Dr. Pola Ham has extensive experience working in various settings with diverse groups of individuals as an occupational therapist. Born and raised in Southern California, she earned her Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology from UCLA, her Master of Science (MS) in Occupational Therapy from New York University, her Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PP-OTD) from Boston University, and her Doctor of Education (EdD) from Johns Hopkins University. She is also a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) and has played a key role in developing and supervising rehabilitation departments in two adult home facilities. Before becoming a full-time faculty member at Touro University, Dr. Ham taught in various occupational therapy programs. She developed and implemented the Academic Self-Regulation (ASR) Program at the Touro University School of Health Sciences (SHS), designed to help students become self-regulated learners and improve their study skills.

Areas of Expertise

Adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities; Behavioral issues for adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities; Adult- Autism, Asperger's, Down's Syndrome, learning disorders, developmental delays, ADHD; Physical Disabilities; Neurological Rehabilitation; First-generation students in higher education; Adult education and adult student learning; Academic self-efficacy; Academic self-regulation and motivation; Instructor teaching methods/approaches

Clinical Specialty

• Licensed Occupational Therapist
• Neurological Rehabilitation
• Adult Physical Disabilities
• Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist

Education

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Doctor of Education (EdD), July 2023
Dissertation: Academic Performance Among First-Generation Students in Occupational Therapy

Boston University Sargent College of Rehabilitation Science, Boston, MA
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), May 2017
Doctoral Capstone: Connections: Interventions to Promote Socialization & Engagement Among People with Dementia

New York University, New York, NY
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MS), January 2015

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), CA
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (BA), June 2010

Honors and Awards

• Dean’s Research Awards
• Touro University Faculty Chronicles Podcast, “Improving the Way that Students Study and Learn” 
• Appeared as “Faculty Expert” in Touro University’s “Rehabilitation” webpage
• Doctor of Education Merit Scholarship, Johns Hopkins University
• Student Lead of the Summer Writing Retreat Clinic, Johns Hopkins University
• Aileen and Gilbert Schiffman Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University

Research

Agenda:

• Academic performance among first-generation students in occupational therapy
• Needs assessment on factors contributing to low academic performance among first-generation students in higher education
• Improving academic self-regulation for students in allied health higher education programs through an academic self-regulation program

Recent Publications

View all publications and presentations on Pola Ham's ResearchGate

Professional Service

• Developed and current leads the Academic Self-Regulation (ASR) Program for the Touro University School of Health Sciences (SHS) students
• Presenter- Touro University Wellness Day
• Touro University SHS and Occupational Therapy Program Committees
• Facilitator- Touro University SHS Interprofessional Symposium
• Lead role in organizing inventory for the Touro University Occupational Therapy Department
• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Annual Conference Proposal Reviewer
• AOTA Specialty Conference: Adult Rehabilitation Reviewer
• AOTA Critically Appraised Paper (CAP) Reviewer
• AOTA Education Summit Conference Reviewer
• AOTA Children & Youth Specialty Conference Reviewer

Memberships and Affiliations

• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
• New York State Occupational Therapy Association (NYSOTA)
• Home Modification Occupational Therapy Alliance (HMOTA)
• Registered, National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)

Teaching Responsibilities

• Clinical Reasoning about Occupation
• Human Conditions and Occupation: Physical Health
• Physical Health I
• Physical Health II
• Health Promotion
• Research Methods II and Scholarly Mentorship
• Evidence-Based Practice in Occupational Therapy
• Research Seminar II (Doctoral Program)
• Capstone Project II- Capstone Mentor (Doctoral Program)
• Advanced Clinical Neurology (Old Curriculum)

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