Occupational Therapy Burn Fellowship Program

The UNC Health Occupational Therapy Burn Fellowship Program is a collaborative endeavor between the UNC Medical Center and the N.C. Jaycee Burn Center. It is structured to include 12 months of intensive training in acute and non-acute burn management. A major strength of our fellowship program lies in the diverse expertise and interests of our faculty combined with the high clinical volume that occurs within an internationally recognized burn center.

Mission

The mission of the UNC Health Occupational Therapy Burn Fellowship is to advance the knowledge and skills of an occupational therapist who will provide expert, specialized medical care and rehabilitative services to patients who sustain burn injuries to meet the health and wellness needs of the people of North Carolina and beyond.

Philosophy

The purpose of the UNC Health Occupational Therapy Burn Fellowship is to advance the knowledge and skills of an occupational therapist that will provide specialized medical care and rehabilitative services to patients who sustain burn injuries. Fellows will participate in didactic education, focused and mentored clinics, research and direct patient care. The fellow will develop excellence in treatment of burn survivors and enhance their abilities to support and educate caregivers. The fellow will develop clinical skills and professional development to be prepared for the opportunity for board certification with AOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association) and the American Burn Association (ABA) burn therapist certification in the future.

Program Structure

The UNC Health Occupational Therapy Burn Fellowship Program curriculum is designed to increase the breadth and depth of knowledge, skill, and application of occupational therapy in burn care provision.

Fellows will develop excellence in evaluation, intervention, consultation, advocacy, teaching and the integration of current evidence into the patient care they provide. They will contribute to the profession through teaching, writing, advocacy and leadership.

The UNC Health Occupational Burn Fellowship is a 12-month program that starts in January. The fellow is a full-time employee (with competitive salary and benefits) who works three days per week providing direct patient care and participates in didactic instruction and mentor time two days a week. Additionally the fellow completes weekly learning activities in a mixed format (reading, researching, discussion, observation, online posts and teaching).

Didactic work is organized into learning modules spanning the 12-month fellowship:

6–8 week focused learning: Orientation, Basic Medical Review, Clinical Ethics, ICU and acute care, Hand and Wrist care, Elbow and Shoulder care, Neck and Face care, Outpatient and Rehabilitation
Continuous learning: Research, Advocacy, Interdisciplinary Learning, Wellness and Health Promotion, Academic Teaching, and Leadership and Professional Development

The UNC Occupational Therapy Burn Fellowship is accredited by AOTA.

Program Goals:

1) To become a recognized occupational therapy leader with advanced expertise in burn care and physical rehabilitation

2) To demonstrate advanced practice skills in the area of burn care consistent with the American Burn Association (ABA) level one competency

3) To demonstrate excellence in evaluation diagnosis, intervention, consultation, teaching, and the integration of best practice, evidence-based care into all aspects of clinical practice

4) To become a resource for the community in prevention of burn injuries

5) To advance the knowledge of occupational therapy through teaching, writing and research

Eligibility:

Graduate of either ACOTE or WFOT OT Education Program
Successfully passed the NBCOT exam
Eligible for North Carolina occupational therapy license
Applicants must be residents of the U.S. and have NC OT licensure prior to program start date.

Admission Information

Submission for 2027 applications will close on July 15, 2026.

Please go here to complete the application and submit the following to us via email:

1. Resume or CV

2. Personal Essay
Please answer the following questions. (Typed, 250-500 word limit for each question)

Why have you chosen to pursue a fellowship program and what do you hope to gain from it?
What makes you a strong candidate and a good fit for the UNC Health Occupational Therapy Burn Fellowship Program?
What are your short- and long-term professional goals?

3. Three professional letters of reference (at least one should be from an academic faculty) sent directly by the reference to clinicaledreq@unchealth.unc.edu

We will invite strong candidates to Chapel Hill for an interview and tour of our hospital on Friday, August 21^st, 2026. Decisions will be made within 2 weeks after the interview date. The fellowship program will begin in January 2027. Fellows must have a North Carolina OT license prior to January 1.

With questions, please contact clinicaledreq@unchealth.unc.edu.

Diversity Statement: The UNC Health System and the UNC School of Medicine are committed to valuing all people throughout our organization, regardless of background, lifestyle, and culture. A diverse and inclusive work environment for staff and culturally appropriate care for our patients, are essential to fulfilling our UNC Health vision of improving the health of all North Carolinians.

Equal Employment Opportunity: UNC Health is an equal opportunity employer. As such, UNC Health offers equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or political affiliation.

Administration

Kristel Maes, PT, DPT, Dip MDT

Undergraduate school: KULeuven Belgium

Graduate school: KULeuven Belgium and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Professional interest:
My clinical interest is spine. In my current position as Administrator of our post-graduate programs I have a passion for education and preparing the future generation of therapists.

Hayley Mata-Whitmer, MOT, OTR/L, Fellowship Coordinator

Undergraduate school: James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Graduate school: James Madison University

Professional Interest: Adult and pediatric burns, clinical education, teaching, research, and advocacy

Why I serve as a mentor: Being a mentor in the fellowship program allows me to provide support and enhance ones clinical skills and passion in burn care. Additionally, I have been fortunate to experience great mentorship as a previous fellow and I would like to ensure that future fellows will have a positive experience as well.

What my role is:
As the Administrator for all our post-graduate programs, I assure that all logistics are taken care of so mentors can focus on the teaching aspect. I also facilitate completion of all compliance items for the fellows as employees as well as AOTA criteria.

Mentor Information

Heather Dodd, Co-Founder and Former Program Coordinator

Undergraduate school: East Carolina University

Graduate school: Virginia Commonwealth University- Medical School/Health Sciences

Professional Interest: I have had the opportunity to be a part of UNC's Burn Center for 17 years. Each day is a new and rewarding challenge with a diverse population, ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics. Being able to provide burn rehabilitation by hands-on manual therapy, orthotic management, scar management, patient and family teaching and education in both an acute hospital setting as well as in an outpatient setting to burn survivors is gratifying. I also enjoy the benefits of evidence-based practice to direct my care and have been involved in multiple research projects, publications and lecturing about the influence that occupational therapists have on a burn survivor's life and future.

Why I serve as a mentor: I have had the pleasure to work with esteemed colleagues with a wealth of knowledge that has driven me to learn more, do more and seek out the holistic needs of the burn survivors in order to reengage them into a life of success. I serve as a mentor to therapists to provide and share that same opportunity and passion so they can see the benefit they make in the lives of survivors through their clinical skills in burn rehabilitation. I enjoy providing a multitude of opportunities to enhance their clinical skills in all aspect of burn care from acute injury to a year out from their injury. I like to engage mentees in therapist-driven research and collaboration to provide the best treatment outcomes for the patients that we serve. After the five years of mentorship I have had with our fellows, it is a pleasure to work side-by-side with most of them as colleagues and seeing them strive as a competent burn therapist.

Beth Bale, COTA

Undergraduate school: Durham Technical Community College

Graduate school: Duke Divinity School, MRE

Professional Interest: I have worked in burns for over 20 years and am passionate about burn rehab and the ways OT can serve to get people back to their lives and function after minor and devastating burn injuries. I am a splinting and adaptive device fabrication expert.

Why I serve as a mentor: I have always loved teaching and I enjoy passing on the knowledge I have gained in burn rehab to others who want to learn, especially when they are committed to also doing burn care. I find teaching and mentoring very rewarding, as well as believing it is my duty to pass on the knowledge.

Breanna Potter, MOT, OTR/L

Graduate school: University of North Dakota

Professional Interest: Burn Rehabilitation

Why I serve as a mentor: I first felt the reward of a mentor and mentee relationship as a participant of the UNC Burn OT Fellowship. My unwavering mentors truly helped me to develop the confidence and refine the clinical skills needed to provide services and advocate for this patient population. I now serve as a mentor for this program, because I strongly believe in the unique and valuable opportunity to partake in the development of an occupational therapist's role in burn rehabilitation. I am motivated by the fellowship to provide continual support and education throughout the learning experience that fosters significant professional and personal growth for the mentee.

Keith Jacobson, PT

Undergraduate school: Grove City College

Graduate school: Nova Southeastern University

Professional Interest: Burn rehabilitation

Why I serve as a mentor: I appreciate the opportunity to give back, influence future caregivers, and grow professionally.

Britni Korshin, OTD, OTR/L

Undergraduate school: East Carolina University

Graduate school: Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences (Mary Baldwin University)

Professional Interest: Inpatient and outpatient burn rehabilitation

Why I serve as a mentor: As a mentor, I strive to provide new burn practitioners with not only my expertise in occupational therapy, but with knowledge and experience in burn rehabilitation. Working in such a specialized setting has allowed me to grow from a general practitioner into a burn-focused therapist, which is where my passion lies. By serving as a mentor, I hope to gain insights on new clinical practices and research ideas, along with providing the mentee with the opportunity to learn and develop new skills.

Connie Arrington, COTA

Undergraduate school: Durham Technical Community College

Graduate school: N/A

Professional interest:
Healing/scar progression in general, especially the burned face and neck
Providing emotional support and giving my patients the information and training they need to regain their independence

Why I serve as a mentor:
I think it is important to support the next generation of Occupational Therapy burn specialists. This is a very detailed and often difficult specialty and having the ability to guide someone through some of its intricacies will enable them to gain a strong foundation of burn knowledge so they can better appreciate the value of the services they are providing our patients, both physically and emotionally.

Aimee Chevalier, PT, DPT

Undergraduate school: Springfield College

Graduate school: Springfield College

Professional Interest:

Burn Rehabilitation, Quality Improvement

Why I serve as a mentor:

As someone who went into the field of physical therapy with the interest of outpatient orthopedic and sports injuries, I now have an appreciation of the acute care setting, specifically with burn injuries. I believe we can make an impact on the recovery and lives of our patients, which begins with building strong foundational skills.

Emilee Moore, OTR/L

Undergraduate school: University of Georgia

Graduate school: University of Texas Medical Branch

Professional Interest:

Adult acute inpatient rehab Stroke Rehab; neuro re-ed & FES/e-stim Teaching at the university

Why I serve as a mentor:

I credit a lot of what I know as an OT to my mentors. I enjoy teaching and hope to continue to help grow/strengthen the occupational therapy profession through mentorship.

Meet Our Fellows

2024 Fellow: Megan Berry, OTD, OTR/L

Research: Use of a Work Simulator During Inpatient Rehabilitation for Survivors with Upper Extremity Burns presented a podium presentation at the 2024 Southern Medical Association in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Current Employment: Occupational Therapist at UNC Health NC Jaycee Burn Center

2023 Fellow: Jesse Jaynes Malone, OTD, OTR/L

Research: The Effect of Acute Stress Symptoms on Children’s Participation in Everyday Activities Following a Burn Injury, presented a podium presentation at the 2023 Southern Medical Association meeting in Birmingham, Alabama

Current Employment: Previous Occupational Therapist at Shriners Children’s Texas, currently at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest

2022 Fellow: Ashley Holahan, OTD, OTR/L

Research: A Survey of Knowledge and Insight Towards Fire Safety Awareness, Prevention, Preparedness, and Education Among the Residents of North Carolina With Special Focus on the Latino/Hispanic Population, presented a podium presentation at the 2022 Southern Medical Association meeting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Current Employment: Occupational Therapist at The Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center-Valleywise Health

2019 Fellow: Emma Hunkin

Research: Survey of National Practice of Prevention, Diagnostic Tools, and Treatment of Heterotopic Ossification for Burn Patients in the United States, presented at the 2019 Southern Medical Association meeting in San Antonio, Texas

Current Employment: Previous Occupational Therapist at The South Carolina Burn Center at MUSC Health, currently at ALF/Memory Care- Indigo Hall

2018 Fellow: Jessica Willoughby, BT-C

Research: Treating Low Voltage Electrical Injuries: Current Knowledge and Standard of Care for Burn Therapists Within ABA Verified Burn Centers, presented a podium presentation at the 2018 Southern Medical Association meeting in Mobile, Alabama

Current Employment: Occupational Therapist at Shriners Children's Hospital Boston, MA.

2017 Fellow: Breanna Potter, OTR/L

Research: A Client’s Return–To–Work Process Following a Burn Injury: An Occupational Therapist’s Role within Burn Centers Verified by the American Burn Association presented a podium presentation at the 2017 Southern Medical Association meeting in Miami, Florida

Current Employment:Occupational Therapist at UNC Health NC Jaycee Burn Center

2016 Fellow: Hayley Mata-Whitmer, MOT, OTR/L

Research: Meaningful Occupations Impacted by Burn Injuries presented a podium presentation at the 2016 Southern Medical Association meeting in Atlanta, Georgia and presented a poster presentation at the 2017 American Occupational Therapy Association conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania