Curriculum Vitae

Donna C. Canavan, OTR/L, CHT
Assistant Professor, Division of Plastic Surgery
E-mail: plastics@siumed.edu

Brief Biography

Donna Canavan is an occupational therapist at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Upon graduation, Ms. Canavan worked for Memorial Medical Center's Rehabilitation Unit as a staff occupational therapist for two years. She has worked for SIU since 1990 as an assistant professor of plastic surgery.
Ms. Canavan is a certified hand therapist. She is a member of the American Society of Hand Therapists.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 217-545-0885.

• September, 1986 - June, 1988
  University of Illinois, Chicago
  Bachelor of Science - Occupational Therapy
• August, 1984 - May, 1986
  University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana

• July, 1993 - Present; Assistant Professor to Department of Surgery: Hand Therapist, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery. Springfield, Illinois
• September, 1990 - June, 1993; Instructor of Clinical Surgery: Hand Therapist, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery. Springfield, Illinois
• June, 1988 - September, 1990; Staff Occupational Therapist, Memorial Medical Center Rehabilitation Unit, Regional Burn Center, Visiting Nurses Association. Springfield, Illinois

• Certified FCE Evaluator – December 9, 2005 – Present
• Certified Hand Therapist - October, 1993 - Present
• Licensed Occupational Therapist - 1988 - Present
• Registered Occupational Therapist - August, 1988 - Present

• "Hand Care 2010 Advancing the Quality of Patient Care Through Medical Education" sponsored by Hand To Shoulder Therapy Center. (October 28-30, 2010)
  
• "Therapeutic Modalities: An Evidence - Based Approach"  Springfield, Illinois (11/14/08)
  
• "Hand Care 2008 Advancing the Quality of Patient Care Through Medical Education" sponsored by the Hand Rehabilitation Center of Indiana. (May 8-10, 2008)
  
• "Lateral Epicondylitis The Therapist Approach to Conquering Pain" sponsored by Exploring Hand Therapy, Inc (May 05, 2006)
  
• “The Blankenship System FCE Home Study Course” sponsored by Quest Medical Group, Inc. (December 9, 2005)
• “Whole Body Kinesio Taping” sponsored by Keep Pace Education Opportunities. Springfield, Illinois (May 14, 2004)
• “Less Common Nerve Compression Syndromes” presented by Allen L. Vanbeek, M.D., visiting professor to SIU School of Medicine, Department of Surgery. Springfield, Illinois (March 11, 2004)
• “Medical Treatment & Rehabilitation Options for Common Orthopeadic Disorders and Wrist Fractures” sponsored by Practical Anatomy Workshop at Saint Louis University. St. Louis, Missouri (March 3, 2002)
• “The Hand: An Interactive Study for Therapists” sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (February 19, 2002)
• “Hand Therapy and the Use of CPT Codes” presented by Linda R. Botten, OTR/l, CHT, A.T.P. sponsored by SIU School of Medicine, Hand Therapy Center. Edwardsville, Illinois (November 4, 2000)
• "A Comprehensive Exploration of Hand Therapy" sponsored by North American Seminars, Inc. Denver, Colorado (March 25-26, 2000)
• "Evaluation and Management of Wrist Injuries" sponsored by the Hand Therapy Center of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Springfield, Illinois (April 9-10, 1999)
• "Physician and Hand Therapists: Hand Therapy Advances" sponsored by the University of Wisconsin. Milwaukee, Wisconsin (March 11-13, 1999)
• "Frackelton Lectureship" sponsored by the University of Wisconsin. Milwaukee, Wisconsin (March 10, 1999)
• American Association for Hand Surgery, 28th Annual Meeting. Scottsdale, Arizona (January 8-10, 1998)
• "Tendons: Old Problems . . . New Solutions" Preconference Hand Therapy Seminar, American Association for Hand Surgery, 28th Annual Meeting. Scottsdale, Arizona (January 7, 1998)
• American Society of Hand Therapists, 20th Annual Meeting. San Diego, California (September 18-21, 1997)
• "The Shoulder" presented by Sandy Burkhart, P.T., Ph.D. Springfield, Illinois (June 22-23, 1996)
• Valpar International Corporation training session. Springfield, Illinois (April 30, 1996)
• Fractures of the Upper Extremity" sponsored by The Practical Anatomy and Surgical Technique Worshop of St. Louis. St. Louis, Missouri (April 16, 1996)
• "Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy" presented by Wyndell Merritt, M.D., visiting professor to SIU School of Medicine, Department of Surgery. Springfield, IL (April 15, 1995)
• "Motivator 1994 User's Seminar" sponsored by Motivator, Inc. Louisville, Kentucky (October 21-22, 1994)
• "Coding Seminar" presented by Karen Zupko and Associates. Springfield, Illinois (July, 1994)
• "Upper Extremity Cumulative Trauma Disorders: Evaluatioin, Management, Problems and Solutions" sponsored by the American Society of Hand Therapists. Chicago, Illinois (June 17-19, 1994)
• "Disorders of the Upper Extremity" sponsored by SIU School of Medicine, Division of Plastic Surgery. Springfield, Illinois (February 23, 1994)
• "Updates in Hand Trauma" sponsored by the American Association for Hand Surgery. Breckenridge, Colorado (February 3-6, 1994)
• "The Saga of Mrs. Miller," "Rigid Fixation of Hand Fractures," and "Carpal Tunnel - Open versus Endoscopic" presented by C. Lin Puckett, M.D., Visiting Professor to SIU School of Medicine, Division of Plastic Surgery. Springfield, Illinois (January 21, 1994)
• "Neuritic Pain Syndromes of the Upper Extremity" and "Ulnar Sided Wrist Pain" presented by Michael B. Wood, M.D. Springfield, Illinois (October 29, 1993)
• "Primary Care of Orthopeadic Problems" including presentations by Mark Bowen, M.D. and Mark Greatting, M.D. Springfield, Illinois (October 28, 1993)
• "Hand Reconstruction in Tetraplegia Following Spinal Cord Injury" presented by James H. House, M.D. Springfield, Illinois (September 19, 1993)
• "Lasers in Plastic Surgery," "Acute Care & Reconstruction of the Burned Hand," and "Skin and Limb Transplantation Research" presented by Bruce M. Archauer, M.D., Visiting Professor to SIU School of Medicine, Department of Surgery. Springfield, Illinois (June 22, 1993)
• "An Integrative Approach to the Examination and Rehabilitation of the Shoulder" presented by Sandy Burkhart, P.T., Ph.D. Denver, Colorado (October 10-11, 1992)
• Annual Mimi Covert Memorial Lecture, including "Hand Surgery in Cerebral Palsy" presented by James H. House, M.D. Springfield, Illinois (September 18, 1992)
• "3rd Annual Upper Extremity Expo" sponsored by the American Society of Hand Therapists. New Orleans, Louisiana (June 26-28, 1992)
• "Modalities Track" Preconference Seminar for the 3rd Annual Upper Extremity Expo sponsored by the American Society of Hand Therapists. New Orleans, Louisiana (June 25, 1992)
• "Surgical Management of the Painful Nerve Injury" presented by Susan MacKinnon, M.D., Visiting Professor to SIU School of Medicine, Department of Surgery. Springfield, Illinois (November 1, 1991)
• "Surgery and Rehabilitation of the Hand" sponsored by Hand Rehabilitation Foundatioin and Thomas Jefferson University. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (March, 1991)
• Monthly Hand Conference, Division of Plastic Surgery, SIU School of Medicine. Springfield, IL (September, 1990 - Present)
• "Bobath Techniques for Occupational Therapists Working with Adult Hemiplegia." Los Gatos, California (February, 1990)
• Jay Medical Seating System. St. Louis, Missouri (January, 1990)
• Illinois Head Injury Annual Conference. Springfield, Illinois (October, 1989)
• "Neuro Symposium" sponsored by SIU School of Medicine, Department of Neurology. Springfield, Illinois (March, 1989)
• "Joint Mobilization of the Upper Extremity." St. Louis, Missouri (March, 1988)

• "Prevention of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" to the employees of SIU Gait Analysis Lab. Springfield, Illinois (March, 1992)
• "The Role of Occupational Therapy in the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury" at the Traumatic Brain Injury Symposium. Springfield, Illinois (October, 1989)

• American Association for Hand Surgery (1996 - Present)
• American Society of Hand Therapists (1991 - Present)
• American Occupational Therapy Association (1987 - 1989)
• Illinois Occupational Therapy Association (1987 - 1989)