3 research outputs found
Characteristics of students who enter occupational therapy education through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Clearing System
Since the 1960s, there has been substantial research outside the United
Kingdom (UK) on recruitment to occupational therapy education. Recent UK
studies have explored the characteristics of mature students (Craik and Alderman
1998), first-year students (Craik et al 2001) and students with a first degree
(Craik and Napthine 2001). Based on these studies, a semi-structured, self-report,
postal questionnaire gathered data from 50 students who entered the BSc(Hons)
Occupational Therapy course at Brunel University, London, via the Universities
and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK (UCAS) clearing system.
The students tended to be younger and were more likely to be female and
Caucasian and to have similar or higher academic qualifications than standardentry
students at the same university. The majority first became aware of
occupational therapy through previous work in a health care setting, although
some did so while researching allied health professions. Although one-third
originally had physiotherapy as their first career choice, 92% now considered
that occupational therapy was what they wanted to do. The principal reason
for applying through the clearing system was timing, with some applicants
deciding late in the academic year to study occupational therapy. These
findings add further weight to the need to promote the profession