Heather Gates

Heather Gates is an Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California (USC), affiliated with the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. She practices at Keck Hospital of USC, specializing in acute care occupational therapy for patients undergoing advanced heart failure interventions, including heart transplantation and LVAD implantation. Dr. Gates holds a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Lafayette College and dual graduate degrees (MS and OTD) in occupational therapy from USC.

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s in Neuroscience, Lafayette College
  • Master’s and Clinical Doctorate (OTD) in Occupational Therapy, USC
• Research Focus:
  • Advancing occupational therapy’s role in cardiac care
  • Evaluating patient outcomes for heart transplantation and LVAD implantation
  • Patient-centered care in acute settings
• Clinical Expertise:
  • OT evaluation and intervention for cardiac patients
  • Quality improvement in clinical practice

No scientific awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided text. Her work emphasizes bridging clinical practice and research to enhance occupational therapy’s impact in critical care environments.