Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise & Nutrition Sciences Debuts

As the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS) nears its 20th anniversary in 2018, the college is evolving to meet the changing needs of students pursuing careers in allied health fields. As part of that process, the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Department of Rehabilitation Sciences are merging into the Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise and Nutrition Sciences (RENS).

"The merger of these departments will create better balance among existing college departments in terms of faculty, staff, students and budget allocation,” says Tina Whalen, EdD, dean of CAHS. "Additionally, it capitalizes on the natural synergy of the two departments’ program curricula and research initiatives.”

The merger was approved by the UC Board of Trustees in March 2017 and takes effect August 15, 2017. Whalen met separately with the faculty and staff of the two departments in September 2016 and proposed the merger, which was unanimously approved by both departments.

"The two departments have a history of collaborating in the classroom,” says Steven Wheeler, PhD, chair of RENS. "Plus, nutrition is playing an increasingly important role in rehabilitation. Rehabilitation traditionally does a good job of helping people get things into their mouth, but we don’t always fully understand what we’re getting into their mouth.”

According to Wheeler, the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences has historically focused on health sciences and physical therapy. Last summer, that focus expanded with the addition of the Athletic Training Program and next summer, the Occupational Therapy master’s program will be added to the department. The addition of Nutritional Sciences meets one of Wheeler’s goals of infusing nutritional courses into the curriculum for occupational therapists and physical therapists, a goal shared by Sarah Couch, PhD, a registered dietician, and vice chair of RENS.

"There are some nutrition courses already in the health sciences curriculum, and I think that we could certainly expand on these and add more specialized nutrition content that relates to people with disabilities and those engaged in physical rehabilitation,” says Couch. "For example, nutrition and weight management for people with disabilities would be needed content for students pursuing careers in physical therapy and occupational therapy.”   

According to Couch, another factor in the timing of the departmental merger is the move of the College of Allied Health Sciences to the new Health Sciences Building in the winter of 2019. 

”When we move across the street we’re all going to be situated on the same floor,” she says. "The offices will be interspersed with disciplines co-mingling, and it’s going to create a more collaborative environment.”