Student selected to present research conducted during study abroad

Michelle Moy

Michelle Moy, a rehabilitation sciences major at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is among 60 students chosen to present their undergraduate research Feb. 22-23 at the prestigious Human Development Conference at the University of Notre Dame.

The annual student-led conference is sponsored by Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute for International Studies. This year’s theme is “Engaging with Empathy: a preferential option for the poor in development.”

Moy studied abroad in spring 2018 on The School for International Training’s program in China: Health, Environment, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. A minor in disability and human development and pre-occupational therapy, she will present her research, “Development of Health Rehabilitation in Mainland China: From Traditional Chinese Medicine to Modern Western Rehabilitation Methods.”

“While abroad in China, I had the opportunity to study health and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM),” Moy said. “While my career goal revolves around rehabilitation, I knew that I wanted to incorporate this topic within my independent study project. I had the incredible opportunity to shadow therapists in China as well as TCM doctors, which gave me the idea of integrating both methods.”

“My research topic looks at China’s development of health rehabilitation over time and how there is a shift from TCM practice to the introduction of modern rehabilitation methods. I received feedback from many health professionals and their perspective of an integrated model and found that there are many benefits. This project has shown me that there is a need for modern rehabilitation professionals and helped me develop a passion to work in mainland China in the future.”