Evidence-based practice in occupational therapy curricula.

The purpose of this study is to describe currently used educational strategies for teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) in entry-level master\u27s degree occupational therapy programs in the United States. Fifty-eight entry-level occupational therapy program directors completed a survey. Results showed that occupational therapy programs consistently use a wide variety of EBP resources for teaching EBP including database searches, literature reviews, and the development of a research proposal. Less commonly used strategies include the use of case stories and journal clubs. The current study provides a baseline of existing strategies taught in entry level programs that may be built upon to gather more information about the content of EBP coursework, and determine ways to foster implementation of EBP in practice

e-Portfolios in Practice

This presentation focuses on the practical application and implementation of e-Portfolios in the health sciences discipline. The presentation discusses objectives of developing student e-portfolios, portfolio integration into the curriculum across the health sciences professions, implementation and challenges. It demystifies the varied definitions of e-Portfolios and different types of portfolio software. There will be a showcase of e-Portfolios and portfolio templates used in the Doctor of Nursing Program, and the Master of Public Health (MPH) program, and the Doctoral Capstone Course in Occupational Therapy. Objectives: After the presentation, participants should be able to: 1. Describe objectives for the development and use of student e-Portfolios and their potential applications for student professional development and career opportunities. 2. Discuss the various components of e-Portfolios based on the different health professions in the health sciences. 3. Describe the various implementation strategies programs have used and how they have addressed implementation challenges. Presentation: 57 minutes (Note: Audio was cut-off, but entire PowerPoint slide deck is located at bottom of this page