Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • The Next Paradigm Shift in Occ

    Uploaded by

    api-385778980
    6 views6 pages

    Original Title

    the next paradigm shift in occ

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    6 views6 pages

    The Next Paradigm Shift in Occ

    Uploaded by

    api-385778980

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 6
    Tue Issue Is... The Next Paradigm Shift in Occupational Therapy Education: The Move to the Entry-Level Clinical Doctorate MeSH TERMS, + education, graduate + education, professional + occupational therapy + professional competence Ted Brown, PhD, MSe, MPA, GCHPE, OT(C),OTR, is Assos Profesor, Undetgadete Lous Corwen, and Pasiahete Coot, Depart of Oscupaiona There School of Prey Hel, Monash Universty-Pninua Canpus,Frenston Vitoria, us: te romnmonesh ed JeftreyL. Crabtree, OTD, MS, FROTA. s Associ Profesor, Departent of Occupational Therapy, Schoo of Health and Pett Sees, Indra Lvs, Iderepois, Kell Mu, PhO, OTR, is Posor and Chak, Degstnent of Oceana Therapy, Sool ot Parry and Heh Posi, Crigton ees, a, NE. Joe Wells, OTD, DPW, OTRIL s CEO, Shin ‘nei integrations Gaus and Aunt Assia Profs, Unntsiyof Fina, Find, OF The American Journal of Occupational Therapy Ted Brown, Jeffrey L. Crabtree, Keli Mu, Joe Wells The occupational therapy profession in he United Stats fs considering another shi i the lvl of eny-to- praciceexucaton. Curly, al accredited US. occupational therapy eduction programs oiler graduate ext rast’ degrees or clncal doctorates, In2014, the American Qcupationa Therapy Assccaion Bad of Directors published a poston satoment supporting te idea of moving al entry-level occupational therapy elution programs tothe clinical doctorate level by 2025, Ths atic provides an overview cf the proposed reasons for doing so and the potential impact of ths move on tuure students, education provides, nis and fails, employes, and thid-paly payers and taning bodies alongwith theimplcations fr eaccupational ‘therapy profession internationally. An open, informed, transparent, mulipespecte, comprehensive deate oul his eduction paradig sits ecarmmended, In August 2016 the Accreditation Cou or Oocupaioel ‘Therapy Education decidedthat the entry-level uaitcaion will main at bot the master's and the doctoral gree its anticipated, owever, thatthe move toward the ety-leel clinical doctorate will continu, Bro, T, Cates, JL, Mu K, Was, J (20%), Te sve Is—The net prada sit in onpatonal hry ‘tin: The move tthe enylnel cna doc. Ameen our f Cacpatinal They Supp 2, 6812360020 door! 10.SO ait 2015 018827 Prrietcomnterd “emir” inthe health caresphere (Etzioni 1969), occupational therapy is now recognized as a full-fledged profession (Clouston & Whiccombe, 2008; Turner, 2011). Char- acteristics often ascribed co professions in- clude a defined body of empirically based knowledge, formal recognition by society that the profession possesses a unique skill set, an ethical code of practice, and a pro- longed petiod of educa on and training 1at the professional body controls during which new graduates learn about the nuances and lexicon of the profession (MacDonald, 1995). Along with occupational cherapy's movement along the profession spectrum hhave been changing and evolving formal «education requirements that students need to achieve © gain entry inco the field (Coppard & Dickerson, 2007) ‘Oceupational therapy Formally devel coped as afield in the early part of the 20¢h century. Occupational therapy education started with short courses for “reconsteuc- tion aides” or rehabilitation workers that fasted a few months and included coursework. and hands-on skills caning (Gueman, 1995), Later; education led 10 a certificate and then a diploma, with formal recognition of practice-telated credentials The American Occupational Therapy Assocation (AOTA) published the fist education standards for nonemergency war courses in 1923, and formal accreditation of occupational therapy «education programs started in 1935 in part nership with the American Medical Associ ation (Quiroga, 1995). Tin the 1960s and 1970s, all occupa sional therapy education was offered at the baccalaureate level as a minimum, How- ever, as early as the 1960s, occupational therapy education was available ac the sraduate level with the nation’s irs¢2-year, entry-level master’s degree in occupational therapy being offered at the University of Southern California in 1962, The nexe _major shift in occupational therapy entry- level education came with the passing of Resolution J by AOTA’s Representative Assembly, which supported the move of entry-level occupational therapy education in the United States being offered ac the 69123600201 poschaccalaureate level (Walls, 1999). This move was endorsed by the Accredit Council for Occupational Therapy Edu- cation® (ACOTE®) and mandated t0 0c- «cu by 2007. At the same time, several entry-level nical doctorate (OTD) programs were being offered across the United States, the first at Creighton University in 1999 (Mu & Coppard, 2007). Not all universities thar offer entryevel clinical doctorate pro- ‘grams in occupational therapy use OTD asthe degree title. For example, the Depart ment of Occupational Therapy at University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, offers clinical doctor of occupational therapy (D1OT). However, OTD is the most commonly used degree tte. In April 2014, the AOTA Board of Directors published a position statement articulating is view thac all entry-level ‘occupational therapy education programs should move to the OTD level by 2025. Two separate advisory committees made recommendations 10 AOTA about this ue. The Future of Occupational Thee- apy Education Ad Hoc Committee was formed to examine and recommend strate- ses for che future of occupational therapy ‘education, andan AOTA Board of Directors subgroup was asked 10 consider the issue of ceniry-to-practice education at the doctoral level. ‘The AOTA Board of Directors can ‘only make recommendations; ACOTE has regulatory authority 0 mandate that the ‘entry-level degree for occupational therapy ‘education is the OTD. AOTA (2014) in its position stare- ‘menc outlined che following ive reasons for ‘endorsing the idea of moving to entry-level OD education by 2025: 1, The existence of two entry-level degrees (currently a master’s degree and clinical doctorate) is confusing to external audi- ences and the profession itself 2. ‘Thereisaneed for occupational therapists who are “able to rigorously implement cvidence-based practic, [understand] care delivery models, and [are] prepared co meet the facure occupational needs of society” (p. 18). 3. New occupational therapy graduates need to exhibic professional autonomy so they can takeon leadership positions within the health care system. 16912360020p2 4, ‘The “increased focus on primary care, interprofessional care teams. and special- ination in practice has required increased content in the entry-level academic pro- gyams”(p. 18) 5. There has been a trend within other health care professions oward making the clinical doctorate their standard entry-level education to practice, and ‘occupational therapy needs co remain competitive. “The repore generated by the AOTA Ma- turing of the Profession ‘Task Group's review of the profession’s-macuration {AOTA, 2013) “determined that the move 0 a single doctoral-entry-level degree will best position the profession co meet che ‘growing needs of sociery and full is potential in the 21st century” (AOTA, 2014, p. 18) In August 2015, ACOTE determined that, for now, the entry-level qualification for occupational therapists in the United States will remain ar both the master’sand the doctoral degree, ACOTE’s (2015) ra- sionale included that (1) limiced outcomes differentiace master’s and doctorally prepared graduates: (2) the academic infea- structure of many instcutions is not sulfcient to meet the occupational therapy doctorate standards, espe- cially with respect 10 faculty re- sources and institutional support (3) the readiness and capability of institutions to deliver quality feld- ‘work and experiential components of the program is constrained; and (4) retaining ow0 entry levels allows for flexibility of the profession co assess and address the changing, health care needs of individuals and populations. (para. 1) Nevertheless, it is probable that the trend coward more occupational therapy edue cation programs offering entry-level cline ical doctorates will continue. Although the proposal by AOTA 2014) may appear to be another major paradigm shift in a long line of shifts in occupational therapy education (even in light of the decision made by ACOTE [2015] co continue to have ewo education entry points to the profession), both che AOTA Board of Directors and the ACOTE decisions represent the final point in che natural maturation ofa profession, Virtually all of the well-established health professions such as medicine and dentistry have un- dergone academic-degree paradigm shift, all ending with the doctorate asthe termi- nal degree we are all familiar with today. For example, in medicine, the firsc degree awarded in the United Staces was the bachelor of medicine in 1768. In just 70 years, by 1838, che entry co practice was fally transitioned to the doctor of medicine (MD) degree (Royeen & Lavin, 2007). Since then, physicians with an entry MD degiee who want to expand their knowl edge and skill sec get specialized training through postdoctoral studies, residencies, and fellowships in specific areas. Regardless of how natural his para- ddign shift is in the maturation of a pro- fession, i raises several questions, including What are the driving forces behind the creasing number of programs offering the entry-level OTD? and What are the ien- plications for the groups directly affected by this move? This article provides a brief overview of the reasons for moving all U.S. entry-level occupational cherapy education to the clinical doctorate level and a discus- sion ofthe potential impact of this move on future students, education providers cents and families, employers, and. third-party payers and funding bodies. The potendal implications for the occupational herapy profesion internationally are also briefly considered. Reasons for Moving to an Entry- to-Practice Doctorate Degree Several reasons have been put forth about why che increasing move to an entry-level OTD is needed in the United Staces. The scope of practice of occupational therapy has become more complex, and the sill sec required to meet these demands can be met only with new graduates with well honed clinical reasoning, problem-solving, interprofessional, evidence-based practice, and leadership abilities. It is believed that

    You might also like