Meet the newest affiliate faculty to join the RHSC Program:
- Rola Ajjawi, PhD (PT) (Professor, Medical Education Research, UBC Surgery & Centre for Health Education Scholarship, affiliated with the Dept of Physical Therapy and the RHSC Graduate Programs)
- Pedro Almeida, PhD (OT) (Affiliate Assistant Professor, Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy based at UNBC)
As part of the continuing expansion of the Departments of Physical Therapy and Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Rola and Pedro join us to bring Rehabilitation Science graduate education across British Columbia that will further improve the health and wellbeing of communities throughout BC and beyond. Both are now accepting graduate students in their respective research interests. Welcome!
Rola Ajjawi
Dr. Rola Ajjawi is a Professor of Medical Education and Scientist at the Centre for Health Education Scholarship.
Rola is a physiotherapist by training and was a clinical educator before moving to academia. Her research seeks to create learning environments that support health professional trainees to succeed. She is interested in the messiness of practice and workplace learning, examining how supervision can be embedded into clinical practices, how feedback processes unfold, and how to create equitable assessment in the workplace.
Rola Ajjawi | Centre for Health Education Scholarship
Pedro Almeida
Dr. Pedro Almeida is a registered occupational therapist, a certified hand therapist, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy. He is based at the University of Northern British Columbia (Division of Medical Sciences) and teaches in the Master of Occupational Therapy – North program. Dr. Almeida earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in occupational therapy from the Federal University of São Carlos before completing a PhD in Health Sciences at the University of Brasília. He then pursued postdoctoral training at the University of Western Ontario and the Hand and Upper Limb Centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, ON.
Dr. Almeida has practiced occupational therapy in hospital and outpatient settings across Brazil, the United States, and Canada, specializing in musculoskeletal and orthopedic care. His clinical and research work focuses on musculoskeletal and rheumatological conditions affecting the upper extremities. His research explores movement analysis and surface electromyography to optimize rehabilitation strategies. He is particularly interested in developing interventions that support joint protection techniques and enhance independence for individuals with chronic conditions.
Spotlight: MOT-N Assistant Professor Pedro Almeida | UNBC