Roger Ideishi, JD, OT/L, FAOTA has joined the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) in the role of program director for the Occupational Therapy Programs, including a soon-to-be established entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program.
Ideishi comes to GW from Temple University, where he served as a director and professor in the occupational therapy program.
Ideishi is leading the effort to establish a new program for entry-level students who seek to become occupational therapists. That offering will prepare students for the national board exam and help them become licensed to practice occupational therapy, according to Ideishi.
SMHS currently offers an advanced-practice doctoral degree program designed for currently licensed occupational therapists. Ideishi will also run the program, which is designed for individuals who are seeking to advance their leadership, clinical reasoning, practice, and research skills.
“We are genuinely thrilled to have recruited and hired Roger,” said Joyce Maring, EdD, chair of the Department of Health, Human Function, and Rehabilitation Sciences at SMHS. “His qualifications for the position are exemplary and his national and international reputation are expected to contribute to a highly successful program launch.”
Ideishi’s previous work has focused on creating community access and opportunity for children with sensory and cognitive processing disabilities, working with community organizations — including the John F. Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian Institution — on building meaningful learning experiences for children and their families.
“I think it’s really interesting how this is all sort of coming together with me working at GW and the Kennedy Center across the street and the Smithsonian just down the road,” he said. “I’m excited to be at GW and to help build and run programs that are going to help our students succeed.”
Ideishi received his bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, and his JD from Temple University Law School. He is on the Board of Trustees for the American Occupational Therapy Foundation and is a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
