AJ Mullholand, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, LSVT Big

AJ Mullholand, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, obtained her post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy from Eastern Kentucky University and conducted “Understanding Health Literacy Related to CMC Arthroplasty: Exploring Client Perceptions” as original research. This project explored how clients perceive and comprehend health information related to CMC arthroplasty, with the goal of addressing the need to improve understanding of both the surgical procedure and the postoperative recovery process.

Dr. Mullholand is a 1987 graduate of Towson University and brings over 30 years of experience in the field of occupational therapy. Throughout her career, she has worked in a variety of practice settings, with a primary focus on outpatient orthopedics. She became a Certified Hand Therapist in 1999 and has held several supervisory roles, where she found great fulfillment in mentoring clinicians and fostering professional development.

In 2017, she relocated to Fayetteville, North Carolina, and joined Cape Fear Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, where she continued to specialize in upper extremity care. Her passion for education led to adjunct teaching roles at both Methodist University and Wingate University, and ultimately to her pursuit of a post-professional OTD. During her doctoral work, she developed a strong interest in health literacy, particularly as it relates to clients undergoing upper extremity surgeries and its influence on client frustrations and understanding.

Dr. Mullholand has presented at the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association Conference and travels annually to the Yucatán region of Mexico, where she participates in missionary occupational therapy, providing care to the Mayan community. She resides in North Carolina with her husband and their three dogs. She is also a proud mother of four. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, visiting the beach, and spending time with her family.