16th Annual Current Concepts in Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation

November 15, 2025

According to the National Institute for Injury Prevention and Control, approximately 1.4 million people sustain a brain injury every year. It is estimated that nearly 2% (5.3 million) of the United States population needs assistance and/or lifelong care due to TBI. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are more than 795,000 strokes each year in the US, and strokes cause more serious long-term disabilities than any other disease.

Target Audience

Nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, case managers, social workers, nurses, nurse practioners, psychologists, physiatrists/physicians, fellows, and residents involved with the acute care and rehabilitation of persons with brain injury are encouraged to attend.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this session, participants from across disciplines — including nursing, rehabilitation therapies, case management, social work, psychology, and medicine — will be able to:

  • Discuss diverse perspectives on the potential for meaningful recovery following traumatic brain injury (TBI), recognizing the influence of discipline-specific roles and experiences.
  • Describe common impairments in voicing and communication among individuals with TBI, with a focus on implications for interdisciplinary care.
  • Evaluate key challenges in the long-term neuropsychological management of TBI, including impaired self-awareness, executive dysfunction, and caregiver burden.
  • Formulate strategies to address these challenges collaboratively within a rehabilitation team, drawing on the unique contributions of each discipline.
  • Recall the prevalence and impact of traumatic brain injury among individuals experiencing homelessness and consider its relevance in clinical and social care contexts.
     
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 7.00 AAPA Category I CME
  • 7.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 7.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 7.00 APA
  • 7.00 ASWB
  • 7.00 Attendance
Course opens: 
06/10/2025
Course expires: 
12/31/2025
Event starts: 
11/15/2025 - 8:00am EST
Event ends: 
11/15/2025 - 4:15pm EST
Cost:
$1.00
Add to calendar: 

7:45am - Sign In 

8am-8:15 - Welcome and Open Remarks - Dr.Gary Galang and Allyson Yukevich 

8:15-9:15am - Confronting Nihilism: Is Severe TBI Worse Than Death? - Dr. Justin Weppner 

9:15-10:15am - Medical, Therapy Management in the ICU and the Transition of Care - Dr. Austin Davis, Dr. Kara May, DPT, Cecilia Murrell, RN 

10:15-10:30 - Break 

10:30-11:30 - Homelessness and Traumatic Brain Injury - Dr. Max Hurwitz, Cody Bach, DPT, Julia Lam, OTR/L 

11:30-12:15 - Coma to Community: Neuropsychological Perspectives on TBI Rehabilitation - Dr. Ted A Barrios, PhD and Morgan Herzing 

12:15-1:00 - Lunch 

1:00-2:30 - Discussion Panel: Transition of Roles  - Sue Vankirk, Jodi Susick, and Denise Haselhoff 

2:30-2:45 - Break 

2:45-3:30 - Understanding Impairments in Voicing Following TBI - Dr. Libby Smith and Emma Daly, CCC-SLP

3:30-4:15 - Disorders of Consciousness: A 10 year review - Dr. Gary Galang, MD 

4:15-4:30pm - Remarks and Adjourn - Dr.Gary Galang and Allyson Yukevich 

Mercy Pavilion
Pittsburgh, PA
United States

Course Directors
Allyson Yukevich, MOT, OTR/L, CBIS, cPAMs    
Occupational Therapy Senior, UPMC Mercy Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit

Gary Galang, MD    
Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh and UPMC

Course Committee
Samantha Codispot, BSN, CRRN    
Clinical Education Specialist, UPMC

Laura Merriman, RN, LSW, ACM    
Manager, Clinical Care Coordination and Discharge Planning, UPMC

Kathryn Postreich, PA-C   
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh and UPMC

Marisa Vetica, MA CCC-SLP   
Speech Language Pathologist Supervisor, UPMC Mercy Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit

Ted Allaire Barrios, PhD    
Assistant Professor - PM&R, Pitt School of Medicine, Clinical Neuropsychologist - UPMC Mercy

Presenters
Dr. Max Hurwitz - UPMC- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Cody Bach, DPT - UPMC Rehabilitation Institute- Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit
Julia Lam, OTR/L - Outreach Therapy
Dr. Justin Weppner, MD - Carilion Clinic Brain Injury Center
Dr. Austin Davis, MD - University of New Mexico
Kara May, DPT - UPMC Rehabilitation Institute- Acute Care PT Senior
Cecilia Murrell, RN - UPMC Rehabilitation Institute- Nursing Clinician
Dr. Ted Allaire Barrios, PhD -Assistant Professor – UPMC-PM&R, Clinical Neuropsychologist - UPMC Mercy
Morgan Herzing, MS - UPMC- Behavioral Health Therapist I, UPMC Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Emma Daly, MS, CCC-SLP - UPMC Rehabilitation Institute- Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit
Dr. Libby Smith - UPMC- Ear, Nose, and Throat Department
Dr. Gary Galang, MD - UPMC Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Sue Vankirk -
Jodi Susick -
Dennise Haselhoff -   
 

Faculty Disclosure:

All individuals in a position to control the content of this education activity have disclosed all financial relationships with any companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. All of the relevant financial relationships for the individuals listed below have been mitigated

Libby Smith is a consultant with Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. -Advisory Board.

No other members of the planning committee, speakers, presenters, authors, content reviewers and/or anyone else in a position to control the content of this education activity have relevant financial relationships with any companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing  healthcare products used by or on patients.


In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
 

Physician (CME)
The University of Pittsburgh designates this live activity for a maximum of 7.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nursing (CNE)
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 7.00 contact hours.

Physician Assistants (AAPA)
The University of Pittsburgh has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 7.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation

Social Work (ASWB)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the University of Pittsburgh is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 7.00 clinical continuing education credits.

Other healthcare professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.

Psychologist (APA)
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. 

This activity is approved for 7.0 APA credits. 

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy is a pre-approved provide of continuing education in Pennsylvania. This course is approved for 7.00 Contact Hours.

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Physical Therapy is a pre-approve provider of Continuing Education in Pennsylvania. This course is approved for 7.00 units of General Access CEUs.

This continuing education has been approved by the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners for 7 Continuing Education Hours.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Available Credit

  • 7.00 AAPA Category I CME
  • 7.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 7.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 7.00 APA
  • 7.00 ASWB
  • 7.00 Attendance

Price

Cost:
$1.00
Please login or register to take this course.

$75.00 / Student $30.00

Registration is available for both in-person and virtual participation.

All cancellations must be in writing and sent to Brianne Shields ([email protected]). Tuition for cancellations postmarked or date stamped on/before October 20, 2025 will be refunded in full. No refunds will be made after October 20, 2025.