Characteristics of Occupation-based Education within Entry-level Occupational Therapy Programs: Professional Leaders\u27 Perspectives

Occupational therapy is a profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation, and accordingly occupation should permeate all aspects of the profession. Entry-level education is the primary means by which new members of the profession become educated about occupation and its place in occupational therapy practice. Therefore, it is essential that education reflects the core concept of the profession. To date there have been individual opinions about occupation-based education but no studies have documented the characteristics that demonstrate this approach from the perspective of professional leaders. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to explore professional leaders’ views on, and strategies for, occupation-based entry-level education. Participants were selected through a combination of purposive and network sampling to ensure variation and depth. Six in-depth, semi-structured interviews of approximately 60 minutes duration each, were conducted with leaders from Australia, Canada, and the United States of America via telephone or internet conferencing. These interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Three themes emerged: embodied knowledge and understanding of occupation and its link to health and well-being; deliberate educators who value occupation; and rhetoric versus reality of professional practice. This research demonstrates the critical role individual academics play in the development of students’ understanding of, and passion for, occupation and how it is enacted in practice. Educators must continue to develop their knowledge and skills of occupation as well as effective ways to teach this core concept