Philadelphia, PA – Thomas Jefferson University will hold commencement exercises for students in the health professions programs of the Jefferson College of Health Profession (JCHP) and Jefferson College of Graduate Studies (JCGS) on Tuesday, May 24, 10:30 a.m., at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in center city Philadelphia .

University President Robert L. Barchi, MD, PhD, will confer the student degrees. JCHP Dean James B. Erdmann, PhD, will address attendees. Janice Burke, PhD, OTRL/L, Chair and Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, will serve as the Grand Marshal.

During the ceremony, Brian G. Harrison, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, will award honorary doctor of science degrees to Patricia A. Grady, PhD, RN, FAAN, and David G. Simons, MD. Dr. Grady will be the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

The Class of 2005 totals 429 graduates, including 292 bachelor of science degree recipients in the disciplines of nursing, occupational therapy, radiologic sciences and bioscience technology; 2 post-baccalaureate certificate recipients in bioscience technology; and 7 associate degree recipients. A total of 82 graduate degrees will be awarded, including 79 master of science degrees in the disciplines of bioscience technologies, nursing and occupational therapy and three post-master's certificates in nursing. The total number of graduates also includes 46 physical therapy students who will complete their combined BS-MS degree program during this summer.

Keynote speaker and honorary degree recipient Dr. Patricia A. Grady

Patricia A. Grady, PhD, RN, FAAN, is the Director of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), National Institutes of Health. During her decade at NINR, she has established partnerships with other Centers and Institutes within NIH, working together to study topics such as end of life, self-management of chronic illness and caregiving research. In an effort to increase the number of nurse researchers in the United States, Dr. Grady has developed and supported research and training opportunities for new students. Internationally recognized for her research on stroke, Dr. Grady has written and contributed to many articles and papers on hypertension, cerebrovascular permeability, vascular stress, and cerebral edema. She also serves on the editorial board of several journals about stroke.

Honorary degree recipient Dr. David G. Simons

David G. Simons, MD , a graduate of Jefferson Medical College in 1946, entered the United States Air Force after medical school and focused on aviation medicine. He was featured on the cover of Life magazine in 1957 after setting the world altitude record for a manned balloon flight.

When he retired from the Air Force, Dr. Simons worked for the Veterans Administration, where he developed research programs in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. At that time he met Janet Travell, MD, a specialist in trigger points and myofascial pain, and together they developed “ The Trigger Point Manual ,” the first definitive textbook on the diagnosis and management of myofascial pain written for clinicians , which is now in its second edition. I n 2001, Muscle Pain: Understanding its Nature, Diagnosis and Treatment was published. Considered a ground-breaking work for its integration of basic science neurophysiology principles with clinical practice, this publication was the result of Dr. Simons' 10-year collaboration with Professor Siegfried Mense of Heidelberg University . More than half of his nearly 200 publications concern the topic of trigger points and chronic pain management. He has been recognized internationally for his authoritative research in this field.

Currently residing in Georgia, Dr. Simons is a clinical professor in the Rehabilitation Medicine department at Emory University and an adjunct professor at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. He also volunteers his teaching and research services to Jefferson Medical College's Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and to the Physical Therapy Department of Georgia State University. He is currently involved in a study conducted by astronaut Duane Graveline on mouse exposure to cyclotron bombardment to simulate cosmic radiation exposure.

Health Professions Education Programs at Thomas Jefferson University

Jefferson College of Health Professions, founded in 1969 as a part of Thomas Jefferson University, provides innovative academic programs to a highly qualified, culturally diverse student population with the primary goal of developing outstanding professionals and future leaders in healthcare. The College offers fully accredited bachelor's degree programs in bioscience technologies, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and radiologic sciences. The College also offers baccalaureate programs in health services management and health studies, as well as selected health certificates and associate degrees through the Department of General Studies. Master's degree programs in bioscience technologies, nursing, occupational therapy and physical therapy are awarded through the Jefferson College of Graduate Studies.

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