laura enjoys being a MSKTC ambassador because she understands the importance of providing up to date, evidence-based information to staff, students, and patients. She looks forward to continuing to learn and disseminate information across all areas of practice to better the lives of individuals following TBI and SCI. Laura also hopes to be able to participate in more research activities in the future!

What has Laura done as a MSKTC ambassador?

Laura has provided information to the staff and students she works with related to the three model systems, including TBI, SCI, and burns. She has also scheduled a presentation for a local TBI support group on the resources provided on the MSKTC website. Laura also plans to continue to update staff and students on the evidence-based research related to TBI, SCI, and burns as it continues to evolve to better serve the Northern Virginia community.