Mary Zadnik, ScD, MEd, OTR/L, is the founding program director for the entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program at St. Edward’s University.
Before joining St. Edward’s, Dr. Zadnik served as Academic Program Director at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences for 10 years, where she led the entry-level MOT, OTD, and Flex Masters programs. Her background also includes several research and teaching roles, including as an assistant scientist at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and as an adjunct professor at Towson University in Maryland.
As a highly experienced clinician, Dr. Zadnik has staffed occupational therapist positions at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland; Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore; the University of Maryland Medical Center; and Hanover Hospital in Pennsylvania. She also previously served as clinical research supervisor for the University of Maryland Medical Center’s orthopedic trauma surgery department.
Dr. Zadnik has served as project director for several U.S. Department of Defense research grants, most recently for a study addressing the challenges of recovering from major extremity trauma through the Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium (METRC), and a trial testing the effectiveness of an antibiotic sleeve in the reduction of surgical wound infection for orthopedic musculoskeletal trauma to the lower legs. She also worked with the Patient Response to an Integrated Orthotic and Rehabilitation Initiative for Traumatic Injuries (PRIORITI) – Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) study to assist in the production of explanatory videos and a website for IDEO, a new orthosis or brace for the lower leg.
Dr. Zadnik has published research in the following publications:
- Journal of Rehabilitation Psychology
- Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
- Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances, Rehabilitation Research, Policy, and Education
- American Journal of Occupational Therapy
- Journal of Occupational Therapy Education
She has presented research at numerous professional conferences, including:
- Orthopedic Trauma Association Annual Meeting
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting
- American Occupational Therapy Association
- World Federation of Occupational Therapy.
Her current research is focused on program development in the following areas: service-learning and collaborative learning experiences among allied health students.