PhD Candidate in Research in Occupational Therapy at New York University
Hayejin Kim is a PhD candidate in Research in Occupational Therapy at New York University. She holds her MA in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California and her BHS in Occupational Therapy from Hanseo University, South Korea. Her research interests focus on accessible community-based rehabilitation programs that integrate technology to support individuals with stroke. Under the guidance of Dr. Grace Kim, she is currently working on her dissertation project aimed at investigating the key factors influencing patient engagement in videoconferencing-based telehealth among community-dwelling individuals with stroke. Prior to her PhD studies, she worked as an occupational therapist in an inpatient rehabilitation hospital in South Korea, where she specialized in rehabilitating patients with neurological conditions.
Her research interests stem from her clinical work with individuals with stroke, where she frequently observed their struggles in transitioning back to their homes. Many faced barriers due to the lack of adequate rehabilitation services in their communities, leaving them confined to hospital settings long after the acute phase of their recovery. Witnessing the gap in community-based rehabilitation services, which are critical for reintegration into society, fueled her resolve to empower patients to regain independence and reintegrate into their communities, driving her towards research.
Seeking to enhance her expertise in research on community-based rehabilitation, she pursued further study in this area during her PhD Under the guidance of Dr. Grace Kim, she has centered her research on the integration of mobile technology in stroke rehabilitation. Her work as the lead author in a study exploring mobile technology use among individuals with stroke unveiled their positive attitudes towards the use of technology in home-based exercise. In collaboration with Dr. Grace Kim, she also examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with acquired brain injuries. Their work highlighted the potential of telehealth as a viable and accessible rehabilitation service, particularly due to its ability to overcome geographical barriers and enhance accessibility, especially in rural areas. However, their investigations also shed light on disparities in patient engagement in telehealth.
Her dissertation, “Examining Key Factors Influencing Engagement in Videoconferencing-Based Telehealth in Individuals with Stroke” aims to thoroughly understand patient engagement in telehealth to make it a reliable and accessible service. This, in turn, will bridge the gap between the demand for continuous rehabilitation and the challenges faced by individuals with stroke in accessing in-person services. As she looks to the future, she aspires to be an independent researcher making substantial contributions to the development of inclusive and effective community-based stroke rehabilitation.