Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Relationship Between Holistic Admissions Criteria And Program Ranking Among Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Programs, Kristian Taylor, Cat-Tien Nguyen, Jenny Grant, Mary B. Brewster, Mary A. Barrett, Teal Benevides, Sharon M. Cosper

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Holistic admissions criteria are one strategy to be more inclusive of students with a variety of experiences, cultures, and beliefs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between holistic admissions criteria and occupational therapy program ranking. We used a retrospective cross-sectional cohort descriptive study design of occupational therapy programs in the United States to understand whether top performing programs employ holistic admissions criteria. Secondary descriptive analysis from the top and bottom 50 ranked occupational therapy programs in 2020 U.S. News & World Report (Morse et al., 2020) was completed. We used a nominal scale to classify programs …

Barriers That Affect Equity In The Occupational Therapy Admissions Process: Student And Faculty Perspectives, Quinn P. Tyminski, Lenin Grajo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The use of holistic admissions in higher education has been demonstrated to increase the diversity of incoming student classes; yet, in occupational therapy (OT) research, admissions processes remain under-explored. This phenomenological study aimed to explore the process of OT admissions from the perspective of students, faculty, and staff at a single OT program with the goal to create a more inclusive, equitable, and holistic process. Focus groups were conducted with first-year students, and an online survey was sent to faculty to explore perspectives on the admissions process, necessary qualities for an OT graduate student, and suggestions for increasing inclusion and …

Barriers And Facilitators To Enhance Interprofessional Education For Rehabilitation Science Graduate Students, Mary A. Riopel, Kimberly Wynarczuk, Taylor Grube

The Qualitative Report

Interprofessional education (IPE) aims to develop healthcare practitioners who work effectively in teams, demonstrate strong communication skills, respect others, and have a working knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of other professionals. Of identified research to date, it is unclear what students perceive as important for effective IPE delivery and learning. The purpose of this study was to identify graduate students' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to learning interprofessional practice using phenomenology. Three semi-structured focus groups were conducted including athletic training, occupational therapy, or speech-language pathology students and the transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged about IPE …

A Scoping Review Of Universal Design For Learning In United States Allied Health & Medical Education, Karolina Gawron, Madison Tomlinson, Nicole Mohan, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Universal design for learning (UDL) is considered best-practice for embracing inclusion for students with disabilities and there is growing evidence of its effectiveness in primary, secondary, and postsecondary education. However, little is known about if and how UDL is being implemented into United States graduate allied health and medical school curriculum as well as evidence of its benefits.

Method: We used Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) methodological framework. Search engines were: PubMed, CINAHL Complete, ERIC, GoogleScholar, and Scopus. Data were analyzed by the research team using Covidence to organize articles, screen, and complete a full-text review. Data extraction …

State Of The Journal: Introducing The Policy And Advocacy Category, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Survey Of Pain Curriculum Among Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Programs In The United States, John V. Rider, Vicki Khau, Kristin A. Valdes

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy practitioners address pain management across settings, populations, and the lifespan. Occupational therapy practitioners offer unique contributions to pain management through biopsychosocial approaches, targeting supported self-management and occupational engagement. Comprehensive pain education is necessary to prepare entry-level occupational therapy practitioners to address pain in practice, yet no standards exist in entry-level occupational therapy education. This survey describes the status of pain-related education in entry-level occupational therapy programs across the United States. A total of 41 entry-level occupational therapy programs completed the survey. Total instructional time for pain content was reported to be an average of 9.68 hours, ranging from …

A Pilot Sexual Device Adaptation Project For Occupational Therapy Students: A Skills-Based Approach To Teaching Sexual Activity As An Adl Through Assistive Technology, Benjamin E. Canter, Zoe M. Loitz, Victoria E. Richardson, Tatiana B. Pontes, Leanna Katz, Kevin Berner, Pedro Htq Almeida

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Despite being categorized as an activity of daily living since the first edition of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, no Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards exist to provide guidance on teaching occupational therapy students about sexual activity as an activity of daily living (ADL). When discussed, sexual activity is usually taught via didactic lecture, but is a subject that would benefit from a skills-based approach to teaching. This pilot pedagogical exercise in a two-credit assistive technology class taught occupational therapy students to address the ADL of sexual activity with clients by having students adapt a sexual toy …

Enhancing Simulation Fidelity In Occupational Therapy Education: Considerations For Standardized Patient Training And Implementation, John V. Rider, Linda Frasier, Jessica Parkin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The use of high-fidelity simulation and standardized patients (SPs) in occupational therapy (OT) education is expanding. However, the implementation of simulation varies across programs, leading to inconsistent outcomes and research limitations. Furthermore, details on SP use and training are lacking in OT literature. This article aims to provide OT educators with considerations for improving simulation fidelity by effectively using highly trained SPs. For example, recruiting SPs from diverse backgrounds is necessary to improve sociological fidelity, and proper training of SPs is required to ensure psychological fidelity. This article also emphasizes the need for standardized training for SPs and recommends following …

The Occupational Therapy Practitioner Experience And Practice Related To Upper Limb Loss Or Difference And Prosthetics, Amanda H. Sugar, Rebecca Ozelie, Kristi Turner

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Despite occupational therapy’s critical role on the rehabilitation team for individuals with upper limb loss or difference (ULL/D) and prosthetics, this population is not extensively covered in many occupational therapy (OT) program curricula. As such, many clinicians work with patients with ULL/D with little expertise or confidence for this complex population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the OT practitioner experience and practice related to ULL/D and prosthetics in their education and practice. Utilizing snowball sampling, 150 OT practitioners completed a 24-question survey, which assessed OT practitioners’ experience with ULL/D, the prosthetic education in their OT program, and …

Use Of Formal And Informal Strategies To Manage Stress During Level Ii Occupational Therapy Fieldwork, Ryan Thomure

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Stress may play a role in the performance of occupational therapy students during Level II fieldwork, but little research exists regarding the causes of stress or the stress management strategies students use. The objective of this study was to determine factors that contribute to fieldwork-related stress and strategies students use to manage that stress on Level II fieldwork.

Students or recent graduates of occupational therapy or occupational therapy assistant programs who completed at least one Level II fieldwork experience in the previous 36 months were eligible to participate. An online survey was distributed to participants through snowball sampling. The participants …

Application Of A Model Of Family-Centered Harm Reduction In Community-Based Programming, Johnna Belkiewitz, Victoria G. Wilburn, Sydney Larson, Kate Schrader

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Coupling high substance use disorder rates with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, our nation faces a growing mental health crisis and a shortage of adequately trained mental and behavioral health providers. As occupational therapists work toward recognition as qualified providers in this practice area, we must ensure that future therapists can meet client needs. Traditional mental and behavioral health educational practices in occupational therapy use a model of harm reduction that minimizes negative outcomes for a select subset of the population engaging in specific “high-risk” behaviors, such as individuals engaging in substance use and sexual activity. Expanding our understanding …

Occupational Therapy Curricula Patterns For Acquired Brain Injury-Related Vision Disorders For Entry-Level Programs: A Survey, Laura Schmeiser, Alicia Reiser, Caitlyn Foy

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists are among the first providers to encounter individuals after an acquired brain injury (ABI). Evidence suggests that most occupational therapists learn about ABI-related vision disorders from continuing education and on-the-job training. A better understanding of entry-level curricula patterns for ABI-related vision disorders is important because of their high prevalence and impact on occupational performance. A descriptive online survey was administered to occupational therapy educators at ACOTE-accredited entry-level programs to explore curricula patterns for ABI-related vision disorders. Of 1,391 occupational therapy educators invited to participate, 71 (5%) began the survey, and 66 met the inclusion criteria. Vision screening methods …

Applying An Anti-Racist Pedagogy To Develop And Deliver A Racial Microaggressions Workshop For Occupational Therapy Students, Shannon Giannitsopoulou, Jane A. Davis, Bismah Khalid, Ruheena Sangrar

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Many workshops about identifying, understanding, and responding to microaggressions have been designed and delivered to learners within health education. However, few workshops implement an anti-racist pedagogical approach, and none presented in the literature have been created specifically for occupational therapy students. Anti-racist pedagogical approaches explicitly link interpersonal and institutional/structural oppressions to ensure that the impacts of microaggressions are not minimized by focusing solely on interpersonal interactions. A specific workshop is needed to address the noted persistence of racial microaggressions directed at clients, families, students, and practitioners within occupational therapy contexts and due to the embeddedness of practitioners in clients’ daily …

Impact Of Virtual Simulation-Based Level I Fieldwork On Level Ii Fieldwork Performance, Rebecca Ozelie, Maggie Moeller, Taylor Newmark

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork is an essential part of a student’s education and development to become competent in entry-level occupational therapy skills (ACOTE, 2018). The implications of COVID-19 coupled with staffing shortages and an increase in academic programs resulted in academic fieldwork coordinators competing for a limited number of spots. The Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) integrated the use of simulation as an instructional method to meet Standard C.1.9 for Fieldwork I. This study used a retrospective cohort design to determine the impact of virtual simulation-based Level I fieldwork on performance in Level II fieldwork. Thirty-seven Doctor of Occupational Therapy students’ …

Gender Career Stereotypes, Implicit Bias, And Occupational Therapy, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck, Carli Friedman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Implicit (unconscious) gender bias and stereotypes can affect clinical decisions and interactions between healthcare professionals, as well as impact careers. However, there is no research exploring the implicit gender bias or stereotypes of occupational therapy students or practitioners. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the gender-career bias of occupational therapy students. To do so, occupational therapy students (n = 54) from three Midwestern United States graduate occupational therapy programs completed the gender-career attitudes implicit association test (IAT) – biases associating women with family, and men with career – as well as a survey polling demographic information. …

Benefits Of Peer-Mentorship For Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Students: A Descriptive Study, Robert G. Gallagher, Razan Hamed

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This study explored the benefits of a new peer-mentorship program designed for Master's-level occupational therapy students.

Method: This was a descriptive study of an entry-level Master’s of occupational therapy (MOT) program. A group of entry-level MOT students participated in the program as mentees (n = 37 in summer 2019, n = 39 in fall 2019) and mentors (n = 9 in summer 2019, n = 8 in fall 2019) for two academic semesters. Feedback about the process and outcomes of the peer-mentorship program was collected at the end of each semester.

Results: The data showed that mentees reported …

Influence Of Years Of Experience On Clinical Competence Of Novice Physical And Occupational Therapists In Japan, Hiroaki Sakurai, Soichiro Koyama, Shigeo Tanabe, Kazuya Takeda, Yoshikiyo Kanada

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: To increase the clinical competence of novice physical and occupational therapists, an accurate assessment of their clinical competence is necessary. However, no previous study has objectively analyzed the changes in novice therapists’ clinical competence in Japan. Hence, this study investigated and evaluated the changes in the clinical competence of such therapists using an objective analysis. Method: The study included 34 novice therapists with 1–3 years of experience in clinical practice. Participants were divided into groups according to their years of experience. The clinical competence of the novice therapists was evaluated twice using a clinical competency evaluation scale. For comparison …

Peer Mentoring In An Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Program: Student Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lauren E. Stone Kelly

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on education. During this time, educators were tasked to develop creative and new ways to engage and teach students. Mentoring has been shown to positively impact academic and psychosocial outcomes and can enhance clinical skills in both in-person and e-learning environments. However, there is need for further research on peer mentoring programs in occupational therapy curriculum.

Method: This retrospective qualitative study investigates the effects of peer mentoring on student perceptions of learning and professional development. Experiences were tracked for three semesters during the pandemic at an accredited entry-level occupational therapy …

Effectiveness Of Interprofessional Education Modules On Cultural Competency Of Physical Therapy And Occupational Therapy Students, Ayse Ozcan Edeer, Nadia Rust

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The United States is a melting pot of diverse ethnicities and cultures. Graduate-level teaching methods must prepare students to work with diverse populations and in various contexts. The outcome of instruction should be technically competent and culturally humble health care providers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of collaborative interprofessional instruction on cultural competency levels of Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (DPT) and Master of Science Occupational Therapy Program (MSOT) students. Methods: This was a pre-posttest quasi experimental study. A total 58 students from the DPT (28) and MSOT (30) programs participated and provided demographic …

Self-Care: An Occupational Therapy Student Perspective, Isabelle Laposha, Stacy Smallfield

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Health professional students, including occupational therapy students, report increasing rates of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout while completing their academic programs of study. Self-care is one potential solution to this crisis, as engagement in evidence-based self-care practices has been found to improve the health and well-being of various student populations; however, the self-care practices of occupational therapy students have not been well studied. Therefore, this study explored how occupational therapy students understand and practice self-care, and how self-care correlates to perceived stress. Twenty participants engaged in a focus group and completed a 72-hour time diary. Focus group results indicated that …

Addressing Sexuality: The Comfort And Preparedness Of Occupational Therapy Students, Claire Lynch, Annette V. Joosten

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Undergraduate sexual health education has the potential to increase confidence and the likelihood that healthcare professionals address sexual health in practice. This study explored Australian final year occupational therapy students’ perceptions about their education, and their preparedness and comfort to address sexuality in their final practice placements and into their future careers. An online questionnaire with three sections for (a) demographics; (b) the students' attitudes towards sexual health (SA-SH) questionnaire, which is a 22-item Likert scale about student attitudes toward sexual health issues in their future profession; and (c) nine open questions regarding students’ comfort and preparedness to address sexuality …

Not Just Women’S Work: Recruiting Men To Occupational Therapy, Alexandra I. Zelin, Erin Melhorn, Kristen J. Black, Nicole Harty

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Compared to women, men are less likely to become occupational therapists (OT). To have a more diverse workforce, and to relate to various patient groups, reasons men do not enter the field of OT must be better understood. Our study compares men and women in their familiarity with OT and desire to work in the field. Data were gathered using an online, self-report survey administered to students at a public university in the southeast. The sample included 334 undergraduate students who were in majors that often serve as feeder programs to OT graduate programs. The average age was 19.8 years …

Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceived Preparedness To Work With Transgender Clients, Meredith Rosol, Karissa Rogers, Raigan Borsh, Rachel Pavlinec, Marion Russell, Asa N. Russell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In order to be a successful practitioner, an occupational therapist must have proper knowledge for treating diverse populations, including clients who are transgender. However, many occupational therapy (OT) programs do not teach content that is specific to the transgender population. This study utilized a complementary mixed-methods design to determine how prepared occupational therapy students perceived themselves to be for working with transgender clients. Entry-level masters and doctoral level occupational therapy students from accredited OT programs across the United States that had completed at least their first Level II fieldwork were recruited to participate. Eighty-five occupational therapy students completed the quantitative …

Short-Term Program On Three-Dimensional Printed Self-Help Devices For Occupational Therapy Students: A Pre-Post Intervention Study, Yusuke Harada, Yuki Sawada, Jun Suzurikawa, Rie Takeshima, Tomoko Kondo

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Despite the increasing importance of digital fabrication, of which three-dimensional printing is an important aspect, educational programs in this area have not been fully developed. To utilize three-dimensional printing optimally, occupational therapists need to be familiar with this new technology, understand its scope of application, and possess certain levels of skills for producing. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a short-term program for occupational therapy students to increase the acceptance of three-dimensional printed devices by acquiring the basic knowledge and skills of making three-dimensional printed self-help devices. The research involved an intervention study with a …

Student Self-Efficacy Levels For Performing Clinical Skills Learned Virtually During A Pandemic, Brittany Nash, Anita W. Mitchell, Jian Jones, Jeffery Etheridge

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to explore student self-efficacy for performance of clinical skills learned virtually, the effectiveness of teaching clinical skills online, the relationships between students’ feelings of self-efficacy and the performance of clinical skills, and the students’ perspectives of learning clinical skills virtually. This is a one-group mixed methods study that included twenty-one Master of Occupational Therapy students. Self-efficacy was measured using the Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (L-SES), performance was measured using an instructor-created rubric, and qualitative data was collected using open-ended questions. Students presented with higher levels of self-efficacy for range of motion (ROM) than manual muscle …

A Process Framework For The Education-Focused Capstone: Supporting Expansion And Sustainable Outcomes, Sierra Clair, Sarah Corcoran, Emily Bubel, Debbie Amini

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This article aims to share a process framework created to guide entry-level occupational therapy doctoral programs in operationalizing and expanding the scope of the education-focused capstone described by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE^®).The impetus for this work was the completion of a professional development, education-focused capstone that proved to be novel, sustainable, and transformative for the capstone team, including the student, faculty mentor, site mentor, and doctoral capstone coordinator. This capstone ultimately created a professional development course covering the social determinants of health for occupational therapy practitioners, now offered through the American Occupational Therapy Association. …

First Year Occupational Therapy Students’ Engagement In Learning Activities: A Qualitative Study, Mona Asbjørnslett, Helen Bull, Gry Mørk, Tore Bonsaksen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

When students enter a bachelor program in occupational therapy, they engage in a variety of learning activities. To explore students’ perceptions of learning activities, this qualitative study investigated the experiences of six first year students participating in an occupational therapy study program at a Norwegian university. The students took part in two focus group interviews. The interview analysis focused on meaning and ended up with three main themes: 1) Getting to know each other through collaborative learning activities, 2) Engaging in classroom learning activities, and 3) Approaching the syllabus and doing assignments. The study concludes that early engagement in social …

Perspectives On The Professional Communication Profile And Needs Of Emerging Occupational Therapists Of The Millennial Generation: A Comparison Study, Ryan E. Whitney, Margaret L. Morris, Jessica Harney

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Millennials, born between 1982­ and 2000, became the largest share of the American workforce in 2015. As of 2014, 23.9% of American occupational therapists were under the age of 30. Positive traits ascribed to millennials include: highly educated, ambitious, confident, and optimistic. However, indicators of challenges for managing millennials emerge from media and anecdotal evidence, including stereotypes of disloyalty, entitlement, dependency, and casualness. Relevant for supporting professional development is a call to understand and enhance professional communication.

Method: This study analyzed how emerging millennial occupational therapists self-describe their professional communication profile and needs, compared to the perspective …

State Of The Journal: Clarifying Ojot Categories, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Considerations In The Use Of Podcasts For Teaching And Learning In Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Study, Sarah Briand, Ingrid Malo-Leclerc, Michaël Beaudoin, Étienne Croisetière, Alexandre Tremblay, Mariane Côté-Boulanger, Annie Carrier

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Evidence-based practice integrates and supports the best interventions in clinical practice. However, a gap of about ten years may elapse between the production of evidence and integration of best practices in clinical settings. Some technologies, such as podcasting, have become increasingly popular and are emerging as an innovative teaching modality that can support knowledge acquisition and integration. This scoping study gathered and synthesized the information in the literature regarding the use of podcasts by occupational therapy clinicians and students as a means for teaching and learning evidence-based knowledge. A scoping study approach was used following the five stages defined by …