Samia Rafeedie OTD, OTR/L, BCPR, CBIS

Director of the Professional Program and Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy

Room: CHP 126
(323) 442-1274
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Biography

Samia Rafeedie received her BS in occupational therapy from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She worked as a staff occupational therapist for several years before pursuing her MA from the University of Southern California. Samia continued to grow her interest in occupational therapy education and occupational science by obtaining a clinical Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from USC with a focus on pedagogy, active learning, and student-centered learning. Dr. Rafeedie then moved to Maryland, where she became a part-time faculty member at Towson University and managed an 18-bed adult inpatient rehabilitation unit near Washington, D.C.

Dr. Rafeedie is the Director of the Professional Program and teaches first and second year students in the master’s degree program. She continues to practice in the adult physical rehabilitation setting and supports evidence-based practice at Keck Hospital of USC.  Her professional interests include instructional methods and design, socialization to the profession, and general issues of professionalism and higher education.  Dr. Rafeedie is also co-advisor for the USC Chan Division’s Occupational Therapy and Science Council (OTSC) student organization and serves the Occupational Therapy Association of California in several capacities. She holds Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation from the American Occupational Therapy Association and is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist by the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists.

Awards

Credentialed Leader in Academia | 2018
American Occupational Therapy Association

Vision Award: OTAC’s Centennial Rose Parade Float Committee | 2017
Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC)

Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation (BCPR) | 2015
American Occupational Therapy Association

Service Commendation for AOTA Advisor, Coding Project | 2015
American Occupational Therapy Association

Janice Matsutsuyu Service Award | 2012
Occupational Therapy Association of California

Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) | 2007
Academy of Brain Injury Certified Specialists

Outstanding Contribution in the Role of Teaching Assistant | 2005
USC Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

Education

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
2006 | University of Southern California

Master of Arts (MA) in Occupational Therapy
2005 | University of Southern California

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Allied Health Professions (Occupational Therapy)
2000 | The Ohio State University

Publications

2019

Book Chapters

Rybski, M. F., Rafeedie, S., & Baumgarten, J. (2019). Kinesiology concepts. In M. Rybski (Ed.), Kinesiology for occupational therapy (3rd ed., pp. 17-35). Thorofare, NJ: Slack Incorporated.

Journal Articles

Harris, M. B., Rafeedie, S., McArthur, D., Babikian, T., Snyder, A., Polster, D., & Giza, C. (2019). Addition of occupational therapy to an interdisciplinary concussion clinic improves identification of functional impairments. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 34(6), 425-432. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000544 Show abstract

Background. Concussions, or mild traumatic brain injuries, are prevalent among youth and young adults. These injuries may disrupt a person's daily activities (occupations) including school, physical activity, work, and socialization. Rehabilitation professionals, such as occupational therapists (OTs), are experts in providing individualized intervention to address these temporary life changes during recovery.
 
Objective. This article aims to identify the benefit of having an occupational therapy practitioner on an interdisciplinary treatment team when providing intervention to patients with concussion.
 
Setting. Concussion clinic at an academic institution.
 
Participants. Participants ages 12 to 24 years with a reported history of mild traumatic brain injury or concussion were evaluated by a physician, or by a physician and OT, in an initial evaluation appointment.
 
Design. A single researcher (OT) with training in concussion qualitatively compared reported impacted occupational domains as defined in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, using both a retrospective and a prospective cohort. The prospective group differed from the retrospective group in that an OT was present, and participated in the initial evaluation.
 
Results. The domains of performance patterns (P = .007) and performance skills (P ≤ .001) were identified significantly more often when an occupational therapy practitioner participated in the initial evaluation.
 
Conclusions. Rehabilitation professionals, such as OTs, play an important role in identifying impacted domains after a concussion, which can help optimize patient care.

2018

Book Chapters

Rafeedie, S. (2018). Special needs of the older adult. In H. M. Pendleton & W. Schultz-Krohn (Eds.), Pedretti's occupational therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction (8th ed., pp. 1142-1165). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Full text

Journal Articles

Rafeedie, S., Metzler, C., & Lamb, A. J. (2018). Opportunities for occupational therapy to serve as a catalyst for culture change in nursing facilities. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72(4), 7204090010p1-7204090010p6. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2018.724003 Show abstract

Ensuring that older adults are receiving quality and effective rehabilitation and skilled nursing services must be a priority to society and to the health care system, but health care policies and systems driving reimbursement continue to challenge the delivery of services. A review of the literature indicates significant problems among residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) that could be alleviated by meaningful occupational therapy. Research and practice in the occupational therapy community should focus on this large area of practice. Advocacy by individual practitioners—challenging themselves and others to provide more patient-centered care—can lead to changes that benefit clients, facilities, and payment systems as well as contribute to career satisfaction of occupational therapy practitioners. Occupational therapy can and should serve as catalyst for culture change in SNFs by providing meaningful interventions and opportunities that support engagement and health.

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master's degree program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE). ACOTE c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449, (301) 652-6611 x2914, acoteonline.org

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx.