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Understanding Self-Directed Learning Development In Occupational Therapy Students: A Mixed Methods Approach, Adrianne Osmundson, Jenna Heffron

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy students enter graduate school at different stages of self-directed learning (SDL) readiness, and SDL skills must be explicitly taught. However, limited consensus exists on how SDL skill development should be incorporated into educational experiences. A retrospective parallel convergent mixed methods study was conducted to elicit an understanding of SDL development in a single cohort of master’s level occupational therapy students (n = 29) who participated in weekly SDL labs during their graduate education. The SDL labs were designed using Knowles’ (1975) seminal definition of SDL related to individuals taking the initiative to determine their needs, goals, strategies, and …

Professional Identity Building Scale (Pibs) Development: Measuring Self-Authorship And Dimensions Of Professional Identity In Graduate Students, Anne M. Haskins, Sarah Nielsen, Nicole C. Harris, Adrienne M. Salentiny, Marilyn G. Klug

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Grounded professional identity is needed for individuals to function successfully within their professions. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a new instrument intended to measure the professional identity of graduate students. Within a recursive methodological design, we developed a 71-item Professional Identity Building Scale (PIBS) based on a new conceptualized combination of Baxter Magolda’s Epistemological Reflection Model phases and Villanueava and Nadelson’s dimensions of professional identity. We pilot tested 129 occupational therapy graduate students at two sites in two states, adjusted the instrument and then retested the PIBS with data from 347 respondents in the same …

Exploring The Influence Of A Longitudinal Small-Group Mentorship Course On Occupational Therapy Graduates’ Professional Identity Formation, Tosh Whitley, Lovejot Mangat, Susan G. Rappolt, Daniela Testani, Siobhan Donaghy, Lynn Cockburn, Sylvia Langlois, Ruheena Sangrar, Eric Lee, Rachel Roby, Erin Knobl, Susan Hannah, Anne Fourt, David Gerstle, Naomi Davids-Brumer, M. Shone Joos

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Professional identity formation is a critical aspect in facilitating the transition of healthcare professionals into entry-level practice. Previous literature has highlighted the benefits of mentorship in shaping professional identity formation among healthcare learners. However, few studies have explored longitudinal small-group mentorship courses on professional identity formation in entry-level occupational therapists. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of graduates on whether pre-certification mentorship influenced their professional identity formation. Online surveys, comprising open-ended and fixed-choice questions, were collected from graduates of a professional Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT) program across four cohorts (2020-2023) who completed a …

Implementing Entrustable Professional Activities: Evaluation And Insights From Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Clinical Practice Education In Singapore, Heidi, Siew Khoon Tan, Gabriel, Wu-Xin Kwek, Corrine, Kar Ling Hoo, Florence, Wai Fong Cheong, Muhammad Rahizan Zainuldin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Competency-based education is widely adopted in occupational therapy programs, yet translating broad competency frameworks into authentic clinical assessment remains challenging. Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) offer an outcome-oriented approach by integrating multiple competencies into observable clinical tasks. This study evaluated the implementation of a nationwide EPA framework alongside an established competency-based assessment tool within an undergraduate occupational therapy clinical practice education program in Singapore. Guided by the 2018 Ottawa Consensus Framework for Good Assessment, this qualitative evaluation study conducted seven focus group discussions with 18 occupational therapy clinical educators and 12 students who experienced the integrated EPA and competency-based assessment system. …

Psychosocial And Behavioral Health Fieldwork: Impact On Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Stigma And Confidence, Tiffany L. Benaroya, Ann A. Murphy, Michelle Zechner, Meredith Cimmino, Margaret Swarbrick

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study examined the impact of psychosocial and behavioral health fieldwork experiences on occupational therapy assistant students’ attitudes toward individuals with serious mental illness and their confidence in working with this population. The study compared different fieldwork experiences among 30 occupational therapy assistant students from multiple cohorts to assess potential changes in stigmatizing attitudes and confidence across four different measures: the Attribution Questionnaire – 9, the Mental Illness Clinician’s Attitudes Scale v 4, the Knowledge Test of Mental Illness, and the Student Confidence Questionnaire. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated a statistically significant reduction in stigma from pre- to post-placement (p=0.04) on …

Occupational Therapy Assistant Students’ Perceptions Of Level I Fieldwork Instructional Methods: A Mixed Methods Study, Tiffany L. Benaroya, Susan M. Higgins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Level I fieldwork is a cornerstone of occupational therapy assistant (OTA) education. Placement shortages have prompted OTA programs to expand instructional methods beyond traditional methods to include standardized patients, faculty-led site visits, simulated and virtual environments, and non-traditional placements. Limited research has examined OTA student perceptions of these instructional methods. Therefore, this study explored OTA student preferences, recommendations for future use, and perceived strengths and challenges of Level I fieldwork instructional methods. Nineteen OTA students completed surveys in Fall 2023 and Fall 2024 in this retrospective mixed methods study. Students ranked instructional methods directly experienced in Level I fieldwork: traditional …

Nbcot First-Time Pass Rates At A Hispanic-Serving Institution: The Role Of Academic Metrics And Primary Language, Timothy Tu

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This retrospective study examined academic and demographic predictors of first-time success on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam among graduates (N = 82) from the classes of 2019 through 2022 at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Despite demographic growth, Hispanic and linguistically diverse practitioners remain underrepresented in the profession. Analyzed variables included self-reported primary language, undergraduate GPA (UGPA), prerequisite GPA (PGPA), Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, and Occupational Therapy Knowledge Exam (OTKE) performance. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 31. Three factors significantly predicted first-time NBCOT pass status: UGPA (p = .010), OTKE scores …

Sustaining A High-Fidelity Simulation Assessment For Fieldwork Readiness: A Process Description And Quality Assurance Process, Mary K. Thelander, Sue Iliff, Geneva L. Nolan, Heidi M. Sanders

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy students often report feeling underprepared for the complex and integrative demands of Level II fieldwork, prompting increased use of simulation-based approaches to support clinical readiness. This process description outlines the design, implementation, and sustained quality assurance of the Occupational Therapy Student Performance Assessment (OTSPA), a multimodal, high-fidelity simulation required before fieldwork in a Southwestern occupational therapy graduate program. Grounded in a problem-based learning framework, the OTSPA integrates multiple levels of simulation fidelity and requires students to complete a full-cycle clinical experience, including referral review, interaction with a standardized patient, documentation, and intervention planning. Faculty evaluate performance using structured, …

Reimagining Level I Fieldwork: A Virtual Home-Based Observation Model In Occupational Therapy Education, Tara Mansour, Colleen Muse, Nicole Williams, Rachel Pittmann

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork is essential to occupational therapy education, yet placement demand and constraints on clinician capacity require programs to consider innovative approaches to practice-based learning. Home-based practice is especially difficult to offer as a traditional Level I placement because of travel and space constraints inherent to how services are delivered. This educational innovation describes and evaluates a structured virtual home-based Level I fieldwork model implemented through a partnership between an entry-level occupational therapy program and a national rehabilitation provider. Students completed five live virtual observations of services delivered in clients' living environments. The model, now in its fifth year, incorporated prebriefing, …

Crispr-Cas9 Unleashed: Gene-Slicing Adventures In The Cancer Battlefield, Shivakuma Sonnaila, Shilpi Agrawal

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cancer, a global health menace, continues to pose significant challenges in terms of incidence and mortality, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. Despite existing treatments, the limitations persist, prompting a quest for novel approaches. The emergence of immunotherapy marked a transformative era in solid tumor treatments, yet its efficacy is constrained by adverse effects. Concurrently, the integration of advanced technologies into cancer treatment explores the vast potential residing at the molecular level through gene analysis and manipulation. This review articulates the role of state-of-the-art genome editing technology, notably clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR-Cas9), in overcoming the constraints of immunotherapy for …

Rsif CôTe D'Ivoire Country Report 2026 - English, Regional Scholarship And Innovation Fund (Rsif)

Rsif Country Progress Reports

Côte d’Ivoire’s National Development Plan (PND) 2026–2030 seeks to accelerate the country’s transformation through industrialization, increased productivity, human capital development and private-sector growth. Priority areas include agriculture and agro-industry, digital transformation, and infrastructure and industrial development, all of which increasingly depend on strong scientific and technological capabilities.

Côte d’Ivoire has been investing in PASET-Rsif since 2019, with an initial contribution of USD 1 million to support advanced doctoral training for Ivorian scientists. To date, 11 Ivorian scholars are pursuing PhD training across selected African Host Universities, complemented by research placements and collaboration with international partner institutions. The scholars are developing …

Rsif Kenya Country Report 2026, Regional Scholarship And Innovation Fund (Rsif)

Rsif Country Progress Reports

Kenya's Vision 2030 aims to turn the country into a competitive, industrializing, knowledge-based economy. The Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP IV) 2023–2027 advances this goal by prioritizing agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), housing, healthcare, and the digital and creative economy. MTP IV treats science, technology and innovation (STI) and human capital as key enablers of transformation. It also names several weaknesses in the STI system: too little investment in research and development, limited commercialization of local innovations, and weak links between research and industry.

To address these gaps, Kenya needs a critical mass of highly qualified scientists, engineers …