Student Perspectives of the Occupational Therapy Doctoral Experience in an Academic Setting

The purpose of this study was to gather student perspectives of the 16-week doctoral experiential component (DEC) of the entry-level doctor of occupational therapy educational curriculum from students who completed the DEC in an academic setting. A retrospective qualitative study of a focus group of five students who completed the DEC in an occupational therapy (OT) academic setting was conducted using semi-structured interview questions. Codes were grouped into themes and the findings were summarized. Four major themes emerged: 1) learning experiences; 2) purposeful ambiguity; 3) knowledge and skill development; and 4) newfound appreciation. Learning experiences included both the academic and other experiences during the DEC. Purposeful ambiguity encompassed opportunities the students had navigating experiences that do not have one solution. Knowledge and skill development included both the skills needed for the DEC and skills gained after the DEC. The final theme of newfound appreciation described how the DEC students expressed their new view of academia and their appreciation of having strong mentorship during this experience to help guide them into becoming a better academician. This study adds to the body of knowledge in OT education by providing a general framework of experiences that can be included in a doctoral experience in an academic setting and displays the benefits of the DEC as one method of preparing future OT educators

Self-Care: An Occupational Therapy Student Perspective

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 participants highly valued their self-care practices, reporting that self-care improves their well-being, is a skill that must be developed, and plays a critical role in occupational therapy practice. Time diaries revealed that the most frequently recorded self-care occupations were sleeping/napping, meal preparation/eating, and watching television and other streaming services. Total time spent in self-care practices ranged from 9-55 hours, and duration of self-care was not found to correlate with perceived stress or demographic variables. Results demonstrate that the type of self-care activities in which students engage may be more beneficial than duration of self-care alone. Students may benefit from further skill development in self-care to improve their current and future well-being. Occupational therapy educators have the opportunity to assist in developing this skill through intentional programming

Self-Care: An Occupational Therapy Student Perspective

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 participants highly valued their self-care practices, reporting that self-care improves their well-being, is a skill that must be developed, and plays a critical role in occupational therapy practice. Time diaries revealed that the most frequently recorded self-care occupations were sleeping/napping, meal preparation/eating, and watching television and other streaming services. Total time spent in self-care practices ranged from 9-55 hours, and duration of self-care was not found to correlate with perceived stress or demographic variables. Results demonstrate that the type of self-care activities in which students engage may be more beneficial than duration of self-care alone. Students may benefit from further skill development in self-care to improve their current and future well-being. Occupational therapy educators have the opportunity to assist in developing this skill through intentional programming

Exploring Sleep Health Among Occupational Therapy Students

A substantial number of health-professional graduate students do not follow the national recommendation of obtaining at least seven hours of sleep per day. Decreased sleep duration and quality are strongly associated with daytime sleepiness and dysfunction, academic burnout, low academic performance, and mental health symptoms and disorders. However, limited research exists on sleep health among occupational therapy (OT) graduate students. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore OT graduate student perspectives on sleep and to measure their sleep duration, quality, and practices to inform sleep promotion strategies for increased student well-being. A mixed-method study with a cross-sectional design was conducted. Occupational therapy graduate student participants engaged in a focus group and completed the Sleep Practices and Attitudes Questionnaire (SPAQ) along with a survey of demographic characteristics. Nineteen participants completed all aspects of the study. Participants slept an average of 6.75 hours per weekday night and rated their sleep quality an average of 3.47 out of 5 on a Likert scale (1: restless; 5: restful). The majority of participants (68.4%; n=13) reported feeling unrefreshed upon waking, and 78.9% (n=15) reported tiredness during the day. Three major themes emerged from the focus group data: 1) sleep prioritization and practice, 2) sleep knowledge versus action, and 3) occupational balance. This study is one of the first to assess sleep health among OT graduate students. Findings contribute to sleep health literature and may guide programming in sleep health promotion and graduate student well-being

Hats On! A Teaching Innovation to Make Theory Visible in Professional Reasoning

Students often find learning and applying theory difficult and potentially disconnected from practice. Using theory to guide occupational therapy assessment and intervention preserves the distinct value of occupational therapy. One way students develop professional reasoning is by learning how to use theory. Theoretical knowledge guides the professional reasoning questions that students and practitioners seek to answer. Teaching occupational therapy theory needs to involve clear, engaging, and meaningful activities that foster an explicit focus on occupation. This paper presents an innovative way of teaching theory in occupational therapy. We explain a thinking cap analogy to organize the theoretical knowledge that guides professional reasoning. This analogy involves the instructor wearing a hat as a thinking cap to represent an occupation-centered model of practice on which objects (frames of reference) can be added as flair. We describe the thinking cap analogy in detail and how this analogy builds on Ikiugu’s framework for combining theoretical conceptual models. Multiple years of student course feedback demonstrate the usefulness of this analogy as a teaching innovation. This method for teaching theory can advance how students use theoretical knowledge to guide professional reasoning in practice and value occupation, performance, and participation as central to occupational therapy

Comparing Outcomes of Entry-Level Degrees from One Occupational Therapy Program

The purpose of this study was to compare the professional outcomes of two entry-level occupational therapy degrees: the Master of Science (MSOT) and occupational therapy doctorate (OTD). This was a quantitative, exploratory study using a survey method. An online survey was sent to graduates from one occupational therapy program with known email addresses (N = 711). The survey included items relating to professional outcomes, such as job title, salary, and engagement with evidence-based practice, leadership, research, and interprofessional practice. Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to describe and to compare groups. The survey yielded 208 responses eligible for analysis. The sample consisted of 146 MSOT graduates (70%) and 62 OTD graduates (30%). MSOT graduates were significantly more likely to be clinicians (z = -3.57, p \u3c .05) and OTD graduates were significantly more likely to be educators (z = -4.24, p \u3c .05). OTD graduates were significantly more likely to use evidence-based practice (z = -2.29, p \u3c .05) and conduct research (z = -4.19, p \u3c .05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in job titles, starting and current salaries, and perceived preparation for interprofessional coordination. These results contribute to understanding the impact of the two degrees for the profession, graduates, and future occupational therapy students

Occupational Therapy Student Perceptions of Wellness: Focus Group Findings

Despite the evidence of significant consequences stemming from the intense demands on students, most graduate-level programs have insufficiently considered components of students’ wellness. Thus, the purpose of this research study was two-pronged: 1) to evaluate current occupational therapy students’ perceptions of wellness and 2) to explore student perceptions on using communities of practice as a program delivery method to enhance wellness. A qualitative study design was selected to gather experiences and feedback from occupational therapy graduate students. Participants were recruited via email from a convenience sample of a large, research-based Midwestern occupational therapy program. Participants attended one focus group and completed a brief demographic survey. The focus group data was audio-recorded and later transcribed by research coordinators. Transcript-based analysis was used and after transcription was completed, constant comparison analysis was used to determine final themes. In all, fourteen participants engaged in the study. Three main themes emerged: 1) wellness is a holistic concept, 2) graduate school is a novel experience, and 3) a group educational program that meets regularly could be beneficial for enhancing wellness. The results illustrate that occupational therapy graduate students both value their wellness and are interested in prioritizing its promotion and maintenance. With few comprehensive wellness programs currently available for graduate students, the information gathered from this study provides further support for these services and resources to be made readily available. Furthermore, the results from this study may guide program design, promoting greater wellness in occupational therapy students, and potentially students across other graduate-level disciplines

Occupational Therapy Student Perceptions of Wellness: Focus Group Findings

Despite the evidence of significant consequences stemming from the intense demands on students, most graduate-level programs have insufficiently considered components of students’ wellness. Thus, the purpose of this research study was two-pronged: 1) to evaluate current occupational therapy students’ perceptions of wellness and 2) to explore student perceptions on using communities of practice as a program delivery method to enhance wellness. A qualitative study design was selected to gather experiences and feedback from occupational therapy graduate students. Participants were recruited via email from a convenience sample of a large, research-based Midwestern occupational therapy program. Participants attended one focus group and completed a brief demographic survey. The focus group data was audio-recorded and later transcribed by research coordinators. Transcript-based analysis was used and after transcription was completed, constant comparison analysis was used to determine final themes. In all, fourteen participants engaged in the study. Three main themes emerged: 1) wellness is a holistic concept, 2) graduate school is a novel experience, and 3) a group educational program that meets regularly could be beneficial for enhancing wellness. The results illustrate that occupational therapy graduate students both value their wellness and are interested in prioritizing its promotion and maintenance. With few comprehensive wellness programs currently available for graduate students, the information gathered from this study provides further support for these services and resources to be made readily available. Furthermore, the results from this study may guide program design, promoting greater wellness in occupational therapy students, and potentially students across other graduate-level disciplines