UC's Robin Selzer Receives OCEA Research Grant

Robin Selzer, assistant professor of the Pre-Health Internship Program in the Division of Professional Practice and Experiential Learning, is a recipient of the 2016, OCEA research grant.

OCEA, founded in 1971, is a nonprofit professional association for employers, educators, and those interested in cooperative education in the State of Ohio.  

The purpose of the OCEA research grant is to extend knowledge of, participation in, and support of internship/cooperative education in Ohio. 

Robin Selzer received $1,000 from OCEA to study professional identity development in pre-health students at the University of Cincinnati. Selser’s research project will explore professional identity development in pre-health students in preparation for experiential learning/internships in healthcare settings. Selzer will measure professional identity development on four categories: understanding ethical situations, social media branding, cross-cultural sensitivity, and interprofessionalism (working in interdisciplinary teams) that are unique to working in healthcare. Selzer is using part of the grant money to provide Nico Moftakhar, a second year medical science student, with research experience in this area. 

"I'm excited to advance ideas about the professional development of pre-health students around these concepts that are critical to their career discernment and future practice,” stated Selzer. “OCEA has had a long-time focus on engineering co-op in particular, and I am grateful that they are open to expanding their horizons." 

Selzer will present her research findings at the OCEA Conference in May 2017.