Mechelle Collins

Mechelle Collins serves as Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator at Long Island University's School of Health Professions, with active leadership roles including Treasurer of the Metropolitan Occupational Therapy Education Council (MOTEC) since 2017 and Director of the Belize Service Learning/Study Abroad program since 2014.

Her educational foundation includes a BS/MS degree in Science/Occupational Therapy from Dominican College (Orangeburg, NY, 2006).

Specializing in Pediatrics and Sensory Integration within Occupational Therapy, Dr. Collins' research emphasizes Fieldwork Education and Service Learning methodologies. Her international work in Belize explores sustainable telehealth implementation and interprofessional collaboration models, while domestic research investigates professional behavior impacts on student fieldwork performance and technology-enhanced interventions for autistic preschoolers.

Conference presentations from 2012-2017 reveal consistent thematic progression: initial focus on pediatric interventions (2012), evolving through fieldwork assessment metrics (2016-2017), to comprehensive telehealth and interprofessional frameworks in global contexts (2016-2017). Key trends include sustainability of international services, technology integration in clinical practice, and student professional development.

As Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Dr. Collins oversees clinical education placements for occupational therapy students. Her Belize program leadership (2014-present) involves multi-year interprofessional teams with colleagues including Wasserman, Coffin, and Gropack, though specific grant funding details remain undocumented. The program structure combines service delivery, research, and student immersion in resource-limited settings.