Melinda Petty

Dr. Petty brings over a decade of comprehensive clinical and academic experience to BGSU. Clinically, she has worked across diverse practice settings, including outpatient care, acute and intensive care, skilled nursing, home health and trauma.

Throughout her career, she has specialized in the treatment of upper extremity conditions and earned her Certified Hand Therapist credentials in 2016. She has played an integral role in mentoring emerging practitioners, delivering continuing education courses, and contributing to the development of study materials for the Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) exam, supporting professional growth and the continued advancement of her field.

Academically, Petty has extensive experience teaching in hybrid and traditional occupational therapy programs. She has been actively involved in the development of occupational therapy curriculum, ensuring that it reflects the latest evidence and best practices in the field. She is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-based education that is engaging, innovative and effective.

In her teaching, she emphasizes collaboration, fostering a supportive and interactive learning environment that encourages students to share knowledge and insights. She places a strong focus on developing a sense of community within the online classroom, ensuring that students feel connected, supported and motivated. Her teaching philosophy centers on empowering students to develop clinical problem-solving skills, enabling them to address complex patient needs and transform communities through meaningful occupational engagement.

Petty earned her Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) with a capstone project focused on comparing fieldwork educator and faculty perspectives on entry-level requirements for Level II fieldwork experiences in outpatient hand therapy settings. Her scholarly interests include:

• Occupational therapy student fieldwork preparedness and student success
• Occupational therapy in the physical rehabilitation setting
• Interventions and functional outcomes in outpatient hand therapy

These areas of focus reflect Petty’s commitment to advancing both clinical practice and educational outcomes within the field of occupational therapy.

Education

Doctor of Occupational Therapy, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, St. Augustine, Florida
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT), University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences Bachelor of Arts in biology, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois