Melissa Durant, MS, OTR/L, CHT is a hard-working and driven occupational therapist with a love for outpatient hand therapy. She grew up on Long Island and graduated from Commack High School. During high school, she participated in track and cross country which ultimately influenced her current pursuit of her own strength and conditioning goals. Upon graduation, Melissa attended SUNY Cortland. It was during this time when Melissa was introduced to the world of occupational therapy when a close family member had become extremely ill. Melissa was amazed at the profound compassion of the occupational therapist and how they focused on what was truly meaningful to her family member. After deciding that she too, wanted to make a difference in people’s lives, Melissa went on to attend Stony Brook University’s Master’s of Occupational Therapy Program, graduating in May of 2020. During her time at Stony Brook University, Melissa was able to complete a clinical rotation at New York Presbyterian’s outpatient facility in Flushing, Queens. She was given the opportunity to rehabilitate post-surgical orthopedic patients with various diagnoses and help them regain their independence. It was this experience that solidified Melissa’s pursuit of the highly specialized field of hand therapy. Melissa was then able to use her background knowledge in athletics to help children with developmental disabilities participate in sports and social activities at Inclusive Sports and Fitness in Holbrook during a second clinical rotation. After obtaining her license, Melissa gained experience working with the geriatric population at various Assisted Living Facilities on Long Island. Melissa was then hired to work at an outpatient hand therapy facility in Riverhead where her desire to become a CHT grew even further. She gained experience working with both chronic and acute orthopedic diagnoses and fabricated custom-made orthotics for her patients.
Melissa Durant is the Clinical Director of the ProCare Occupational Therapy team located in East Patchogue. As a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), she aspires to create a positive impact on her patients’ mental and physical well-being throughout their rehabilitation journey, reflecting the significant influence occupational therapy has had on her life and her family.