Committee
Student & New Professional Subcommittee
Our Mission
The APTA Oncology Student and New Professional Subcommittee is a community developed by and for student PTs/PTAs and new professionals with a common interest in oncology rehabilitation. We engage members through the sharing of resources, engagement in educational opportunities, networking, mentorship, and opportunities for involvement within the Academy and in the field of oncology rehabilitation. We are here to support the growing number of students and new professionals interested in oncology rehabilitation, to facilitate the transition from student PT/PTA interested in oncology rehabilitation to new professional, and ultimately to oncology rehabilitation specialist.
We work to increase membership and promote advocacy of the oncologic physical therapy profession starting early in our careers. We are always open to new members and new ideas — join us and share your thoughts!
SNP Leaders
Allison Lebwith, SPT
Chair
Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions (2023)
Boston, MA
Stefanie Stoller, SPT
Director of Professional Development
Duke University (2022)
Durham, NC
Meredith Stutz, SPT
Co-Director of Mentorship; Development
Co-Chair APTA Oncology Mentorship Subcommittee
Duke University (2023)
Elien Comhaire, SPT
Co-Director of Mentorship; Programming
Drexel University (2022)
Andrew Chongaway PT, DPT
Director of Education
Allegheny Health Network
Pittsburgh, PA
Naomi Klingbeil, SPT
Director of Membership
Duke University (2023)
Rachael Ard, SPT
Director of Communications
Campbell University (2022)
Marina Schwanke, SPT
Social Media Project Director
University of Wisconsin – La Crosse (2024)
Resources
Below, you’ll find numerous resources to assist in growing your knowledge of oncology rehabilitation. Check back often as these resources will be updated frequently!
Academy Resource List
This list was developed for YOU! The list is comprised of Academy members who have volunteered to share their time and expertise with you. Feel free to reach out to the mentor of your choosing. You do NOT need to be a member of APTA Oncology to utilize the resources on this list. For formal mentorship opportunities for members, see below.
Mentorship Program
APTA Oncology offers a formalized mentorship program for students and new professionals who are members of the Academy. Mentees will be paired with a mentor for a 6-month or 12-month mentorship and meetings will be held throughout the year to provide learning opportunities within leadership and oncologic rehab. Learn more and find out when you can apply.
Please note: You will need to log in with your APTA credentials to learn more and apply to the Mentorship Program. If you are not a member but would like to become one or to learn more, please reach out to APTA Oncology’s Executive Director, Suzie Callan.
Clinical Internships:
APTA Oncology is continually compiling a list of oncology rehab-focused clinical internships across the country. Check out the map to see if there is one that might work for you. Know of one that’s not listed? Let us know! Email Secretary, Steve Wechsler: sbwechsler1@gmail.com
Residency & Specialization:
Interested in pursuing a residency in oncology PT? Considering sitting for the Oncology Specialist Certification Exam through ABPTS? APTA Oncology has compiled information to support you in both of these pathways. Check out the Residency page as well as the Specialization page for resources and documents that will help you on your way!
OncRehab Blog:
These blog posts are written by students and new professionals FOR students and new professionals! Check back often for new posts and let us know if you have an idea for a post! Always welcoming guest contributors.
2022
- Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: the Balance and Falls Culprit of Oncology Rehab
By: Amanda Giarratano, SPT - Role of Physical Therapy in Paediatric Cases of Neuro-oncology,
by Kashika Bhatia - An SPTs Journey Through the Intersections Between Oncology and Pelvic Health,
by Raquelle Hafen, SPT - From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor and PT Student,
by Hope Reynolds, SPT
2021
- PTs Answering the Call: Addressing Exercise Behaviors in Cancer Care,
by Kelly Martin, SPT - Bridging the Care Continuum: Challenges in Bone Tumor Rehabilitation,
by Kolby Sharp, PT, DPT - Reversal: When a PT Becomes an Oncology Patient with Physical Impairments,
by Eric Galvez, PT, DPT - Oncology PT: A Multi-Cultural Perspective,
by Akshaya Savant, MSPT - From Diagnosis to Doctorate,
by Kaylie Angello, SPT - Cancer Lifestyle Intervention Research and How It Impacted My View of Physical Therapy,
by Kelly Collins, SPT
2020
- Attending APTA CSM 2021 (Virtually), by Sarah Barwig, SPT
Want more? Check out our >> ARCHIVE <<
Dx Downloads:
Bite-sized information created by the SNP Subcommittee to boost your oncology rehab knowledge! Check back often and follow us on social media as we create and share new content.
- Bladder Cancer
- Head and Neck Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
- Want more? Check out our >> ARCHIVE <<
Journal Club:
The SNP Subcommittee will host regular journal clubs to highlight and discuss important clinical topics. Discussion summaries will be posted here for reference. We encourage you to use or adapt discussion points for use in your own journal clubs at your school or workplace. Please reach out to us if you’re interested in leading our next journal club!
- Aug 18, 2020. Topic: Leukemia. Article: Zhou et al. Efficacy of Exercise Interventions in Patients with Acute Leukemia: A Meta-Analysis. PLoS One. 2016; 11(7): e0159966
- July 10, 2020. Topic: Cardiotoxicity. Article: Gilchrist et al. Cardio-Oncology Rehabilitation to Manage Cardiovascular Outcomes in Cancer Patients and Survivors. Circulation. 2019;139:e997–e1012 https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000679
Must Reads!
The SNP Subcommittee has compiled this list of “must reads.” Whether you are preparing for an upcoming clinical affiliation or you’re just looking to learn more about the rehabilitative needs (and potential!) of patients with a history of cancer, this is a great place to start.
Articles
- A Focused Review of Safety Considerations in Cancer Rehabilitation
- An Executive Summary of Reports From an International Multidisciplinary Roundtable on Exercise and Cancer: Evidence, Guidelines, and Implementation
- Exercise for people with cancer: a clinical practice guideline
- Cancer Rehabilitation: An Overview of Current Need, Delivery Models, and Levels of Care.
Text books:
Social Media:
The best way to stay up-to-date with the SNP Subcommittee is to follow us on social media! We’ll be sharing educational content, opportunities to get involved, and more.
Volunteer with us!
We encourage anyone who is interested to get involved with the SNP Subcommittee. Opportunities range in time commitment and we will work with you to help you complete any task you’re interested in! Check out our volunteer form for the latest available opportunities.
Join the Conversation
We’ve created a listserv dedicated to students and new professionals. Through this free email messaging system, you can network, ask clinical questions, seek career advice, and connect with others who share an interest in oncology rehab. Click here to sign up and to browse archived messages. Once you receive email confirmation of your subscription, simply send your message to aptaoncsnp@freelists.org! It’s that easy. Welcome to the conversation!
Career Chats:
What does a career in oncology rehab look like? What are the different paths to take? These are the questions that our Career Chats series answers. Tune in for video interviews with professionals as we illuminate different career paths and perspectives within the world of oncology rehab.
Town Halls:
The SNP Subcommittee hosts regular town hall events for students and new professionals to learn from clinicians working in the oncologic physical therapy setting. Presentations involve didactic content and case studies specific to special topics in oncology rehabilitation. Previous town hall recordings and slides are posted below. Please reach out to us with future topics of interest and join the listserv to stay up to date on live presentation dates!
- 11/18/2021: ‘Gains Galore: Why Exercise is
Critical in the Oncology Population’ with Andrew Chongaway, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Oncology Clinical Specialist, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, ACSM/ACS Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer (PDF) (Video Recording) - 9/8/2021: ‘Adult Bone Marrow Transplantation’ with Shai Sewell, PT, DPT, CLT (PDF) (Video Recording)
- 6/29/2021: ‘Breast Cancer‘ with Paula Stout, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA, Board-Certified Oncology Clinical Specialist
- 4/28/2021: ‘What is Oncology Rehab?’ with Scott Capozza, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Oncology Clinical Specialist (PDF) (Video Recording)
Media:
Bite-sized information to advance your knowledge, skill set, and excitement to be involved in oncology rehabilitation. Have an idea for something to add to this section? Let us know!
- Optimizing Function: A Field Guide to Oncology Physical Therapy
- Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer: Meredith Stutz, MS, SPT, Duke University class of ’23 created an informative presentation on the critical topic of racial disparities in breast cancer. Meredith covers the basics and provides action items for you to change your perspective and your practice. Watch the video recording here.
The APTA Oncology Student and New Professional Subcommittee is dedicated to providing members with resources and opportunities to advance their skills, develop professional networks, and engage in the field of oncologic rehabilitation. With this aim, we have developed the following series of events, including Town Halls, Career Chats, and Journal Clubs (please see above for links to recordings and resources from past events).
No Events on The List at This Time
Interested in joining the Students & New Professionals Subcommittee?
Member Awards
Know of a member who deserves recognition? Nominate them for an APTA Oncology Member Award! Deadline: October 1
Join the APTA Oncology ListServ
APTA Oncology's General Listerv is a very productive messaging system for answering your practice questions. In addition, we maintain specialized listservs for our special interest groups.
Resource Guide for Specialization
This document, prepared by APTA Oncology, is designed to help you in your preparation for the Oncology Specialist Certification Examination.
OncoReads
OncoReadsSM allows you to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the comfort of your own home or office. Begin earning today!
Partners Program
Any PT or PTA living in a country other than the US or a healthcare provider from another discipline, not eligible for APTA membership, can take advantage of our membership benefits by becoming a Partner of APTA Oncology.
APTA Engage
Want to get involved? Check out APTA Engage for the latest volunteer opportunities within APTA Oncology. Check back often as new opportunities arise!
Clinical Research Grant
A clinical research grant is available to APTA Oncology members to assist with a one-year research study that investigates a question(s) of importance to adult or pediatric oncology or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) physical therapy.
Internship & Mentor Opportunities
Oncology rehab facilities across the country that are willing to offer clinical affiliations, and mentors who have volunteered to share their time and expertise.
Host a Regional Course in Your Area
APTA Oncology has several course offerings looking for partners to host. Click here to learn more.
Look Inside the Oncology Toolbox
What's in your Physical Therapy Bag of Tricks? Find more and contribute some.
Sign Up to Become a Volunteer
This Academy survives and thrives on it's exceptional line of volunteers. From experienced to clincians; if you want to be a leader, we have a position.